• Routinely, SWACO offers free educational webinars on best practices for reducing waste, reuse, recycling, composting and safely disposing of unwanted materials. 

Check out these webinars. 

From Waste to Resources Webinars

When we reduce and divert waste, we can make a difference for our environment and community.  

• SWACO Plastics Expansion 2.0 Recycling Webinar Featuring Speakers from Rumpke Waste & Recycling (April 21 at 12 pm) - Despite what you may have heard about changing global markets and challenges to the recycling industry, recycling remains one of the easiest ways individuals can make a difference that benefits the environment and the local economy.  The recycling program in Franklin County recently expanded to include additional types of plastics – tubs, specifically – which means our cottage cheese tubs and yogurt containers can now go on to have a second life as a new product.  Get inspired to help to make a difference this Earth Day and every day! Register here.
• Hey Kids, Let's Rethink Waste This Earth Day Webinar (April 21 at 6:30 PM) -  Interested in diving into waste this Earth Day? Join SWACO for a learning session that’s kid -friendly & fun for the whole family!  We’ll discuss what goes in the recycling bin, what happens with the waste that is tossed into the trash, why it’s important to reduce materials sent to the landfill and how each one of us can make a difference.  Bring your thinking caps and join us to rethink your waste habits. Register here.

• Recycling Yard Waste & Eco-Friendly Tips to Make Your Yard Greener (March 2021) - With Spring right around the corner, many of us are looking forward to getting outdoors landscaping and cleaning up our yard.  Yard waste is a valuable resource that can add nutrients back into the soil as mulch and composting material.  Most Franklin County communities provide curbside collection of yard waste to their residents making it easy and convenient to divert the material from the local landfill, thereby returning the nutrients to the earth. Join SWACO and Conservation Specialist from Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District to learn more about best practices for yard waste disposal, yard waste drop off locations and sustainable tips for maintaining your yard all year round. Watch the Webinar. 

• How To Recycle Right with Rumpke Waste & Recycling (May 2020) - Find out what common household items can and can't be recycled, get a behind the scenes look at the sorting process at Rumpke's Recycling Facility in Columbus and learn more about what types of products are manufactured from our recyclables in central Ohio.​ Watch the Webinar.
  
  
• Reduce Food Waste at Home with Chef L. Fernando Mojica, CEC (June 2020) - With nearly 1 million pounds of food waste being landfilled each day in Central Ohio, it is more important than ever that we reduce food waste in our community. When we waste food, we also waste environmental resources, money, time, and the opportunity to provide meals for hungry neighbors. But each of us can help reduce food waste at home by cooking with a plan, proper food storage, using up leftovers, and more. On Tuesday, June 23 at 6:30 pm, join the SWACO team and local chef L. Fernando Mojica for a free webinar to learn tips and tricks from experts as well as to ask questions about food waste. Watch the Webinar.

• Community Waste Reduction Grants (July 2020) - As we continue to navigate these challenging times together, SWACO is here to provide continued waste reduction and diversion programs and services to your organization and the central Ohio community.  One of the programs that we remain committed to offering is our Community Waste Reduction Grant Program (CWRG program).  We are now accepting applications for this grant program for projects occurring in 2021!  Those eligible to apply include non-profits, schools, universities, parks, and local governments in Franklin County, Ohio. Watch the Webinar. 

• Compost with Confidence (August 2020) - In August, SWACO will host a backyard composting webinar that focuses on how easy it is to compost at home. During the webinar, participants will learn tips and techniques from SWACO and Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District experts to help you turn your yard and food waste into a rich compost for your garden. Experts will cover what and how to collect household and yard waste materials, the different at-home systems for composting (including how to compost with worms!) and provide insider information on additional FREE training's and discounts available to Franklin County residents!  Watch the Webinar.

• Shop Smart to Reduce Food Waste and Save Money (October 2020) There are many advantages to reducing food waste- from conserving environmental resources and helping to keep our community fed, to saving money and finding new ways to enjoy each meal. Join food experts from SWACO, Kroger, and Local Matters for a deep dive on meal planning- including recipes, tips, and fun Halloween surprises that will help your family reduce food waste, save money, and stay healthy! Watch the webinar.

• Green Your Holidays: Reduce Waste and Recycle More! (December 2020) - The holiday season can be one of abundant joy, but also abundant waste. From gifts, to meals, to decorations, the holidays can mean negative impacts on our local environment.  Make a difference this holiday season by resolving to reduce your waste and recycle more.  Join SWACO and Columbus GreenSpot for simple ways to plan a more eco-friendly holiday season and maintain those habits into the new year.  We will cover topics such as: food waste prevention, sustainable gift-giving, decorations, and recyclability of various product packaging.  Watch the webinar.

• Plastics Expansion Update with Rumpke Waste & Recycling (January 2021) - Soon residents and businesses in central Ohio will be able to recycle even more types of plastics in Rumpke’s recycling program. Join the SWACO team and Rumpke Waste & Recycling to learn about these new changes and how you can continue to recycle right and make a difference. By recycling plastics the right way, we can significantly reduce the amount of plastic material that ends up in the landfill and increase the amount that’s recovered and used to manufacture new products.  Watch the webinar. 

Event Waste Reduction Grant Webinars

 

The Event Waste Reduction (EWR) Grant (PDF) seeks to assist local event organizers with reducing event-generated waste and diverting as much as possible from the landfill. In addition, these grants also assist event organizers in building the infrastructure needed to sustain these diversion efforts in order to continue to contribute to a safe and healthy community for all Franklin County residents.
 

• WEBINAR (February 5, 2020) Focuses on waste reduction, material diversion, and implementing best practices for sustainability at events. A review of past award recipients is also provided.  Watch the Webinar.
• WEBINAR (February 8, 2019) Focuses on the application process and eligibility.  Watch the Webinar. 

Community Waste Reduction Grant Webinars

The Community Waste Reduction (CWR) Grant (PDF) is available to support the waste reduction and materials diversion efforts of local government entities, including but not limited to schools, universities and parks, and non-profit organizations located in Franklin County by providing financial support to help offset the costs of these efforts. In return, SWACO requires grantees to document and measure the projects impacts, report results to enhance waste reduction and recycling opportunities in central Ohio and contribute to SWACO's data collection. 

• WEBINAR: (July 17, 2019) 2020 CWR Grant Pre-Application Webinar provides clarity on the community waste reduction grant process including application and award timelines and information required in order to successfully apply for this competitive grant. Watch the Webinar.

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