Jon Schroeder is an SMM Specialist at MnTAP, focused on sustainable materials, waste mitigation, reuse, recycling, lifecycle assessment (LCA), organizational engagement, and sustainable procurement. Based in Minneapolis, he has extensive experience in sustainability initiatives, with deep expertise in waste and materials management. He runs the Minnesota Materials Exchange as part of his job, and enjoys helping facilitate and further build reuse ecosystems in Minnesota to keep items out of landfills and incinerators.
He conducts free technical assistance with various stakeholders and clients, including hospitals, grocery stores, food manufacturers, schools, restaurants, nonprofits, and startups. Previously, he was a Research Fellow at the US Environmental Protection Agency, where he worked on various food waste and materials projects including the Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines, Anaerobic Digestion Report, Excess Food Opportunities Map, and SWIFR/REO grant programs. Concurrent to EPA, he was a Research Fellow at Project Drawdown where he updated food waste and plant-rich diet solutions. He has worked in various arenas including academia, a startup, private sector, public sector, and consulting.
Jon holds a bachelor’s degree in Entrepreneurial and Nonprofit Management from the Carlson School, a master’s degree in Sustainable Systems from the Golisano Institute for Sustainability, and studied business at the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland. He has published papers on food waste, soilless farming, clean energy patenting and economics, plant-rich diets, and waste management in various journals and magazines. He is LEED AP Homes and Certified Master Gardener in Hennepin County. He is an environmentalist because of the wildlife we share this planet with and tries to give them a voice through his work. He occasionally lobbies on Capitol Hill for stronger legislation around pressing environmental topics.