Ei Awards, Recognition & Milestones

At the 2014 Annual Ei Partner Meeting, Ei founder Holly Elmore gave an Elemental Impact Overview presentation on the new three-platform approach: 1> Product Stewardship, 2> Recycling Refinement and 3> Water Use | Toxicity. The IMPACT Blog article, Ei 2014: A Year of Evolution, is a synopsis of the powerful meeting, including the history of Ei's evolution to a monumental year. 

Melissa & Holly at
Ei Partner Meeting

Melissa Selem gave the final meeting presentation: Ei ROCKS!  Melissa chronicled the awards received, recognition achieved, milestones surpassed and an update on Ei's powerful cyberspace network. PPT presentations from the meeting are available for download on the Ei Meetings & Events page.

The year started with Holly's induction into Lamba Alpha International (LAI), The Honorary Society for the Advancement of Land Economics. The IMPACT Blog article, LAI Atlanta Chapter growing membership, influence & impact, gives an overview of the prominent organization.

As the self-appointed spokesperson for Compost, The Quiet Hero, Holly is enthusiastic to educate the impressive membership on the critical role compost plays in cultivating healthy soil. 

In April, Holly served on the host committee for a celebrated Atlanta Land Economics Weekend. The local chapter welcomed global colleagues for two days of education, presentations and tours on Atlanta land economics. The IMPACT Blog article, Atlanta Welcomes Global Land Economics Group, is a synopsis of the powerful weekend and how Atlanta shined in a global spotlight.

Atlanta was the host city for the 2014 U.S. Zero Waste Business Council Conference (USZWBC), Creating Value Through Zero Waste. In addition to serving as the conference media partner, Ei orchestrated | moderated three panels including the opening plenary panel, Atlanta's Zero Waste Story.

Holly with her USZWBC
Zero Waste Promoter Award

At the conference, Holly was presented with the Zero Heroes 2014 Zero Waste Promoter of the Year. With grateful tears Holly accepted the honor during the first-day luncheon presentation. The ZWA Blog article, Atlanta Shines as Zero Waste Conference Host City, is a recap of the USZWBC conference from Ei's perspective.

USZWBC executive director Stephanie Barger attended the 2014 Annual Ei Partner Meeting to present on their year of accomplishments and educate on the 2015 USWBC Conference, The Stars of Zero Waste, hosted in Los Angeles, CA. In her presentation, Stephanie announced Ei is the 2015 conference media partner!

In addition, Ei will orchestrate | moderate two panels at the 2015 conference: Source-Separated Materials Recycling Template and Zero Waste in Multi-Tenant Buildings. The Zero Waste in ACTION (ZWA) Blog article, 2015 Zero Waste Conference: A Star-Studded Event!, announces the 2015 conference.

Holly on stage receiving
Green Ribbon Award

Awards continued in the fall when Holly was the recipient of the Green Ribbon Award at the Atlanta Les Dames d'Escoffier International 14th Annual Afternoon in the Country. The prestigious award was given in honor of Holly's sustainability work in the foodservice industry dating back to the Green Foodservice Alliance, founded in 2007 by Holly.

When the Green Files Blog launched, Ei Pioneer Supporter Affairs to Remember Caterers (ATR) included a quote from Holly in the "Not Everything about Green is Black & White" says ATR; Atlanta's Greenest Caterer Launches the Green Files Blog press release. 

Continuing the honor, ATR listed Ei as a "distinguished guest" at a Zero Waste Zones event in their One Million Pounds Diverted From Georgia Landfills press release. In addition a quote from Holly along with the following Ei copy was included in the release:

Elemental Impact, an organization that works with organizations to help create best operating practices specific to sustainability, was an early partner to Affairs to Remember Caterers during the development of Legacy Green, the company's sustainability program.

ATR was honored by the City of Atlanta with a proclamation November 11, 2014 was Affairs to Remember Day in recognition of their one million pounds of material diverted from the landfill. In his acceptance speech, ATR general manager Rich Wilmer recognized Ei's integral role in ATR's sustainability successes.

SFCI Vendor Fair
in ATL atrium

In October Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) - the busiest airport in the world - hosted the Sustainable Food Court Initiative (SFCI) Vendor Fair to educate concessionaires on the BPI certified compostable products available. Liza Milagro - ATL senior sustainability planner - gave Ei prime visibility in the SFCI Vendor Fair Program: 1> inside front cover, right-hand read page is dedicated to the SFCI and 2> inside back cover page is dedicated to Ei.

Executed in 2011, the new airport concessionaire contracts included a provision requiring food vendors to use compostable food & beverage packaging. For a history on the contract provision including the implementation plan, visit the ZWA Blog article Atlanta Airport's Leadership Role in Compostable Food & Beverage Packaging.

The March issue of the American Association of Airport Executives' Airport Magazine featured AIRBORNE KITCHEN GREASE: A New Frontier in Sustainability, A simple solution saves tremendous water use, labor and dollars an article co-authored by Michael Cheyne, ATL director of asset management & sustainability, and Holly. The ZWA Blog article, ATL Presents a Proactive Approach to Airborne Kitchen Grease (AKG), announces the article and gives an AKG overview.

Thanks to their visionary spirit, the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation brings Green Streets to Atlanta as the first in a series of film screenings. A thought provoking conversation panel moderated by Sophie Constantinou, Citizen Film co-founder and director of photography, follows the film. The inaugural screening is instrumental for Green Streets and subsequent films. 

Ei is honored to co-present the Atlanta January 14 screening along with Green Streets, Urban Strategies, Citizen Film and the Fledgling Fund. The ZWA Blog article, Green Streets Comes to Atlanta!, introduces the film screening along with information on the important grass roots program.

The Ei Blogs - The IMPACT and ZWA - finished the year with impressive milestones:

• The IMPACT Blog surpassed 60,000 pageviews.
• Combined Blog pageviews surpassed 225,000 pageiviews and is closing in on 250,000 views.
• The ZWA Blog's most popular article Reduce First, Donate Second Compost Third topped 10,000 pageviews.
• On 12-13-14, a powerful number sequence, the ZWA Blog pageviews exceeded 175,000 views.

With strong industry recognition, the Ei Blogs are recognized media with solid global readership. The Ei cyberspace network is further augmented with active Twitter, LinkedIN, Facebook and Pinterest accounts. On the Ei FB page over 120 photo albums support blog articles and give a pictorial recount of Ei's important work.

With a monumental year coming to an end, Ei is staged for an exciting 2015 filled with promise of tremendous impact.

Lambda Alpha International Atlanta Chapter: growing membership, influence & impact

On December 17, 2013 Elemental Impact founder Holly Elmore was inducted into Lambda Alpha International, the Honorary Society for the Advancement of Land Economics. Holly's election to the LAI Atlanta Chapter membership was in recognition of a successful career in the foodservice industry and her work to implement sustainable best practices in the food industry.

Along with Holly, Atlanta LAI Chapter president Joan Herron, Herron Consulting president, initiated the following distinguished Atlanta land economics professionals into the local chapter:

• Bill Caldwell, Harrison Design Associates director landscape architecture studio 
• Jon Davis, City of Snellville
• Adelee LeGrand, AECOM Transportation associate vice-president
• Donnie Longenecker, DTC Inc.owner
• Paul Morris, Atlanta Beltline president & CEO
• Rick Porter, Richport Properties owner
• Dan Reuter, Atlanta Regional Commission community development manager
• Arnie Silverman, Silverman Construction Program Management president 
• Jim Stokes, Sustainable Solutions Georgia president
• Seth Weissman, Weissman, Nowack, Curry & Wilco president

Professor Richard Ely

Inspired by Professor Richard T. Ely - the "Father of Land Economics," Lambda Alpha was established in 1930 at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. From the original Ely Chicago Chapter, LAI grew to its current twenty plus chapters expanding the globe to include several Canadian chapters along with a Madrid chapter.

Membership includes outstanding individuals who distinguished themselves in disciplines and action related to land use and reuse. The membership diversity in professions ranging from architects, engineers, government officials, professors, bankers to non-profit organizations (to name a few) is key to LAI longevity and effectiveness.

LAI designated five major purposes:

1. To recognize and honor men and women whose achievements contribute to the advancement of land economics and the development or better utilization of the world's land resources.
2. To encourage and support the study of land economics and highest ideals of scholarship of all fields that impact land economics.
3. To expand the world's knowledge of land economics principles and encourage application in public and private endeavors.
4. To take action and give support to ideas which contribute to enrichment of our urban and rural environments and benefit the quality of human life.
5. To advance the working relationships of those engaged in land economics disciplines and activities

Note the above is an abbreviated version of the stated LAI purposes. The "official purposes" are detailed on the LAI About page.

LAI Atlanta Chapter president, Joan Herron was initiated into the Ely Chicago Chapter in 1989. Following her move to Atlanta, Joan facilitated launching a Chapter in her new home city. The LAI Atlanta Chapter Charter was received on October 22, 2009 at the Board of Governor’s Meeting during the Lambda Alpha Weekend Experience in Chicago. Fifteen (15) members founded the chapter with Joan in the leadership role as president.

Atlanta Streetcar

Monthly Atlanta Chapter meetings are hosted at Skanska's Downtown offices featuring strong programs on local land economics successes and challenges. At the October meeting, Central Atlanta Progress presented on the Atlanta Streetcar system with an overview and construction update. For December, the program was the new member initiation along with an end-of-year lunch at Baraonda. In January, Tedra Cheatham, Clean Air Campaign executive director, presents on how their programs are intertwined with land economics.

Twice per year local chapters sponsor "Weekend Experiences" giving members an opportunity to meet and learn about land economic issues in other cities throughout the world. Open to LAI members and their guests, these meetings address wider international, national and regional issues and include project tours within the host city. 

Recent gatherings were hosted in Vancouver, Dublin, Toronto, Baltimore, Chicago, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Glasgow, Sacramento and Phoenix. The Atlanta LAI Chapter hosts the spring Weekend Experience in April 2014 followed by the fall weekend in Madrid, Spain.

Ron Thomas - HGOR director of planning, Oconee River Greenway Commission chair, and University of Georgia, College of Environment & Design senior academic professional - sponsored Holly's LAI membership. In 2012 Holly met Ron during his tenure at the City of Chattanooga Department of Sustainability when the city hosted a Zero Waste Workshop orchestrated by Ei Advisor Neil Seldman with the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. The ZWA Blog post, Chattanooga Building a Green Brick Road, chronicles the conference where Holly presented on the Zero Waste Zones and the Sustainable Food Court Initiative.

Along with Joan, Ron joined the LAI Ely Chicago Chapter and later relocated to Atlanta. From the chapter launch, Ron worked closely with Joan and other founding members to create a strong, young chapter. One of the chapter milestones was co-hosting The Value of Green in Real Estate program with the Urban Land Institute - Atlanta District Council in April 2013. With over 100 attendees, the stellar program was impressive and a success.

The invitation from the LAI Executive Committee (international officers and committee

chairs) to host the Spring 2014 Weekend Experience in Atlanta is a major achievement for a young, smaller chapter.

Compost, The Quiet Hero
panel @ the 2011 NRA Show

As the self-appointed spokesperson for Compost, The Quiet Hero, Holly is enthusiastic to educate fellow LAI members on the important role food waste collection for compost plays in land economics. Within Ei's Platforms - Recycling Refinement, Product Stewardship and Water Use | Toxicity, developing initiatives in plastic film recovery, wax-free corrugated cardboard and airborne kitchen grease directly impact land economics.

With its strong leadership and expanding membership, the Lambda Alpha International Atlanta Chapter is growing in influence and impact. Stay tuned ...

2011: An Amazing Year for Ei

What a phenomenal year!  For Elemental Impact 2011 was filled with national speaking engagements, new partnerships, major ACTION and much more.  On November 16, Ei Sponsors and Advisory Council members traveled from around  the country for the powerful annual meeting at HLB Gross Collins' offices.

Scott, Holly& Chris with the
2011 Going Green Airport Award

After introductions and the 2011 overview, Zero Waste Zones Director Susan Montgomery gave a ZWZ update including the detailed program documentation.  Susan passed around a book filled with recruiting documents from the ZWZ Ambassador program, training PPT presentation and the packet used in national expansion meetings.  Additionally, the ZWZ information was moved from the Ei website into its own website mid year.


The "packaging" of the ZWZ was a perfect segue for Chris Moyer, National Restaurant Association ConSERVE Project Director, to present on the ZWZ evolution into Sustainable Action Zones,  a NRA program in partnership with Ei.   Chris spoke on the powerful synergies inherent within the NRA | Ei partnership and how it brings forth important collaborations.  One such collaboration is with the U.S. Composting Council.

Chris Moyer presenting to full room

Wayne King, USCC Past President, spoke about the upcoming December 12 meeting at the NRA offices.   With only approximately 350 permitted composting sites nationwide, the NRA's political voice is critical. For many of the current permitting challenges to resolve, regulators must hear the major post-consumer organics generators are demanding an alternative destination to landfills.  The industry is on the cusp of making an evolutionary leap and the NRA, in collaboration with the USCC, has a vital role to play.


The USCC | NRA collaboration was an excellent preface for Scott Seydel, Ei Chair & Global Green Chair, to discuss POWER - Perishable Organics Waste to Energy Recycling - status.  In addition, to his impressive PPT on the planned POWER website, Scott spoke of POWER's important role and how it served as an incubator for GREASE - Grease Recycling Energy Alternatives Solutions for the Environment  and the Sustainable Food Court Initiative.

Linda Dunn

Ei Founder Holly Elmore gave the SFCI overview including the 2011 Going Green Airport Award for the Atlanta Airport pilot (see the ZWZ Blog post, Atlanta Airport SFCI Pilot Wins National Award, for details). Linda Dunn, HMSHost VP Supply Chain & Analysis, followed with the important role HMSHost plays in the SFCI Projects, including work at the Tampa & Charlotte Airports.  How empowering to listen as Linda explains the SFCI | ZWZ (and NRA | Ei) collaboration is integral to HMSHost's sustainability commitment and game plan.


After the mid afternoon break, Susan Montgomery presented the Ei Business Projections followed by Sylvia Gort, Ei AC member, leading the strategy session.  Future action paths on Toxic-Free Environments and Health Impact were discussed along with the important role social media can play in communicating Ei's important ACTION.

Ei AC Members Sylvia Gort &
Greg Chafee @ reception

As always, Ei meetings begin with a wonderful lunch and end with a wine reception.  Thank you Bold American Catering for your Ei sponsorship and providing excellent food & service.


The Ei FB album, 11-16-11 Ei Sponsor & AC Meeting, gives a meeting pictorial overview.  Meeting PPT presentations will be loaded on the Ei Speaking Engagements page.


Thank you to those who contribute their resources, financial, time and expertise, to Elemental Impact - you are the reason for Ei program success.  Our important work is educating the corporate community that sustainable operating practices make solid business sense. These are thrilling times - stay tuned!