What does it take to make food ware ordinances work for real businesses and communities? This panel shares key insights from Sonoma County, CA and Bellingham, WA, two communities with experience helping businesses navigate the road from policy to practice.
Representatives of the Zero Waste Sonoma Technical Assistance project, Lily Laurence (Cascadia Consulting Group) and Hugo Mata (Soluna Outreach Solutions), will share how they supported hundreds of Sonoma County businesses in meeting state and local zero waste requirements and how equity-based outreach, multilingual engagement, and practical tools led to improved compliance through building trust, overcoming skepticism, and simplifying requirements.
Sustainable Connections outreach and education experts, Brandi Hutton and Connor Hoemann, will share insights on the successes and the ongoing challenges of implementing Washington State’s first comprehensive ban on single-use plastics passed in 2021 in Bellingham. They will highlight how since July 2022 they have been helping food service establishments navigate requirements for durables and compostables while empowering them to make sustainable choices that help the community thrive.
This session offers a roadmap for turning policy mandates into community-supported, lasting systems change.
Presenter and Moderator: Xinci Tan, Organics Program Manager Zero Waste Sonoma
Speakers:
Lily Laurence, Senior Associate Communications & Engagement, Cascadia Consulting Group
Hugo Mata, Principal, Soluna Outreach Solutions
Brandi Hutton, Toward Zero Waste Manager, Sustainable Connections
Connor Hoemann, Toward Zero Waste Program Assistant, Sustainable Connections