After 10 years of working in #circularity, I have put together a list featuring 100 people and organizations, who I think you should follow. The list acts as an unconventional #zerowaste alternative to an advent calendar, as it is being released across 25 posts until Christmas.

In this thirteenth post, I am focusing on people and organizations working on #wastereduction. In light of this, here are a set of brilliant people and organizations working to curb waste to look into and follow.

49) Joan Marc Simon started Zero Waste Europe (ZWE). ZWE is a European network working to eliminate waste. Joan Marc says that we cannot recycle our way out of waste, but that we need to change our consumption patterns and design better ways to use resources. He believes that zero waste cannot be achieved through technological solutions alone, but that changing our mindsets and learning to live differently are key. Joan Marc has given countless speeches about zero waste. He has also written books, articles, studies, business plans, and management plans on waste reduction.

50) Stephanie Barger is the director of TRUE Zero Waste at the U.S. Green Building Council. She also founded the Earth Resource Foundation and the U.S. Zero Waste Business Council. Throughout her career, Stephanie has worked to eliminate plastic pollution, encourage material reuse and recycling, and push for zero waste. Amongst others, she has led a leadership program for high school students and hosted trainings and workshops for businesses.

51) Teresa Bradley is the president of the National Recycling Coalition and the founder of Race to Zero Waste. In her career, Teresa has – amongst others – worked on recycling, composting, zero waste education, and awareness raising around waste. Her non-profit works to educate individuals on zero waste principles, reuse, source reduction, and the avoidance of single-use plastics. In this context, Teresa regularly hosts trainings and workshops on zero waste for non-profits, government agencies, and trade associations. She also helps to organize the Zero Waste Month every October.

52) Zoë Lenkiewicz founded the Global Waste Lab, and she currently works as a strategic waste management lead at UNITAR. Zoë believes that waste is one of the most important issues of our time, and that how we deal with our waste will shape climate resilience, public health, and the basic dignity of millions of people. She started the Global Waste Lab to support local leadership and help build expertise around waste management within communities. Through the Global Waste Lab Academy, she aims to upskill 10 000 waste managers through free open-access training over the next decade. Zoë is the lead author of UNEP's Global Waste Management Outlook 2024.

🔔 Stay tuned to to see the whole list of 100 people and organizations to follow unfold on LinkedIn, our blog, and our app.