Motion:
Moved/Seconded by Rick Anthony/Gary Liss:
“The Zero Waste International Alliance Planning Group shall convene an
International Dialog on Zero Waste in Italy in February 2009, subject to
availability of sponsors and funding needed."
AYE: Rick Anthony, Gary Liss,
Mal Williams, Gerry Gillespie, Sonia Mendoza, Muna Lakhani
NAY: 0
Motion carries (Quorum is 5). It's onward
and upward to Italy in 2009!
Next we will set the time and
place and call for papers. Now is a good to time to raise
concerns on these lists. GRRN has agreed to help promote the
event through discussion on the list. JM has agreed to help us with
GAIA.
Background:
Last April-May 2008 Paul Connett, Eric
Lombardi, Jeff Morris and I presented at Zero Waste conferences and town
meetings throughout northern Italy. The result was the same everywhere:
the local grassroots citizens attended, ready to listen to another way of
handling community and business discards. The Italian Zero Waste
alliance led by Rossano Ercolini was able to network our group of traveling
Zero Waste experts to local Zero Waste representatives in each town.
There is a network of Zero Waste advocates growing throughout the country and
all of Europe. It is time to organize a ZWIA face-to-face meeting, since
Europe is getting to critical mass, and if we don't get organized, we stand to
lose our brand.
Rossano has agreed to work with us to host a ZWIA
gathering in Italy. I suggested Rome but it could be anywhere where
there is mass transit and reasonable lodging. We are planning for
February 2009.
Since ZWIA’s first meetings in Penang and
Beaumaris we have held two International Dialogs (San Francisco 2004 and Davos
2007). In all cases our coming together has led to synergies that have
captured the imagination of the world. The movement for Zero Waste
in Italy is a surge in grassroots activities propelled by the threat of global
warming, proposed incinerators and the European Union’s decree to phase out
organics from landfilling. The whole region is interested in what Zero
Waste is and how to implement it.
With major corporations leading
the way, Zero Waste is now seen as an effective means for complying with
greening of the earth standards and the results have been wins in
efficiency and perception. It is very important that we join together on
a global basis and adopt over arching principles for those who will be tasked
by their company or government to implement these programs. We need to
discuss and endorse our methodology and metrics.
Rossano and our
ZWIA Italy friends are willing to help us host this event. The ZWIA
Planning Group (ZWIA Plan) will put together the program. As organizers,
Gary Liss and I are taking the initiative and will follow up on all
tasks. I plan to be there on site to the finish, and we will have
principles that we want to adopt and to address how to make ZWIA more
sustainable.
We think the structure of the International Dialog
organized in San Francisco works as a model for this event in Italy:
- One half day on Wednesday afternoon (followed by a social
dinner) for a ZWIA Planning Group face to face networking and organizing
meeting.
- Thursday/Friday International Dialog. Reports on Zero
Waste policies, programs and facilities implemented by business and
communities from around the world. Consider papers on proposed
international policy (e.g. Davos Zero Waste accords, Blue Mountain Recyclers
statement, Zero Waste 10 Commandments from Mal Williams, City to Soils of
Gerry Gillespie) and discuss over arching principles of Zero Waste.
Hopefully by the end of the second day we will have positions that ZWIA will
be able to circulate to adopt internationally.
- Saturday Zero Waste community workshop with local
organizers on how to initiate and adopt Zero Waste policies and plans for
businesses and communities.
In San Francisco
we were able to raise some money for speaker travel from primarily California
state agencies, which we knew well. This time the locals will get the
location but you may have to take care of your travel. We can solicit
organizations or foundations to get travel funding but I suggest you start
looking around locally as well.
The last time in Davos we
tried to broadcast on the Internet which worked but most of you were asleep or
at work. Budget and facilities permitting, we may try to arrange those
type of connections again for some presentations. But it’s time that the
full ZWIA Planning Group attend in person.
Rick and
Gary
Ricanthony@no.address
RichardAnthonyAssociates.com
San Diego,
California