The Sierra Club’s Environmental Justice & Community Partnerships program was invited by Rep. Keith Ellison (D - MN) to participate in a briefing on Zero Waste and Environmental Justice on November 8 on Washington DC’s Capitol Hill. We were well represented by Adriana Gonzales (pictured at the left), the Sierra Club’s environmental justice organizer in Puerto Rico. Adriana, community activists, and the local Sierra Club are waging a campaign to prevent an incinerator being built in Arecibo. Adriana, the chapter and our allies have been promoting zero waste on the Island of Enchantment. The purpose of this briefing was to provide real-world examples of the economic, social, and environmental benefits of recycling and reuse. Investing in Zero Waste:
creates jobs,
spurs the growth of domestic manufacturing,
reduces toxic gases from landfills and incinerators,
cleans up our waterways and protects the health of our communities,
saves energy,
saves money for businesses and communities, and
grows the economy.
Adriana Gonzalez with Sierra Club: “There are efforts to build a 2,100 ton incinerator in Puerto Rico on one of the largest wetlands in the Caribbean. If this incinerator had existed when Hurricane Maria hit, it would have been flooded with 5ft of water.” #zerowaste #NoBurnNoBury pic.twitter.com/lmRDs7ZvTr
— Sierra Club Live (@SierraClubLive) November 8, 2017
On average, it is estimated that recycling creates ten times more jobs than sending waste to landfills or incinerators. A Global Alliance for Incineration Alternatives report found that 2,347,000 total direct jobs would be generated with a 75 percent diversion rate for municipal solid waste (MSW) and construction and demolition debris (C&D) by 2030. Diverting waste also protects communities from the health hazards associated with landfills and incinerators, such as climate change, pests, and air and water pollution. Diverting waste means keeping more trash out of our oceans, great lakes, and other waters, which are important sources of food and drinking water for our communities.
Along with Congressman Ellison and Adriana, the panel included nationwide leaders in the movement for Zero Waste:
Moderator Ahmina Maxey, Global Alliance for Incineration Alternatives, Detroit, MI
David Levine, American Sustainable Business Council, Washington, DC
Janiece Watts, Eureka Recycling, Minneapolis MN
Brenda Platt, Institute for Local Self-Reliance, Washington, DC
Destiny Watford, Free Your Voice and United Workers, Baltimore, MD and
Greg Sawtell, Free Your Voice and United Workers, Baltimore, MD
Learn more about Sierra Club Puerto Rico’s zero waste campaign.