UCRRA Zero Waste Seminar Project

The UCRRA Zero Waste Seminar Project aims to raise community awareness about the impact of waste reduction as a form of pollution prevention. We join the growing community concerned about the effects of plastic on wildlife, human health, our communities, our climate, and our watershed. Join UCRRA in celebrating Plastic-Free-July and pledge to be plastic-free, because plastic pollutes!

The UCRRA Zero Waste Seminar Project will call on our community members to rethink waste through zero waste practices, resulting in improved public health and environmental conservation. ‘Zero waste’ living is a lifestyle that drastically reduces the amount of garbage we make on a daily basis. Simple choices, habits, and behaviors can make a huge difference! Through innovative education and community engagement, participants in our webinar series will learn new skills and practices about zero waste concepts, gain knowledge about the waste-climate connection, and help to build a culture of pollution prevention in Ulster County.

View the Plastic Free July Fact Sheet

Special Thanks

The New York State Pollution Prevention Institute (NYSP2I) is sponsored by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation through the Environmental Protection Fund and led by the Golisano Institute for Sustainability (GIS) at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT).

Funding provided by the Environmental Protection Fund as administered by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Any opinions, findings, and/or interpretations of data contained herein are the responsibility of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the opinions, interpretations or policy of Rochester Institute of Technology and its NYS Pollution Prevention Institute or the State.

Learn more about the Project

Community Survey

As part of the Zero Waste Seminar Project, please complete our pre-class entry survey before you participate in any of the classes. Then, after you participate in one or more class, please complete the post-class exit survey.

The survey is for research purposes only to help gauge the effectiveness of our outreach and educational efforts, and evaluate community needs and interests. A summary of the survey responses may be shared with the Pollution Prevention Institute, but your contact information will not be shared publicly or used for any other purposes other than reporting on the reach and success of our project.

PRE-CLASS ENTRY SURVEY

POST-CLASS EXIT SURVEY

Watch the Seminars!

Understanding the Waste-Climate Connection

Reduce, Reuse, Refill, Rethink!

Featuring Guest Alex Bolotow (Woodstock Bring Your Own Store)

Plastic Free July: Business Leadership Summit

Small Plastics, Big Impact: How Microplastics Are Impacting Our Local Waterways

Featuring Guests

Jen Benson, Upriver/Mohawk River Civics and Community Stewardship Coordinator
Andrea Varga, Associate Professor of Design/Sustainability at School of Fine & Performing Arts, SUNY New Paltz
Roy Ludwig, Geology and Earth Science Education Honors Student, SUNY New Paltz

Reuse It, Regift it, Repair It!

Featuring Guests

- Elizabeth Knight, Co-Author of the book Repair Revolution
- Kevin Treutler, Habitat for Humanity
- Supervisor Neil Bettez, Town of New Paltz
- Christine Hein, Executive Director, Peoples Place

Project Partners

This project would not be possible without the time, effort, and support of our community leaders. Thank you!

Climate Smart Gardiner
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County
*Habitat for Humanity
League of Women Voters
New Paltz Climate Action Coalition
New Paltz Climate Smart Task Force
*People’s Place
Radio Kingston
Radio Woodstock WDST
*Repair Cafe Hudson Valley
*Riverkeeper
Saugerties Chamber of Commerce
*SUNY New Paltz Office of Sustainability
Ulster County Area Transit
*Ulster County Library Association
*Ulster Landing County Park – Robert E. Post Pavilion
*Woodstock Bring Your Own Store
Woodstock Land Conservancy

UCRRA Zero Waste Seminar Project