The National Restaurant Association is collaborating with the Atlanta-based Zero Waste Zone program to identify best practices, create resources and measure the impact of perishable organics waste-management efforts in the restaurant industry.
The program, which has been in existence for two years, is administered by Elemental Impact and is part of the NRA’s “Conserve: Solutions for Sustainability” initiative. The collaboration’s objective is to bring the benefits of the Zero Waste Zone program to the nation’s almost 1 million foodservice operations.
“Atlanta’s Zero Waste Zone program has been incredibly successful, and we are now looking to expand that success to communities nationwide,” said Scott DeFife, executive vice president for Policy and Government Affairs for the NRA. “Sustainability is imperative to our industry, other business communities and the general public. Working with Elemental Impact, we are bringing industry stakeholders together to enable our members to establish – and succeed in reaching – waste diversion and resource recovery goals.”
The NRA’s "Conserve: Solutions for Sustainability" initiative was created in 2008 with funding from the Turner Foundation. Since its launch, the initiative has provided the foodservice industry with a free online resource and other educational materials, as well as the Conserve Solutions Center, at the annual NRA show and the soon-to-be-launched Conserve Education and Recognition program.
Elemental Impact is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing sustainable operating practices to the corporate community.
