New changes have arrived for Zero Waste Humboldt (ZWH), the latest in a year of transitions and successes. For 2018, the organization welcomes an all-new board and two new contractors, Anne Maher with Engagement and Kristian Salgado with facilitating the Refill not Landfill hydration station program. is new group is looking forward to an exciting future working with Humboldt County on waste-related issues, and looks back with thanks on the large strides taken by our previous Board, independent contractor, and volunteer group. Here’s a quick look at our accomplishments from 2017:
California successfully banned the bag! is monumental task marks a huge step in the march toward a plastic-free planet. ZWH is grateful to have been a part of this win, as we campaigned and hopefully educated many of our local stakeholders on the importance of this piece of legislation.
In April, Arcata’s first-ever Zero Waste Action Plan was released, the result of months of work from a collaborative effort between the City of Arcata and Zero Waste Humboldt. e 10-year plan provides implementation goals to move us towards Zero Waste and marks a trailblazing step by the City of Arcata as the first city in our area to do so!
We also worked with the City of Arcata to officially proclaim November 15 Zero Waste Day. is year, the proclamation was utilized by several local groups to table and spread the Zero Waste message. We are looking forward to continuing this tradition in 2018!
The water bottle refill station project is well on its way! 2018 is the year that we plan to install three to six different water bottle refilling stations throughout Humboldt County. These facilities will allow for community members to utilize clean water refills as opposed to purchasing single-use water bottles. Stay tuned for future locations of hydration stations as the program continues to grow.
And, of course, ZWH continues to present at local schools, governance meetings, and civic groups, and work with local businesses on waste management principles.
ZWH would like to thank 2017’s granting entities for making all of this possible. ey include: Coast Central Credit Union, the Strong Foundation, and the Rotary Club of Mad River, who all made extremely generous donations to move these projects forward.
Once again, the new group at ZWH could not be more excited to begin their endeavor and work with Humboldt County towards a Zero Waste future. If you would like to join our email list, donate, or have us present at your school or organization, email us at contact@zerowastehumboldt.org.