Speaker Zia MacWilliams, Second Harvest Silicon Valley, discussing food recovery

Food Waste Fiasco: Dealing with Packaging & Surplus Disposal

Near-term policy solutions to address plastics, pollution and hunger

Wednesday October 16, 11.30a-1p

Redwood Shores Branch Library, 399 Marine Pkwy, Redwood City

Learn about policy options and scalable programs to redistribute unused food and reduce plastic packaging. Open discussion will focus on how advocacy and leadership can accelerate existing solutions and waste reduction results.

Speakers

Eun-Soo Lim - Sr. Sustainability Coordinator, SMC Office of Sustainability
Maria Yap - Founder & Executive Director, Peninsula Food Runners
Zia MacWilliams - Federal Nutrition Programs Manager, Second Harvest of Silicon Valley

Recap

Our wonderful speakers discussed policy options and scalable programs to redistribute unused food and reduce plastic packaging.

The open discussion that followed focused on how advocacy and leadership could accelerate existing solutions and waste reduction results.

Presentation - link

Speaker Biographies

Eun-Soo Lim - Eun-Soo has over 12 years’ experience in sustainability as an environmental non-profit consultant, auditor for mandatory and voluntary greenhouse gas reporting programs in California and Massachusetts, and supporting local governments and schools in climate change efforts. In the last four years with the County of San Mateo’s Office of Sustainability, Eun-Soo has led the development and implementation of waste reduction programs, including the County’s disposable food service ware ordinance and the 4Rs Grants Program. She holds a Bachelors in Environmental Science from Barnard College and a Masters in Climate & Society from Columbia University.

Maria Yap - Under Maria’s leadership, the 600 volunteers of Peninsula Food Runners divert 45,000 lbs. of food per week from landfills. This avoids 3,500 lbs. of CO2 emissions and provides 38,000 meals to surrounding communities. Previous experience includes sous chef, cancer patient advocate, and web app developer of Chow Match which tracks and streamlines the food recovery process between donors, recipients and drivers. Maria studied Food Service Management and Nutrition at the University of Arizona.

Zia MacWilliams - Zia MacWilliams is the Senior Manager of Federal Children’s Nutrition Programs at Second Harvest Food Bank of Silicon Valley, a member of Second Harvest Sustainability Committee, and as a former homeless and refugee services employee, is a strong community advocate for increasing food security. Zia has a MA degree in International Policy Studies from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, and is currently pursuing an MBA at UC Berkeley. Zia was selected as a Knight Foundation K-880 City Champion in 2017 and is a Leadership Palo Alto Fellow.