About
Zero Waste Capital District is a coalition of organizations in New York State's Capital Region (Albany, Rensselaer, Schenectady counties and beyond) that are focused on education and outreach about the importance of reducing waste.
The coalition meets the 4th Mondays of the month except in December at 6:30 pm at Citizen Action, 94 Central Ave, Albany.
Activities:
Over the last 3 years, since our formation, our volunteers have assisted with compost and recycling collection at local events such as the Tulip Festival, Jazz Festival, VegFest, Workforce Challenge Race, The Renewable Energy & Sustainable Living Fair and Sheridan Hollow Annual Block Party to name a few.
We have provided the public with educational information about composting, proper recycling, recycling unusual items, repair cafes and other ideas about waste reduction.
We have trained interested organizations in how to run their own zero waste events.
In 2019, we organized several educational events on topics such as food waste reduction, recycling, composting and waste reduction including "Down To Earth" in April 2019 and in October 2019 two presentations by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (Washington, DC) focusing on local waste reduction strategies with founder, Neil Seldman.
Sponsored a presentation on “Pay As You Throw” by Steve Lisauskas of Waste Zero Consultants, Boston, MA., on November 25, 2019.
Sponsoring three grassroots trainings in December-January 2020 on how to help Hudson Valley communities move toward zero waste.
We inform members of local and global legislative initiatives about waste reduction. Current action is on support for a legislative initiative in the Albany County legislature: 1) Local Law F, "Skip The Straw" law, will make plastic straws and cutlery available only upon request in Albany County. This will help reduce single-use plastics and protect the environment and public health.
Working with two local food waste initiatives: Radix Ecological Sustainability Center Community Compost Initiative – a weekly compost pick-up business that serves the Capital Region (compost@radixcenter.org.) and FoodScraps360, a residential compost pick up business that serves the Capital Region (https://foodscraps360.com/).
In addition, members of our organization have assisted the City of Albany in writing and securing a $225,000 Food Waste Reduction grant from the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).
We operate a Facebook group (Zero Waste Capital District).
Albany City Sustainability Advisory Committee (SAC):
Tina Lieberman, a founder of Zero Waste CD, is a member of the Albany City Sustainability Advisory Committee, as is Scott Kellogg of the Radix Ecological Sustainability Center, an urban farm and educational organization in a low-income Albany neighborhood. Tina is Chair of the Zero Waste Education Subcommittee and Scott is Chair of the Urban Agriculture Subcommittee. Together they are working with the city to implement the DEC Food Waste Reduction Grant over the next 3 years. Core members of Zero Waste Capital District are also members the SAC's Zero Waste Education Subcommittee and our meetings serve both organizations. Here is the link to the Albany City Sustainability Advisory Committee website: https://www.albanyny.gov/Government/Departments/SustainableCommunities/SAC.aspx
Press:
Albany shoppers return single-use plastic to Market 32
https://www.news10.com/news/albany-county/albany-shoppers-return-plastic-packaging-to-market-32/
Albany aims for zero waste at Riverfront Jazz Festival
https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Albany-aims-for-zero-waste-at-Riverfront-Jazz-13212006.php
May 13th & 14th, 2023