Another Yr, Another Great NRA Show

In mid-May Elemental Impact Partners gather in Chicago for the National Restaurant Association Show held at McCormick Place. Whether exhibitors, attendees or participants in NRA activities, the Show is always a powerful and fun experience.

Orwak Baler @ O'Hare

Ei founder Holly Elmore arrives in Chicago several days prior to the Show for tours, meetings and simple enjoyment of a grand city. Upon landing at Chicago O'Hare International Airport,  the 2013 Chicago sojourn started with a tour of Ei Partner HMSHost's loading dock area where an Orwak baler was delivered days prior. How fun to witness the first Starbucks' milk jug recycling bales!  In addition, Waste Management collects limited organics, mainly coffee grinds and fruit rinds.  

For more information on HMSHost's Starbucks milk jug recycling program, visit the Zero Waste in ACTION Blog post, Milk Jugs Recycled at Atlanta Airport.  In late 2011 the HMSHost - Atlanta Airport team developed an effective, efficient system to recycle their approximately 2,600 milk jugs generated weekly. Revenue from the milk jug bales essentially covers the baler rental, making the program cost-effective when landfill tipping fee reduction is added to the equation. HMSHost also recycles milk jugs at the Tampa Airport.

Chicago tulips

As in prior years, the Hotel Monaco served as Holly's Chicago home base - it is important to stay in a hotel with in-room recycling, great location and superb dining. Chicago tulips were at their prime and gone after the second day. Intertwined with business, Holly experienced Chicago via long walks, documenting the City's magnificence while discovering excellent eclectic dining. For a recap of Holly's Chicago experience, visit her personal FB albums, A Wonderful Spring Visit to Chicago and 2013 Chicago Tulip Extravaganza, 

First on the agenda upon arrival at the NRA Show was a tour of the Hyatt Regency McCormick Places' back-of-the-house cardboard baling operation. Ei Partner Tomra | Orwak orchestrated the Hyatt tour where their ten+ year old baler is the foundation for successful cardboard baling in limited space. The Hyatt's cardboard bales rank with the "prettiest" bales seen on Ei's many tours. The Ei FB album, Small Balers Increase Recycling, is a pictorial recap of the O'Hare and Hyatt Regency loading dock tours.

SFCI recycling station on
display at the CleanRiver booth

Walking the Show exhibitor hall is always full of unexpected encounters with long-time friends along with visits to Ei Partner booths. CleanRiver Recycling Solutions, Tomra | Orwak and Asean | Stalkmarket each had showroom booths. As a long-time exhibitor, Buzz Chandler of Asean served on the NRA Show 2013 Exhibitor Advisory Committee. CleanRiver showcased the Sustainable Food Court Initiative Recycling Center at their booth.

Ruth Watts of Ei Partner BASF attended the Show and kept a busy meeting schedule with her NRA ConSERVE program participation. SFCI Co-Chair Doug Kunnemann - NatureWorks  Global Segment Leader, Food Service - and Ei Partner Anslem Doering of EcoLogic Solutions made Show attendance a priority in their hectic schedules.

For a pictorial recap of Ei's NRA and Chicago experience, visit the Ei FB album, 05-13 The NRA Show, a wonderful Chicago visit.

Another year, another great National Restaurant Association Show experience!

A Powerful Cyberspace Voice : A Creation Guide

a powerful industry voice

Yesterday The IMPACT Blog surpassed the 25,000 pageviews milestone - an amazing accomplishment, considering the limited number of posts.  With its sister blog Zero Waste in ACTION at 81,000+ pageviews, Elemental Impact achieved a 100,000+ cyberspace reach.

Niche in nature, the two blogs generate industry-specific readership often research oriented.  Most posts are longer than recommended blog copy yet Ei readers search for in-depth information. Escalating pageview rhythm supports the writing style, in general augmented by an Ei FB album.

Search engine optimization is essential for creating a powerful cyberspace voice. Here are some loose rules to establishing strong search engine optimization without paying hefty fees to a social media marketing firm:

Rule #1: post and update often on all internet mediums, which requires discipline and dedication. 
Rule #2: use "searched words"in each post e.g. food waste versus politically correct food scrap or food residual. 
Rule #3: create a presence on the myriad of cyberspace vehicles: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest and others. 
Rule #4: share pertinent information interesting to your audience. 
Rule #5: promote visually using photos and videos.
Rule #6: be a renegade, share your passion and let go of what others say "should or should not be done."

Remember cyberspace network building is a frontier. Grounded in common sense and street smarts, the pioneer who is willing to invest in their message with the plethora of communication tools available is staged for success.

In the ZWA Blog post, Zero Waste is a Team Sport, the WE Conciousness was introduced as integral to zero waste success. Ei's cyberspace journey is grounded in the WE, a multi-dimensional focus. Committed to building a tremendous communication network, Ei Partners share each others' achievements and messages within the network. Ei serves as the network hub. 

A powerful cyberspace voice is grounded in community support - find or create a community to support AND who will share your messages and activities. Others will share your message when they witness you sharing theirs. Retweet and favorite often on Twitter, like and contribute to LinkedIN discussions, like, comment & share FB posts and follow & repin on Pinterest. Cyberspace network building is similar to a game - play well together!

Hmm.... how many times was "grounded" used in the copy?  Not a coincident as "grounding" the etheric nature of the cyberspace world is key to success. Part of "grounding" is addressing the economic value of a potent cyberspace network. How does a 100,000+ reach "ground' into revenue?

Ei is honored to behold a powerful voice. It took tremendous effort to document Ei action in the almost 350 blog posts, nearly 70 Ei FB albums and 12 Pinterest Boards with over 200 "pins"  A fun anecdote: the initial pageview escalation occurred when fewer, yet more powerful, posts were published. Other noted increases were synchronous with the following:

1. initiating LinkedIN discussions, responding to every comment
2. creating an active Twitter presence
3. establishing a Pinterest board system for blog posts by category boards     

Follow the analytics to understand how your audience responds with visits and pageviews. Note Ei has a limited Pinterest following yet the board creation enhanced search engine optimization. Readership rewards are often indirect in nature.

Before embarking on creating a cyberspace voice, do an internal checklist of the benefits and make sure it is cost | revenue justified. The effort resembles marathon endurance, a consistent commitment from the heart is necessary for success.

Charlotte Ei Partner Tours

Ei Ptrs @ Hilex Poly Plant
Ei Chair & Chief FUN Advisor
Scott Seydel on ground

Elemental Impact Partner tours launched in July, 2012 when Heritage Interactive Services and Hilex Poly hosted their fellow partners in Indianapolis for two dynamic days of sharing, strategizing, bonding and FUN. The IMPACT Blog post, Ei Partner Tours Launch in Indy, gives an overview of the inaugural tours while the Ei FB album, July, 2012 Ei Partner Tours in Indy, is the pictorial recap.

An Ei Partner Program benefit, tours are excellent vehicles for partners to explore their tremendous synergies and potential business relationships. Action points are always an outcome as partners bid each other farewell until their next encounter.

A second tour was scheduled in NYC for early November to tag-team with Global Green's CoRR Food Waste Conference. With Hurricane Sandy ravaging the Eastern Seaboard days prior to the tours, the group reduced to those residing in the NYC area or participating at the CoRR conference. Even with fewer folks, the tours were powerful.  

The IMPACT Blog post, NYC Ei Partner Tours, is an overall tour synopsis with details on the EcoLogic Solutions facility tour. The ZWA Blog post, Food Waste: Too Valuable for the Landfill, is a tour recap of Global Enviro's on-site food waste digester NYC installations. For a pictorial recount, see the Ei FB albums, 11-05-12 Global Enviro System Tour and 11-06-12 EcoLogic Solutions Tour.

In early March, Ei Partners converged on Charlotte, NC for the third Ei Partner Tours. Hosted by HMSHost and Simon Property Group, Concord Mills was the destination for DAY 1, filled with presentations and tours. Concord Mills, a Simon mall, is the Sustainable Food Court Shopping Mall Pilot with the food court operated by HMSHost.

The tour tone was set by a professional package designed and printed by CleanRiver Recycling Solutions, a featured tour partner. Ei founder Holly Elmore (me!) baked dessert bundles for each partner. A perfect host, Brian Shetron, Concord Mills HMSHost, kept the group with plenty of excellent food & beverage throughout the day, all done in zero waste style!

During the day presentations alternated with mall tours for first-hand observation of programs in action mode. Overall the tour focus was on food waste collection for composting, wasted food donation and plastic film recycling. CleanRiver and Orwak presented and later demonstrated how their equipment was at the foundation of pilot success.

Linda Dunn with HMSHost gave an overview of their impressive sustainability commitment grounded in sound business principles. Brian and Ray Soporowski, CM GM, presented on the SFCI Pilot action items along with anecdotes from the journey. EcoLogic Solutions and Ellis Fibre | Grease Lock rounded out the sustainability balance with their product & service presentations. 

Ei Ptrs enjoying dinner @ AZN
see Ei FB album for names

Ei is known for augmenting important business with excellent food and wine - the first day ended at AZN Azian Cuizine for a fabulous dinner along with lively, productive, FUN conversation. A perfect way to end DAY 1 and get ready for DAY 2. 

The Ei FB album, 03-04-13 Charlotte Ei Partner Tours - Day One, gives the pictorial recap of the first tour day. Ei Partner PPT presentations are available for download on the Ei Partner Tours website page.

Day 2 tours began at SouthPark Mall, a sister Simon Mall to Concord Mills. Ray and Brian joined the group at SouthPark to validate the support provided by Ei and the SFCI Team. Following the tour, the partners convened in the mall offices for a strategy session. Success: the group left with action points! 

Jim Lanier & Ei Chair Scott Seydel
during SouthPark tour

Next the Ei Partners traveled to Stanley, NC where Earth Farms owner Jim Lanier treated the group to a lovely lunch at Northstar Seafood Restaurant.  At lunch Jim educated enthusiastic partners about Earth Farm's origins and future plans. A fantastic tour of Earth Farm's composting facility followed lunch. The Ei FB album, 03-05-13 Charlotte Ei Partner Tours - Day Two, includes a pictorial recap of the Earth Farms' tour.

The final presentation and tour was at the Charlotte Airport where HMSHost operates the food & beverage outlets. Bob Lucas with the airport gave the partners a formal presentation on the recently opened recycling center. Due to permit status, the group was not allowed to tour the center. With many partners traveling from across the North America, the airport was a convenient last stop on the tours.

It was a busy, productive and fun two days. Stay tuned for the next Ei Partner tour in the planning stages for late summer.

Elemental Impact Yr Three in Review - Amazing!

Happy, Happy Birthday to Elemental Impact!  On February 05, Ei completed a magnificent third year of Sustainability in ACTION and crossed the threshold to the fourth year of impact. The following Ei Year Three in Review summarizes the astonishing milestones and accomplishments achieved.  

Ei Programs:

In September the Zero Waste Zones were purchased by the National Restaurant Association with intentions for national expansion through their state restaurant association network. For additional details, visit the Zero Waste in ACTION Blog post, Ei: An Established Program Creator

With the ZWZ under NRA guardianship, the Sustainable Food Court Initiative takes center stage for Ei zero waste focus. It was a busy year for the SFCI with the following pilot action:

• Georgia Dome, SFCI Event Venue Pilot: The  ZWA Blog post, Georgia Dome - SFCI Event Venue Pilot, announces the pilot while the GA Dome SFCI Pilot Team Tour documents the inaugural team tour.
• Concord Mills, SFCI Shopping Mall Pilot: The ZWA Blog post, Concord Mills - SFCI Shopping Mall Pilot, announces the pilot. Committed to action, the following posts document the Concord Mills Team enthusiasm: ACTION, Theme for SFCI Shopping Mall Pilot, Food Donation - Everyone Wins! and Concord Mills: The Power of WE in ACTION!.
• Atlanta Airport, SFCI Airport Pilot: To support the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport concessionaires meet the contract provision requiring the use of compostable packaging (1), the SFCI Airport Team issued the  HJAIA Compostable Foodservice Ware Packet. Ei Partner Brenda Platt with the Institute for Local Self-Reliance took the lead on developing the valuable industry tool. The ZWA Blog post, Compostable Packaging Info Packet, announces the packet and gives links to download the document. In April, the SFCI Atlanta Airport Team toured the under-construction International Concourse. Ei Partner HMSHost operates the foodservice - the ZWA Blog post,  SFCI Team Tours New ATL Airport Int’l Airport, is an overview of the tour.

(1) For details on the Atlanta Airport contract provision, visit the Atlanta Airport Makes a Bold Sustainable Statement post. 

During the year Doug Kunnemann of NatureWorks took the helm as SFCI Chair when his co-chair pursued adventures in another industry.  The IMPACT Blog post, Strong Leadership Maximizes Impact, where Doug is profiled along with Ei Board Members.

National Media:

Affairs Team during interview
photo courtesy of ATR

Ei continues to garner national media attention for pioneering work, especially in the food waste arena.  In November Martha Stewart's Whole Living published the feature article Spoil Alert where author Elizabeth Royte refers to Ei founder Holly Elmore as "the Kevin Bacon of wasted food."  For details on Elizabeth's two-day Atlanta interview marathon along with article anecdotes see the ZWA Blog posts, Atlanta's Focus on Food Waste Reduction and Atlanta Wasted Food Heroes in National Spotlight.

In January Holly along with Ei pals Affairs to Remember and the Georgia World Congress Center were highlighted in CBS SmartPlanet's For business, food waste is a ripe opportunity for savings. Author Kevin Gray refers to Holly as "one of those Erin Brockovich whistleblowers." The ZWA Blog post, Food Waste, the business perspective, is a commentary on the article and beyond.

Speaking Engagements, Workshops & Industry Meetings:

In addition to the media, the industry values Ei's initiatives and Holly is invited to speak at national conferences and gatherings. Below are highlights of Holly's prominent speaking engagements with the supporting ZWA Blog post in parentheses:   

Holly @ podium in ATL

• Global Green's CoRR NOLA Green Growth & Resource Recovery Opportunities ( Global Green Team Work in NOLA ), New Orleans, LA
• U.S. Zero Waste Business Council's Creating Value Through Zero Waste Conference (U.S. Zero Waste Business Council hosts first-rate conference), Costa Mesa, CA
• Biopolymers Conference (Biopolymer End of Life - or is it?), San Antonio, TX
• U.S. Composting Council's The Magic of Compost Conference (Compost, A Magical Experience), Orlando, FL

Holly's PPT presentations are available on the Ei Speaking Engagements page.

Beyond conferences Ei participated in the City of Chattanooga Zero Waste Workshop orchestrated by Ei Partner Neil Seldman of the ILSR. The ZWA Blog post, Chattanooga Building a Green Brick Road, gives workshop details. In October Ei orchestrated a two-day series of zero waste workshops and meetings for the City of Newark. Ei Partners Chris Bradlee of BASF and Amy Moreland of Heritage Interactive Services joined Holly for the educational visit.  For an overview of the Newark visit, see the ZWA Blost post, Ei Team Visits Newark for Zero Waste Education.  PPT presentations from the workshops are available on the Ei Meetings & Events page.

2012 F&B Pkging Mtg
Group Picture

In December Global Green's Washington D.C. office hosted and Ei orchestrated the second annual Sustainable Food & Beverage Packaging Meeting. The gathering included the trade associations and non-profits representing the entire food and beverage packaging value chain. For an overview of the meeting, visit the ZWA Blog post, Second Annual F&B Packaging Meeting. Participant PPT presentations are available on the Ei Meetings & Events page.

Industry & Ei Partner Tours:

Tours are excellent vehicles to learn first-hand about industry practices and fellow partner business expertise. Ei hosts industry and partner tours designed for experiential education, strategic planning and bonding among the Ei Team. The following lists Ei Year Three tours along with supporting blog posts in parenthesis:

WOP uses an on-site digester
for inedible animal parts

• South Georgia Farm Tours, May ( Consumer Demand:  A Powerful Voice to Effect Change) - Taking the first steps into the Product Stewardship focus, Ei Partners traveled to South Georgia to learn about meat packaging at on-farm slaughter houses.  White Oak Pastures and Thompson Farms Smokehouse were gracious in hosting and educating the Ei Partners on their farm practices. 
• Simon Mall Tour @ Gurnee Mills, May (Simon Property Group @ Sustainability Helm) - a group of Ei Partners took a day off from the NRA Show in Chicago to travel north for an educational day on mall operations.
• Ei Indy Partner Tours, July ( Ei Partner Tours Launch in Indy) - Heritage Interactive Services hosted fellow partners for the inaugural Ei Partner Tours in Indianapolis. Tours included the 99.9% zero waste Subaru plant, Heritage’s impressive research & development laboratory and Hilex Poly’s plastic film recycling plant.
• Indy Organic Tours, September (Zero Waste is A Team Sport and Perpetual Life Cycle Systems - Simplicity is Key)  With Ei Partners Heritage Interactive Services and Simon Property Group corporate headquarters located in Indianapolis, IN it seems many activities revolve around the city.  
• NYC Ei Partner Tours, November (Food Waste: Too Valuable for the Landfill and  Ei NYC Tours) The second Ei Partner tours were scheduled in NYC for early November to tag-team with Global Green's CoRR Food Waste Conference.

Links to the Ei FB albums with tour pictorial recaps are listed in the respective blog posts and on the Ei Tours page.

Ei Evolution:

As Ei completed year three, it was time to evolve the mission statement, partner program and focus areas to continue maximum impact in new dimensions. In December the new Ei Mission statement was announced in the IMPACT Blog post, Ei: New Mission Statement | New Directions: 

To work with industry leaders to create best operating practices where the entire value-chain benefits, including corporate bottom lines and the environment.  Through education and collaboration, establish the best practices as standard practices.

Along with the Ei What We Do page, the post introduces Ei's three focus areas: Product Stewardship, Toxin-Free Environments and Zero Waste Initiatives.

Early in 2012 the Ei Sponsor program was renamed the Ei Partner Program. In December the entire program was overhauled to reflect the true partnership nature of the program. The IMPACT Blog post, Ei Partner Program Evolves, announces the evolution along with emphasizing the required active participation.

Ei Communication:

Ei Chair Scott Seydel
filming @ NOLA meeting

Documentation of successes, milestones and the template creation process is essential to inspiring others to take action within their unique circumstances. A clear narrative, in pictures, videos and copy, is intertwined within Ei's communication tools.  Ei uses the following on-line tools to document the journey:

• Ei Website - serves as a solid central point to communicate Ei action.
• Milestone Page - details major events by month in reverse chronological order. Related blog post links are included where appropriate.
• Zero Waste in ACTION Blog - documents Ei zero waste activities along with pertinent related topics. YEA, the blog recently topped 75,000 page views!!!!
• IMPACT Blog - documents Ei work and influence in areas other than zero waste initiatives. The blog is closing in on 25,000 page views!
• Ei FB Page - each blog post is shared on the Ei FB page along with links to Ei Partners, Strategic Allies, Advisory Council and SFCI Pilot Team articles, videos and activities.
• Ei FB Albums - whenever possible Ei action is documented with pictures and organized into albums including thorough descriptions.The 60+ Ei FB albums serve as a valuable industry resource.
• Ei Twitter - Ei is active on Twitter as part of the cyberspace network building process and is developing a strong following.  @elementalimpact is the Ei name.
• Ei Pinterest Board - blog posts are "pinned" to one of the current twelve boards on the Ei Pinterest page. In addition to increasing search optimization, the Pinterest boards organize the blog posts by category and are listed in reverse chronological order.

Ei is building a powerful industry cyberspace network grounded in the above tools. Part of Ei Partner active participation is sharing within the network.

Whew, Ei was busy during Year Three!  The foundation is set for a major metamorphosis into new realms of action and impact. Follow the Ei journey on the above cyberspace venues and stay tuned for pending exciting announcements.  Thank you for your support!

NYC Ei Partner Tours

Interactive Tour Hosts

Bob Zetty & Amy Moreland

In July, Elemental Impact Partner Heritage Interactive Services hosted the first Ei Partner Tours in their hometown Indianapolis, IN. The tours are designed for Ei Partners to tour and experience their fellow partner business operations and activities.  The IMPACT Blog post, Ei Partner Tours Launch in Indy, documents the amazing two days filled with tours, education, camaraderie and fun.

A second tour scheduled in NYC for early November to tag-team with Global Green's CoRR Food Waste Conference on November 7.  With Hurricane Sandy ravaging the Eastern Seaboard days prior to the tours, the group reduced to those residing in the NYC area or participating at the CoRR conference.  

The Global Enviro on-site food waste digester installation at The Shops at Riverside, a Simon mall, was the anchor tour.  Yet the mall remained without power and closed. Remaining flexible, the Ei Partners gathered on the first morning at Global Enviro's office for introductions and business overviews.  

For lunch the group dined at Les Halles followed by a tour of the Global Enviro system tour at the single-standing restaurant.  The ZWA Blog post, Food Waste: Too Valuable for Landfill, gives an overview of the tour and the Ei FB album, 11-05-12 Global Enviro System Tour, is the pictorial recap.

ELS office entrance

On the second day the partners traveled to Brooklyn for a tour of EcoLogic Solutions offices and warehouse located in the Brooklyn Navy Yard.  Mere days earlier the parking lot was under four to six feet of water yet no visible flooding evidence remained. ELS founder & CEO Anselm Doering impressed his guests with the integrity that infiltrates his company from the product to services to behind-the-scenes ethics.

A vast majority of the loft space is built out with reclaimed materials to create an eclectic, effective working environment.  The conference room, affectionately called the "living room," houses one of two "living walls" in the office. In the warehouse vegetable oil and restaurant spent grease is converted into biodiesel used for the ELS delivery vehicle.

SANeWater containders

ready for clean-up donation

Immediately upon gaining access to their space after Sandy hit, Anselm and his staff began filling one and five-gallon containers with SANeWater sanitizer made from the ELS cleaning solution system.  The santizer was donated to those cleaning the storm aftermath. In theory, each gallon of donated sanitzer prevented a gallon of toxic bleach from use in the clean-up.

At the center of the ELS’s sustainable products is their ECA (Electro-Chemical Activation) technology, which takes tap water, adds salt, and then passes the brine solution through low-dose electrolyzing chambers that split the liquid into a sodium hydroxide formula (eWater) for all-purpose cleaning and a hypochlorous acid mixture (SANeWater) for sanitizing and disinfecting.

A certified B-Corporation, ELS's customer base reflects the integrity of their products and includes Whole Foods Market, Chipotle, conEdison, NBCUniversal, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, and the Statue of Liberty.

ELS receives many industry accolades for their pioneering efforts in overhauling cleaning standards to effective products that harmonize with the environment. In April, the U.S. EPA honored ELS with a prestigious award. The IMPACT Blog post, ELS Receives EPA Award, gives the details of the recognition. 

The next Ei Partner Tours are scheduled for early March in Charlotte where HMSHost who will anchor the tours with their Concord Mills food court operations and Charlotte Airport concessions.  In addition to Ei Partners, several Ei Advisory Council and Strategic Allies plan to attend.

With each tour Ei Partner relationships grow stronger, powerful synergies emerge and important action ensues.  The best part is everyone has FUN!  Within the laughter creative juices ignite - these are the moments where the possible is extracted from the impossible.

Ei Partner Program Evolves

Along with the new mission statement and expanded focus areas, the Elemental Impact Partner  program restructured to reflect the active participation inherent within joining Ei. The IMPACT Blog post, Ei: New Mission Statement | New Directions, announces the new mission statement and Product Responsibility and Toxin-Free Environment focus areas.

In February, the sponsor program was renamed yet the joining parameters remained consistent with sponsor-type benefits.  The IMPACT Blog post, Ei Sponsor Program Evolves to Partner Program, chronicles the program evolution into its new name.

Ei's business model is based on corporate funding from organizations who determine active participation makes good, solid business sense.  In addition to a financial commitment, Ei Partners chair programs and committees, present at conferences and serve as industry experts in Ei initiatives. 

For example, Doug Kunneman, NatureWorks business segment director, is the Sustainable Food Court Initiative Chair and Tom Lembo, CleanRiver director of business development, chairs the SFCI Front-of-the-House Recycling Centers committee.  

Brenda & Steve @
Biopolymers Conference

Doug Kunnemann travels the nation with Ei in his capacity as SFCI Chair and contributes his valuable packaging expertise at conferences and in meetings with foodservice professionals. Recently, Steve Davies - NatureWorks director of marketing & public affairs - stood in for Doug at the Biopolymers Conference in the Role Biopolymers Play in Zero Waste Programs session.  FUN, Ei Stragegic Ally Brenda Platt of The Institute for Local Self-Reliance moderated the panel. The ZWA Blog post, Biopolymers End of Life, or is it?, gives an overview of the conference.

In the ZWA Blog post, Second Annual F&B Packaging Meeting, the SFCI committee chaired by Tom commits to publishing FOH Recycling Best Practices; a win for all involved. CleanRiver receives recognition for sharing their industry expertise and contributing graphics for the final best practices report. Owners of food court and other consumer-driven facilities benefit from the downloadable report on the Ei site.

Ei Parters on Indy Tour @
end of Hilex Poly Tour

Ei Partner Heritage Interactive Services inaugurated an important activity:  Ei Partner Tours!  The tours are designed for Ei Partners to tour and understand their fellow partner business operations and activities. The IMPACT Blog post, Ei Partner Tours Launch in Indy, documents the amazing two-days filled with tours, education, camaraderie and fun.

In early November Ei Partners traveled to the Big Apple for the NYC Ei Partner Tours.  Scheduled in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, the group was small and tours limited to Ei Partner Global Enviro and EcoLogic Solutions NYC-based operations.  The IMPACT Blog post, NYC Ei Partner Tours, is an overview of the tours with details on the ELS facility visit. The ZWA Blog post, Food Waste: Too Valuable for the Landfill, is an overview of GE's tour. 

Amy & Chris in Newark

Ei provides zero waste consulting services for communities and Partners often join Ei founder Holly Elmore to share their expertise and experience with community leaders. In October Chris Bradlee of BASF and Amy Moreland of Heritage Interactive Services joined Holly for two-days of zero waste meetings and a conference in Newark. The ZWA Blog post, Ei Team Visits Newark for Zero Waste Education, is an overview of the powerful two days.


The Ei Partner Program includes three Partner levels as follows:

Ei Friend: ($2,500 annual)
The Ei Friend status is designed for young companies with limited funds eager to contribute their expertise and time to Ei initiatives.


Ei Partner: ($5,000 annual)
Ei Partners are the foundation of Ei success! Partner is the perfect description as the entire Ei Team works in unison benefiting from tremendous synergies and diverse expertise.  Active participation is a partner requirement.

With few to no competitors among Ei Partners, the synergies are tremendous along with an openness to share internal operations and programs.  An added benefit of Ei Partner participation is the strong business potential among partners. Selling is not permitted within Ei introductions yet relationship development that segues naturally into business transactions is highly encouraged.

Ei Sustainer: ($10,000 plus annual)
The Ei Sustainer status is for organizations who choose to show increased financial support beyond the Ei Partner level.

Ei is a non-profit under the Internal Revenue Service 501(c)3 provision.  All payments under the Ei Partnership Program qualifies as tax deductible donations

If you are interested in joining the close-knit Ei Partner program and ready to commit to active participation, contact Ei founder Holly Elmore.at 404-261-4690.

The foundation is built and the sustainability rocket launched - stay tuned as the excitement is just beginning ....

Strong Leadership Maximizes Impact

Elemental Impact moves into new dimensions with an updated mission statement and expanded focus areas.  The IMPACT Blog post, Ei: New Mission Statement | New Directions, announces the exciting shifts and new mission statement. Ei's strong, balanced leadership team is critical to maneuvering the challenges inherent in an organization's evolution. 

This post introduces the Ei Leadership Team who works behind-the-scenes to support the Ei Partners in the important work accomplished.

Ei Chair Scott Seydel

Ei Chair Scott O. Seydel, CEO of The Seydel Companies, epitomizes the balanced leadership necessary to effect long-term changes.   An astute international business executive, Scott built successful enterprises committed to economic and environmental sustainability.

Over the years The Seydel Companies earned national and international recognition for their recycling and resource conservation from many textile and plastic associations, including The Society of Plastic Engineers, the Association of Plastic Recyclers and the International Council.  The Company was the first national winner of the EPA’s Climate Change Champion Award and for four years was selected the top EPA WasteWise small business in the nation.

In addition Scott devotes tremendous time to national and international organizations with environmental missions where he uses his excellent business skills to develop long-term strategic plans filled with current projects.  As Global Green Chair,Scott uses his national and global influence to direct action impacting climate change initiatives.  Scott serves as Chairman Emeritus for the GreenBlue Institute, Board Vice Chairman for the Container Recycling Institute, and Board Director for Green Cross International.  

Laura speaking at the
ZWZ Two-Year Press Conference

Ei works closely with the synergistic organizations where Scott serves in a leadership capacity. An example is the 12-12-12 Sustainable Food & Beverage Packaging meeting co-hosted by Global Green's Washington D.C. offices.  The meeting gathered the non-profits and trade associations throughout the entire food & beverage packaging value chain for a day of presentations culminating in an excellent strategy session. Scott served as the common ground among the majority of the organizations attending the monumental meeting.

Laura Turner Seydel serves as Ei's Environmental Advisor and is a solid force during program development and implementation. From inception, Laura served as the Zero Waste Zones Chair and was active through Ei's program stewardship.  As the founder of the Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper and Mothers & Others for Clean Air, Laura is a powerful resource while Ei begins the Toxin-Free Environment journey.

Ei GC Greg Chafee

Ei General Counsel Gregory D. Chafee, an experienced corporate and commercial attorney, is a Partner in the Energy and Corporate & Securities practices at the Thompson Hine law firm.   Greg focuses on energy production projects and provides guidance to clients on matters related to energy efficiency, sustainable construction, environmentally sensitive building practices, and the utilization of green technologies.  In 2012, Greg advised on the development of the first utility scale (20MW) solar project in the State of Georgia. 


In addition to working on Ei legal matters, such as securing trademarks, Greg is a valuable resource within the business community.  As Vice Chair of the American Bar Association (ABA) Energy and Environmental Markets and Finance Committee and a Director of the Georgia Solar Energy Industries Association and Livable Buckhead, Greg serves as a connecting force with legal and environmental organizations.

Ei founder Holly Elmore &
Ei Treasurer Pauline Reynolds

As Ei Treasurer Pauline Reynolds was the guiding force to Ei securing the IRS 501(c)3 non-profit status within nine months of incorporation. A stakeholder at HLB Gross Collins, Pauline specializes in taxation and personal financial planning with a particular emphasis on estate planning. Pauline works with a wide range of closely held businesses to incorporate the financial planning process for business owners and their business entities.

Tax benefits are one of the driving economic components to a wasted food program in the development stages.  Pauline's tax acumen is critical to creating a program in alignment with the IRS regulations.

Scott & Ei Business Advisor
Sylvia Gort

With her thirty plus years in the financial services industry, Ei Business Advisor Sylvia Gort brings a wealth of experience and wisdom to the Ei team. Currently a director at Barclays Wealth Management, Sylvia's banking career began at C&S Bank in commercial lending, with an expertise in construction lending.  Through the numerous bank mergers, Sylvia thrived and was promoted to senior vice-president overseeing the Georgia unit of NationsBank. In 1997, Sylvia transitioned from lending to wealth management


Using her keen business lens, Sylvia’s pertinent questions and stellar advice ensure Ei creates programs that make good business sense for the entire value chain.  With work-in-progress on an office center zero waste template, Sylvia's real estate developer top management relationships are invaluable.

SFCI Chair
Doug Kunnemann

In his role as the Sustainable Food Court Initiative Chair, Doug Kunnemann utilizes his extensive foodservice packaging expertise to ensure the team develops practical solutions for industry zero waste challenges.  When not volunteering for Ei, Doug serves as NatureWorks business segment director with global responsibilities. Doug keeps the Ei team abreast of advances in packaging technology advances and new product introductions.


Ei founder Holly Elmore continues to oversee Ei's important initiatives and works closely with the leadership team. Holly's entrepreneurial spirit shines through as she navigates Ei through the rapids of the ever-evolving, fast-moving sustainability rivers..  

These are exciting times for Ei as accomplishments segue into new opportunities. With a balanced, committed leadership team, Ei is staged to remain in the national spotlight as a sustainability forerunner known for effective results.grounded in solid business sense.