TOMORROW’S ENVIRONMENT:ARE YOU IN OR OUT?

Laurie Batchelder AdamsOctober 2, 2008

2008 Annual Conference Colorado Rocky

Mountain SWANA Chapter

The Work Environment – Work Force Diversity

Greater that 25% will be Hispanic & Asian Increased training

Staff – hands-on & specialized, ESL Supervisors – cultural awareness,

languages Improved communication skills & media

needed (digital, on-line forums, blogging, link-ins)

Retention needs will increase Tuition reimbursement Comprehensive health benefits Absenteeism & safety incentives

The Waste Environment – New Materials in Waste Stream

Materials from displaced products

Materials from new technology

Nanotechnology Health issues? Equipment & ops issues?

Fullerene = simplest carbon structure

The Regulatory Environment –LFGTE & WTE

LFG classified as renewable energy - eligible for production tax credit

WTE defined as renewable in 15 states

Reduces methane & provides alternative to fossil fuels

Approx 500 LFGTE projects 90 WTE projects Both expected to increase

The Environment Environment

Global water shortage – over I billion people lack access to potable water

Air quality – 130M in the U.S. live with “unhealthy” air

Global warming – climate change, compromised ecosystems, health affects

But really – what’s the big deal??

Just the Facts, Ma’am

American West has warmed 70% more than planet as a whole (Colorado River Basin 2X global average)

  20th Century 21st Century Notes

Warming Trend 1.44 degrees F 2-12 degrees F

11 of last 12 years = warmest in modern history

Sea Levels 4-8 inches 19-37 inches23 feet if entire Greenland ice sheet melts

CO2 Levels

< 1% last 10,000 yrs

33% since Industrial

Revolution

650,000 yrs ago - last time atmospheric CO2 at today's levels

Global Warming Basics

Greenhouse gases – carbon dioxide, methane, ozone, nitrous oxide & CFCs

Biogenic & anthropogenic sources

CO2 has “global warming potential” of 1 (baseline)

Measured as metric tons of CO2 equivalent (MTCE)

What’s the Relevance?

MTCE = a balloon filled to a 30-ft diameter Annual US per capita generation = 20 to 25

MTCE

US Climate Change Movement

24 states require electric utilities to use renewables 11 states to reduce GHGs by 80% from 1990 levels > 600 mayors signed climate protection agreement > 1000 companies participate in GHG reduction &

renewable power procurement programs EPA programs - Climate Leaders Program, Green

Power Partnership, Energy Star, Methane to Markets, etc.

Will Congress Ever Catch Up?

America’s Climate Security Act of 2007 (S. 2191) Requires caps for manufacturing, transportation &

electric Offset trading from agricultural, forest & other land-use

Efforts to Modify S. 2191 by coalition including SWANA to recognize recycling as GHG stabilizer

House Climate Change Bill (in progress) – SWANA coalition wants to study direct $$ to recycling

Many new renewable energy bills

www.markstivers.com/cartoons/main%202002.html

Role of Solid Waste Industry

< 5% of total US GHGs from solid waste Collection = largest emission process Landfill disposal = largest methane generator

Recycling reduces resource consumption of virgin materials

Recycling & composting improve carbon sequestration & reduce disposal, avoid landfilling

LFG & WTE create energy that replaces fossil fuels

SWANA’s Role Recently Added Services & Programs

Joined Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX) Offset footprints for SWANA events beginning 2007 Monthly E-sessions on solid waste + climate change Partnered with Clinton Climate Initiative New “ning” site social network at iamswana.ning.com WASTECON 2008

Carbon Calculator included in WASTECON 2008 Registration

SWANA, con’t

Increased role for Technical Divisions Training – new updates for Transfer

Stations, C&D and Recycling Continued advocacy

Part of Renewable Energy Business Alliance Action Alerts on SWANA home page America’s Climate Security Act of 2007

2009 Interstate Waste – Rail-Based Solid Waste

Facilities – Flow Control

You & SWANA?

Join a Technical Division

Become a training instructor

Join SWANA’s Applied Research Foundation

Take the SWANA Climate Change Challenge today

1. Expect2. Question

3. Participate in Change

Laurie Batchelder Adams

LBA Associates & SWANA

lbaassoc@qwest.net