Grassroots Community Action

Co-Creating Zero Waste Miami: From Vision to Action Through Coalition Building, Madeline Kaufman, M.Sc.

How a 160+ member coalition is building a Zero Waste Miami through community-driven strategy, projects, and data at a critical moment for the region’s waste system.

Zero Waste Miami is a 160+ member coalition spanning nonprofits, local governments, schools, and businesses, working together to build a more circular and equitable future for Miami-Dade County. This work comes at a critical moment: the region produces nearly double the national average of waste per person each day, is rapidly running out of space to manage it, and is currently facing an ongoing debate over rebuilding a new waste incinerator.

This presentation will share our collaborative approach to developing a community-driven zero waste strategy, from early visioning to actionable implementation. Over the past 2 years, we have hosted a series of framework-building events to develop a shared Zero Waste Miami handbook, aligning diverse stakeholders around common principles, language, and goals. Building on this foundation, we convened interactive workshops to design, refine, and prioritize a portfolio of high-impact zero waste projects, centering community voices and identifying scalable, locally relevant solutions.

We are now fine-tuning these project plans and beginning to pursue funding to bring them to life. By the time of the conference, our final Zero Waste Miami strategy will be published and publicly available, alongside a co-created waste diversion database featuring case studies and associated environmental, social, and economic impact data. We will also share a standard operating procedure to help other communities replicate this coalition-based model.

Attendees will gain practical insights into coalition building, participatory planning, and turning ideas into implementation.

Nazir Khan

Nazir will highlight the successful work with the City of Minneapolis and the State Legislature over the past few years. This includes the Minneapolis Resolution calling upon the County to close the HERC incinerator, the proposal for a Zero Waste Ambassadors Program, and the budget approval for a Zero Waste staff lead and Advisory Council.

Turning Community Cleanups into Zero Waste Action: #WorcesterLitter, Paul Ledoux

What started as a simple act of stewardship has grown into a grassroots cleanup effort bringing neighbors together to care for their streets, parks, and public spaces.

Worcester Litter Incorporated began as a personal practice: picking up litter while walking through neighborhoods in Worcester, Massachusetts. Over time, this small habit evolved into a grassroots community effort focused on environmental stewardship, neighborhood pride, and collective action.

This presentation shares the story behind the project—from individual cleanup efforts to organizing community cleanups that bring together residents, volunteers, and local partners. The session will explore what grassroots litter organizing looks like in practice: identifying litter hotspots, documenting common waste items such as single-use packaging and alcohol nips, and using social media (@ipickupworcesterlitterverywell) to encourage everyday participation.

Rather than waiting for large institutions or funding, Worcester Litter Incorporated demonstrates how simple, consistent actions can spark broader community engagement. By sharing lessons learned from organizing cleanups and building local participation, this presentation highlights how grassroots stewardship can complement larger zero waste goals and encourage residents to take an active role in caring for shared public spaces.