Conference Tracks
Select a conference track from the list below to see session, speaker, and handout/presentation information for that track.
Workshops Session Five
Wednesday, October 30, 2013 • 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
EI.5: Green Products: Making Decisions with Imperfect Knowledge
Room 309/310
Session purpose is to explore how the evolving fields of Alternative Assessment, Product Standards, and Product Certifications can help purchasers, consumers, and policy makers make better decisions about what make a “greener” product. Where is the state of the art now, and what challenges remain? How should these tools be wielded to avoid pitfalls and lead us toward a greener future? Attendees will come away with a better understanding of the practical application of the emerging practice of chemical alternative assessment; useful approaches for evaluating ecolabels and product certifications; and pitfalls to avoid when trying to make decisions about environmentally preferable products. We will use an engaging format to address audience questions and concerns.
Speakers
Alicia Culver,
Executive Director, Responsible Purchasing Network
Speaker-submitted biosketch
Alicia’s experience working on sustainability issues spans more than two decades. She has provided technical support to procurement agents and environmental program staff in many states and municipalities. She has helped develop model green purchasing policies and specifications for a wide-range of environmentally preferable goods and services such as low-mercury/energy-efficient fluorescent lamps, asthma-safe cleaning products, and compostable food service ware. Alicia formerly worked as the Deputy Director of the New Jersey Office of Sustainability and founded the Green Purchasing Institute. She currently chairs San Francisco’s Sweatfree Procurement Advisory Group and has served as an advisor to many other organizations, including the National Healthy Schools Network, Green Guide for Health Care, GoodGuide, the Product Policy Institute, Environmental Working Group, and the European Environmental Bureau.
John Katz,
Pollution Prevention Coordinator, US Environmental Protection Agency , Region 9
Speaker-submitted biosketch
John Katz has served as a Pollution Prevention Coordinator at EPA for 17 years. He focuses on small business technical assistance, green product design, and electronics. He has a Masters Degree in Environmental and Energy Policy from the University of Minnesota.
Presentations/Handouts
No presentations or handouts have been submitted for this session.
HHW.5: Sustaining Programs with Limited Resources
Room 313
Leveraging Partnerships to run HHW Programs—Reaching across the issues to create policies, programs and partnerships to protect the environment. One of the biggest environmental programs local governments are mandated with is managing and collecting hazardous waste. We use every trick in the book to control costs, but the simple fact remains that we must leverage resources and develop partnerships to address overlapping issues. These resources include: grants, public/private partnerships, using onsite personnel to offset costs, and treating wastes as a commodity for revenue generation. What are the real time expectations of maintaining a meaningful HHW, universal waste, and EPR Collection Programs over the coming years? Where can we find funding? What are some current program success stories? This interactive discussion welcomes aggressive thinking and the enthusiastic sharing of ideas among jurisdictions represented in the audience.
Speakers
Speaker-submitted biosketch
Natalia Jimenez is the Environmental Affairs Manager with the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Works. She has over 17 years of professional program management and communications experience including managing, developing, and implementing complex environmental programs and public education campaigns. She oversees the $10 million HHW Management Program, the largest of its kind in the nation. Natalia has led media relations, environmental outreach, social marketing and advertising campaigns with impressive and positive results. She is the spokesperson for Public Works in Spanish and English media. She is a graduate of California State University, Los Angeles with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications.
Speaker-submitted biosketch
Armine Kesablyan is the Program Manager for Los Angeles County’s countywide Household Hazardous Waste Management Program. She has managed this program for the last 8 years and has worked with all of the 88 cities in the County and other beneficial partners to foster collaboration and promote sustainability to enhance services in the County while reducing costs, leveraging limited resources, avoiding duplication of efforts, and providing unified public education. She possesses skills in grant writing, legislative analysis, and program analysis and development. She has a BA in Graphic Arts and a Masters in Business Administration.
Justin Lewis,
Environmental Management Coordinator, City of Lancaster
Speaker-submitted biosketch
Justin Lewis is an Environmental Compliance Officer with the City of Lancaster with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Management. Since 2007, He has been focused on ensuring facility compliance with current and new environmental regulations, and developing reuse, recycling, and sustainable residual revenue programs from waste products. His current design and operation of the first Municipal operated 24 Hour Recycling Center for HHW has earned him the American Public Works Association Environmental Program of the Year Award and the California Resource and Recovery Association Outstanding HHW / E-Waste Recycling program award. His environmental background and focus on community collaboration has resulted in numerous environmental programs including a unique HHW multi-family recycling program and a park recycling collaboration program called Recycling for Recreation.
Moderator:
Brent Whitener,
Programs Manager, Humboldt Waste Management Authority
Speaker-submitted biosketch
Brent Whitener has served for five years as HWMA's manager of HHW facility and mobile collection events, satellite collection of Universal wastes including medical sharps, household batteries, and fluorescent bulbs. He administer's OPP and Waste Tire Grant activities, diversion and the development of commodities streams to attain and exceed AB939 mandates, and active participation in EPR such as carpet CARE and PaintCare Programs. Mr. Whitener's previous careers include Humboldt County Environmental Health Field Inspector and US Coast Guard Maritime Safety and Environmental Protection Enforcement Officer.
Presentations/Handouts
UO.5: Used Oil Lifecycle Assessment
Room 311/312
In 2009, SB 546 made a number of changes to the California Oil Recycling Enhancement Act, including requiring CalRecycle to complete a Lifecycle Assessment on the used oil management system in California. In July 2013, the contractor reports related to that project were completed. This session will present the results of those contractor reports and describe the draft findings made by CalRecycle.
Speakers
Robert Carlson,
Senior Integrated Waste Management Specialist, CalRecycle
Speaker-submitted biosketch
Robert Carlson is a senior integrated waste management specialist at CalRecycle working in the used oil program. Currently Robert is responsible for various technical aspects of the used oil program and in particular is leading the effort to complete the Lifecycle Assessment for used oil as required by SB 546. Robert has also worked at CalRecycle in the tire program, plastics and packaging, as well as Extended Producer Responsiblity.
Presentations/Handouts
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