NERC Blog

Today’s Blog continues where Environmental Investment, Part 1 left off.

True confession…I know next to nothing about investments. I’ve more or less ignored what’s happening with my retirement plan, other than to pick a “conservative option”; I’m definitely risk averse. That being said, I do try to otherwise live my life in a socially and environmentally responsible manner. Not paying attention to my investments is probably not smart, and not only for the financial implications. I also think that in today’s political reality, socially responsible (SRI) or sustainable investing is one way to positively act to protect the environment.

I knew of the struggles of food recovery organizations in accessing the proper transportation vehicles and refrigeration storage; however, I didn’t realize that labor was also an issue. So, while those of us in materials management are trying to promote food recovery, there seems to be a growing disconnect as to how increases in food donations can be effectively managed by food recovery organizations.

Today’s Blog is a repost of an US Environmental Protection Agency Blog, written by Gloria Li, an environmental science and philosophy major at the University of Florida.

Implementing the Food Recovery Hierarchy presents an opportunity to decrease solid waste generation, mitigate environmental impacts and resource use, improve food security in our communities, create jobs, conserve water, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and water pollution.

As a materials manager, it’s of course important to me that I plan for how to handle the remaining holiday food bounty in order to not let it go to waste. In this vein, I offer the following tips for leftover storage and cooking.

It’s the holiday season. Along with the hustle, bustle, and cheer comes trash. Trash, of course, increases dramatically this time of year (about 25%), as does recycling (also around 25%). These stats make it even more important that each of us in the field do our part to promote the “3R’s+” and “recycle right” this time of year.

For the pivotal importance of today for our country, the world, and the environment, I offer the following thoughts. – Athena Lee Bradley

Many professional events are promoting opportunities to recognize “young professionals” and/or bring “experienced professionals” together with the “young professionals”. NERC’s fall conference this year strives to do just that, with sessions devoted to two fairly recent developments in the recycling industry—reuse and organics—in which many young entrepreneurs have found success.

Today’s Guest Blog is by Billy Ernest, an ECOAmeriCorps Member serving the Windham Solid Waste Management District, Bennington County Solid Waste Alliance, and the Londonderry Group in southern Vermont.