California’s New “Climate Pollution Reduction Law” Tackles both Food Waste and Hunger: Learn about Santa Clara County's Efficient Approach to Implementation

Description

California’s Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction Law or SB 1383, aims to reduce methane emissions from landfills, recover edible food for hungry people, and store carbon in soil via composting. It builds on the state’s commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants during today’s climate crisis which is causing extreme weather and resulting in simultaneous drought and flooding emergencies. The new mandatory organic waste law requires every jurisdiction in the state to provide organic waste collection services to all residents and businesses and also requires the state to increase the recovery of edible food. The law is a sweeping attempt to significantly reduce methane through effective legislation. Local governments are in the early stages of implementation and are still ironing out the details. It’s an exciting time to be in waste reduction in California! 

Our speakers will explain the new law, provide an overview of Joint Venture’s Food Recovery Initiative, and share lessons learned through their work with local government programs, including the drafting of a model ordinance. Their initiative manages the Santa Clara County Food Recovery Program, the entity tasked, through contract, to implement the food recovery portions of the new law in all county jurisdictions. Joint Venture’s Food Recovery Initiative helps to make nutritious surplus food safely and conveniently available to our neighbors who need it most, while minimizing the environmental impacts of wasted food. The Initiative strengthens the local food recovery ecosystem by spurring funding and innovation; propagating food waste prevention and recovery strategies; and supporting government programs focused on the food sector. By convening the Food Recovery Council and Steering Committee and managing the Santa Clara County Food Recovery Program, the initiative amplifies the efforts of food recovery organizations, local jurisdictions, and businesses in the fight against food waste. Our recent report Making the Most of Surplus Food lays out recommendations to expand existing intervention strategies and to test new ones, built on a solid foundation of expertise, data, and analysis.

*This event is organized by Joint Venture Silicon Valley and the Environmental Law Section of the Santa Clara County Bar Association. Light refreshments will be provided.

MCLE: 1.0 General Substantive Law

COST: No-Cost

SPEAKERS: 

Robin Franz Martin,  

Executive Director of Joint Venture Silicon Valley

Susan Miller-Davis,

Associate Director of Joint Venture Silicon Valley

MODERATOR:

Lani Lee Ho,

Santa Clara County Bar Association, Environmental Law Section