Our Zero waste Director, Julia Wetstein, is speaking at the upcoming Pac-12 Sustainability Conference, 25-26 June at The University of Washington, Washington, USA. Julia will be presenting research, conducted by CMA and the University of Washington, on the benefits of utilising composting packaging to capture post-consumer waste.  Register for the conference today!

Julia will be discussing compostables on a panel alongside experts from the Composting Manufacturing Alliance (CMA) and University of California, Berkeley. Julia has over 20 years experience in composting, agriculture and implementing zero waste programs. In the Vegware team, she bridges the gap between the foodservice and composting worlds. We catch up with her before the conference:

Julia, what’s your proudest moment at Vegware?

“Diverting 340 pounds of food scraps and used Vegware from landfill to composting at the Airports Going Green conference last year.”

How quickly is the world of foodservice adopting a greener packaging?

“Wow – we’ve seen a huge increase in demand for plant-based packaging! And lots of interest from customers who want to understand their packaging – from the renewable, lower carbon, reclaimed and recycled materials to correct disposable. From small independent cafes to international corporations, they’re all taking the first step.”

What are your hopes for the future of foodservice?

“I look forward to the day when all uneaten food will either be redistributed to hungry people, or if it’s not suitable for that purpose, then it will go to a friendly composter who uses the food scraps to create a life-giving soil amendment called compost!  Not everyone understands how to do this today.  But with conferences like the PAC-12 we at Vegware can give schools great information and get them on the right path. And we can do this with Vegware’s plant-based disposables!”

The conference is an excellent opportunity to learn about the latest in sustainable practices for campus education and living: from food waste to waste conservation and energy innovation.

Vegware is delighted to sponsoring the event, by providing plant-based Vegware for serving the conference meals. All post-consumer compostable waste will be taken to the Cedar Grove processing facility where it will turn into nutrient-rich compost.

Register today to learn her methods for introducing zero waste programs into universities.