SE Corporate Sustainability Rankings

Congratulations to Stephanie Armistead for the second successful SE Corporate Sustainability Rankings!  The dedication and hard work paid off once again with a stellar event.  Here is the formal copy:

The 2011 Southeastern Corporate Sustainability Rankings (the Rankings) have put a green spotlight on corporations in the Southeast that are doing well by doing good. With more than 135 in attendance, the Rankings Co-founders Stephanie Armistead, general manager of GreenBusiness WORKS, and Mark Callaway announced the standings at an elegant awards breakfast event at the Atlanta Midtown W Hotel held on May 3, 2011.

The Rankings, now in its second year, were created to inspire, motivate, and create awareness about the sustainability progress of publicly traded companies headquartered in the Southeast. “It is a pleasure to pay tribute to this year’s top Georgia performers,” said Armistead. “These corporations deserve recognition for their success in being leaders of environmental, social and governance (ESG) and we applaud each for their continued commitment in doing the right thing.”

Read more ...

2011 NRA Show: A Great Place for Business Connections

Chris Moyer &John Mulcahy

The 2011 National Restaurant Show held in Chicago at McCormick Place was an excellent opportunity for business connections and meetings.  With fabulous attendance and sold-out exhibitor space, the show brought businesses together from around the country and the globe.

Louis Herrera & Tom Lembo meeting

With ample seating, the Conserve Solutions Center served as a popular meeting space for new and re-newed connections. Throughout the day the CSC scheduled 20 minutes mini educational sessions on sustainable programs, products and technology.  See the IMPACT Blog post, Ei @ Conserve Solutions Center During NRA Show, for details on Ei's presentation on Sunday, May 22.

Holly meeting NRA executives

 Holly Elmore, Elemental Impact founder, took advantage of the CSC area with many meetings and introductions during the show.  Stay tuned for exciting developments whose seeds were planted at the 2011 NRA Show.

Inaugural IFSS a Sucess!

Scott Defife & Lynn Dyer

The inaugural International Foodservice Sustainability Symposium was a a great success!  Hosted by Kendall College in Chicago, the symposium started immediately following the NRA Show and attracted an impressive crowd.  Cindy Railing and the IFSS Team pulled together an amazing event program.

Kim Frankovich & Doug Kunnemann

After the keynote speaker and opening sessions, Kendall College showed their culinary expertise with an excellent reception and dinner at the school.  

Buzz Chandler, Peter Romeo &
Doug Kunnemann

Visit the ZWZ Blog post, Recycling Integrity @ IFSS - the Chris & Holly Show, with an added Buzz, for details on the May 24 afternoon session, Recycling Integrity:  Truths, Myths & Emerging Technologies.

Ei @ the Conserve Solutions Center During NRA Show

Ei @ NRA Conserve
Solutions Center

In true collaborative spirit, Chris Moyer, NRA Conserve Program Director, invited Elemental Impact founder and CEO to speak on Sunday, May 22 during prime time at the Conserve Solutions Center, a vibrant area of the 2011 National Restaurant Association dedicated to Solutions for Sustainability.

Holly Speaking

Holly gave a solid overview of Elemental Impact's initiatives, Zero Waste Zones, POWER - Perishable Organics Waste To Energy Recycling and SFCI - Sustainable Food Court Initiatives.

Visit the Ei Speaking Engagements page where the session PPT presentation may be downloaded.

Thank you Chris for the excellent opportunity to spread Ei's important message!

Suzanne Burnes Joins Sustainable Atlanta

Effective June 01, Suzanne Burnes joins Sustainable Atlanta as Executive Director.  Ei knows Suzanne well from her days as Assistant Director at the Sustainability Division of the GA Department of Natural Resources.  Although we will miss the Suzanne connection at the S.D., Ei is thrilled to expand our relationship with Suzanne as she embarks on another chapter in her impressive career.


Sustainable Atlanta is certain to reach new dimensions of influence and impact under Suzanne's strong leadership.


Welcome Suzanne!  Know you can count on Ei and Zero Waste Zones to support you and Sustainable Atlanta in whatever capacity possible. 

Tis the Season ...To Indulge in Farmers Markets

While the late fall heralds the beginning of the holiday season, the early spring beckons us to indulge in the tasty bounties from the local farmers and producers.  Amazing discoveries are made at the urban farmers markets abundant in most cities.

Along with meeting the farmers and finding new or forgotten produce treasures, the markets are an excellent venue to connect with the neighborhood.  In addition to produce and prepared food vendors, many markets feature local jewelers, soap and candle artisans and other fun, creative treats.

Chef Scott Serpas @
Peachtree Road Farmers Market 

Hmmm.... all this produce is wonderful, yet what is done with it once I get home?  Chef demonstrations are common at many farmers markets and an excellent opportunity to learn from the experts how to prepare and cook the local items.  Many farmers also provide recipe cards or are happy to share how they serve their bounty at home.

How do you find a market close to you?  In Georgia, the Local Food Guide by Georgia Organics is a fantastic tool to locate markets, farmers and restaurants/caterers/stores committed to sustainable agriculture products.  Not in Georgia, then a google search will do the trick.

This spring is the perfect time to make a weekly trip to a farmers market in your neighborhood.  It will change your perspective and most likely your life.

GRA Hosts Sustainability Meeting

On April 27 Radial Cafe hosted the Georgia Restaurant Association's Bi-Annual Sustainability Meeting to an enthusiastic audience.  Chris Coan with Gas South and Chair of the GRA Sustainability Committee gave an update on the GRA's green initiatives along with an overview of a recent case study.

Chris Coan,
the fearless leader!

The agenda was fantastic with many quick presentations by Georgia Organics, the Sustainability Division of the GA DNR. City of Atlanta Watershed, Georgia Green Loans and Elemental Impact|Zero Waste Zones.


Jeff Foote, The Coca-Cola Company Director of Customer Sustainability and keynote speaker, gave a lively, fun and informative presentation on water conservation.  Complete with an array of props, Jeff entertained as he educated on how seemingly small efforts result in amazing water savings, which translate into $$$ savings.

Roy Edwards of the
Sustainability Division  

Radial Cafe owner Frank Bragg closed the meeting with an impressive talk about their sustainability commitment, both from an environmental and local food standpoint,
 and gave a back-of-the-house tour.


With the GRA's Green Foodservice Alliance the original home of the Zero Waste Zones, the meeting was like a homecoming reunion with the folks who helped build the foundation for Elemental Impact.

GO Local Food Guide - let's get the word out!

In April, Georgia Organics members received a copy of the latest edition of the Local Food Guide - 96 pages of 174 farms, 75 restaurants, 96 farmers markets, and 40 other business listings. As a member benefit, businesses and farms can request additional copies for distribution. Shipping is very expensive, and because of budget constraints Georgia Organics can't guarantee that you'll receive as many Local Food Guides as you need. But we'll do our best. Metro Atlantans, it'd be even better if you came by the Georgia Organics World Headquarters to pick up your bulk order, which you can specify on the order form link below. The more Local Food Guides we can get into people's hands, the easier it is for them to find fresh, organically grown foods. Submit Order Here.

Ei Welcomes Susan Grider Montgomery

Susan Grider Montgomery joins the Elemental Impact Team  as the Zero Waste Zones  Program Director. As a certified Project Management Professional, Susan brings a strong skill set to the ZWZ and will initially focus on developing the program template for national expansion slated later in the year.  Additionally, Susan will oversee building a ZWZ team to grow the Atlanta participant base.

With Susan's passion and expertise in the "health economics" arena, the ZWZ will incorporate health impact into the metrics collection and other program aspects in the development stage.  Susan is first and foremost a solid business woman with an MBA from Boston University and under her guidance the ZWZ program will continue to make good business sense as it evolves.

Welcome Susan!