Burgess COMMENTARY

Peter Burgess

medelste@ramapo.edu 10:47 AM (10 hours ago) to undisclosed recipients MASS: Masters in Sustainability Studies presents 'Zero Waste: A Permaculture Perspective on Waste Management' Shabbazz Jackson and Josephine Papagni Thursday April 4, Friends Hall In 'Zero Waste: A Permaculture Perspective on Waste Management,' Shabazz Jackson and Josephine Papagni present a sustainable approach to the topic of waste. In this view, materials are cycled---reused, recovered, cycled back into use--not disposed of. Jackson and Papagni's company, Greenway Environmental Services, has worked with college's and communities to create important pilot projects in the region. Their interest is in building community capacity, not just solving waste problems but addressing the social changes required to implement new behaviors toward consumption and waste. Based on principles of permaculture, they have been able to achieve a dramatic reduction to waste streams while enabling sustainable land management and food systems. Their model program in Poughkeepsie, New York, began with work at Vassar College and has grown to address materials produced by three colleges in the city. They have developed the ability, not just to talk about, but to achieve zero waste systems. In their lecture, this husband and wife team will showcase their approach and the principles that underlie it. They will then discuss several cases studies that apply these principles. These include applications to homesteads, college and community practices and instituting municipal zero waste programs. Fifth in the Spring 2013 series of seven presentations at Ramapo College of New Jersey: Creating a Sustainable World: Voices of Key Practitioners #2 Free and Open to the Public Michael R. Edelstein, Ph.D. Professor, Environmental Studies Program and Masters of Sustainability Studies Director, Institute for Environmental Studies Ramapo College of New Jersey 505 Ramapo Valley Road Mahwah, NJ 07430 G419 201-684-7745