April 22nd marked Earth Day, with much of the world celebrating the entire week and month in honor of our planetary sphere. We would like to acknowledge the indigenous peoples around the world who truly embrace Earth Day every day, and we hope that celebrating the Earth is something we all learn to embrace on a daily basis.

As we reflect on what Earth Day/Week/Month meant to us this year, it is about remembering this wisdom—wisdom that we act upon, embody, and live out, beyond mere cerebral understanding. We begin with learning, but it's the conversion of intentions and words into action that enables us to make the positive impact we wish to see in the world.

This year, our team at All About Waste launched an #EarthWeek campaign focused on ‘Authentic Zero Waste + Plastic Free Living’. Each day, members of our team shared examples of how they embody zero-waste lifestyles, which were posted on LinkedIn and Instagram. Topics included cleaning essentials, grocery shopping, parenting, rural living/farming, camping & backpacking, and circular surfing. We hope you felt inspired to make a change in your life, transitioning from plastic to a zero-waste alternative.

Our team was also very active, getting out into the community, sharing our wisdom with others in hopes that we can create a zero-waste ripple effect. Events included:

Denise Braun was in the 1.5° C Symposium that was on April 19, a few days before the official Earth Day! The event was held at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood. It was great to see many familiar faces and make new connections with professionals that have been leading the sustainable design and construction in Los Angeles, California and around the world. In light of Earth Day, I’m eager to highlight the key learnings:

Circular Economy Embrace: Shifting towards adaptive reuse underscores the future of sustainable design, emphasizing the importance of repurposing existing structures. Of course this was my favorite subject and I’m eager to contribute and collaborate more on projects here in the city where I reside.

Decarbonization Progress: While strides have been made, there's a crucial reminder not to rest on our laurels. While building operations see improvement, embodied carbon is on the rise. Yet, promisingly, innovative products offer substantial emissions reductions through simple substitutions.
Tackling Uncertainty: Managing the Uncertainty Index necessitates two critical strategies: narrowing the GWP range through manufacturer-specific EPDs and utilizing robust evaluation tools like EC3 for accurate emissions assessment.
Financial Viability of Low Embodied Carbon: Long-term solutions for concrete entail exploring alternative materials and carbon capture technologies, emphasizing the importance of performance-based specifications to drive change.
Refrigerant Awareness: Refrigerants, often overlooked, significantly contribute to embodied carbon emissions. Addressing this gap in data is crucial, as case studies reveal their substantial impact on building lifespan emissions.

Emily DeCremer served as a guest speaker for the CIM Group’s quarterly ESG training series. She provided context about this year’s Earth Day theme of “Planet Vs. Plastics,” aiming to raise awareness and encourage open discussion about waste management. The training covered various topics including waste audits, organics programs, reuse & recycling, zero waste purchasing, zero waste for construction projects, and more. CIM Group has a strong commitment to creating community-focused real estate and infrastructure. Their ESG commitments serve as an exemplary model of how owners, operators, lenders, and developers can positively impact communities by addressing not only carbon and water metrics but also delving into waste management, both operationally and within development projects.

Gabriele Rosa was in NYC providing support for a Zero Waste Training session for one of our clients, as well as stationed with a team of zero-waste specialists throughout their Tech Hub to offer hands-on assistance at waste bins, answer questions, and promote dialogue around zero waste through name tags reading “Let’s Talk Trash!” A Waste Audit of their facility was conducted the following day, as they are striving for TRUE Certification. Engaging with all stakeholders, from employees to janitorial teams, proved enlightening as we directly identified barriers to meeting zero waste goals. By pinpointing these challenges, we can swiftly unlock potential and align operational practices accordingly.

Lucas Allen and Cody Ryan were at one of our client Tishman Speyer's facilities in Los Angeles, known as The Brickyard & The Collective, running an Earth Day event Table. While onsite, they also offered in-person training, reviewed their waste management infrastructure, and collaborated with stakeholders on how to achieve 90% diversion from landfill targets associated with a TRUE certification. Working with multi-tenant mixed-use facilities can be especially challenging. In projects like these, engagement is key, as well as thoroughly exploring every avenue to ensure we capture every reuse opportunity possible within our waste diversion calculation. Every contribution counts, and including all stakeholders is a critical factor for success.

Megan White participated in SF Climate Week with the USGBC’s Building Transformation Forum at Trellis where she spoke on a panel discussing “Equity in the Built Environment.” Panelists were asked, "What does Equity mean to you?" Megan emphasized the importance of centering the communities impacted by our decisions. Landfills and incinerators are often situated in underrepresented and underresourced communities, disproportionately affecting BIPOC communities. Residents living near these facilities are directly exposed to air pollution, leading to environmental injustice and health disparities. Diverting waste from landfills and incinerators helps reduce the volume of materials going into these facilities, ultimately contributing to their shutdown. Megan also shared insights from one of our projects, which is on target to become the first TRUE for Construction public project in the world.