Zero Waste Conference

Keynotes

Co-Chair of the International Resource Panel and Partner at SYSTEMIQ

http://www.zwc.ca/speakers/Janez Potocnik

Co-Chair of the International Resource Panel and Partner at SYSTEMIQ

<div class="ExternalClass84B69C55DD6F4540A53DD563666C590A"><p>Janez is co-chair of UNEP International Resource Panel that has the goal of steering society away from over-consumption, waste and ecological harm to a more prosperous future and a Partner at SYSTEMIQ a systems change company that partners with business, finance, policy-makers, and civil society to make economic systems truly sustainable. Janez holds a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia. Janez has held a number of research and leadership positions for the Republic of Slovenia followed by his appointment as the Commissioner responsible for Science and Research for the European Union. During his tenure Janez provided policymakers with the best available science and information to help decouple economic growth from the unsustainable use of natural resources. In 2010 he became Commissioner for Environment, Ocean and Fisheries and continues to serve as a special advisor to the current Commissioner. </p><p>In January 2015 during World Economic Forum Janez was awarded by the Circulars 2015, an initiative of the Forum of Young Global Leaders the Fortune Award for Circular Economy Leadership. In November 2015, the Carlowitz Society awarded him the Hans-Carl-Von-Carlowitz-Award 2015 for courageous, open minded, and international work for the idea of the circular economy in Europe.<br></p></div>

http://www.zwc.ca/speakers/SpeakersPhoto2021/JanezPotocnik.jpg, Janez Potocnik

Keynote

Janez

Potočnik

Astrobiofuturist

http://www.zwc.ca/speakers/Billy Almon

Astrobiofuturist

<div class="ExternalClass41C98D626B4D48DE806856DE595D8042"><p><strong>Session: </strong>Living in the Intertidal Zone</p><p>Billy is an Astrobiofuturist who explores biology-inspired solutions to improve the human condition for those of us on earth and those who will travel to the stars. He now focuses on speaking to multiple generations of inventors, designers, scientists, and engineers on designing the future they wish to see. Previously, Billy was a creative director at Walt Disney Imagineering, leading efforts to develop immersive experiences and environments around the world. He holds a Master's degree in Biomimicry from Arizona State University and Bachelor's degree in Architecture from Howard University. Billy sits on the Board of Directors for the Biomimicry Institute, the world’s leading authority on nature’s solutions to design challenges. He also teaches biomimetic design at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design.<br></p></div>

http://www.zwc.ca/speakers/SpeakersPhoto2021/BillyAlmon.jpg, Billy Almon

Keynote

Billy

Almon

Speakers

Associate Professor at UBC School of Journalism, Writing and Media

http://www.zwc.ca/speakers/Kathryn Gretsinger

Associate Professor at UBC School of Journalism, Writing and Media

<div class="ExternalClass9954F216DDDE4DDF8E9703D4673D0C5F"><p>In addition to being a professor at the UBC School of Journalism, Writing and Media, Kathryn is a long time public broadcaster at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, with a record of creating award-winning work at the local and national level in Canada. Kathryn is also a Killam Teaching Prize winner and she was named as one of North America’s top innovative journalism educators in 2018.</p><p><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size:11pt;line-height:107%;font-family:calibri, sans-serif;background:#fefefe;">Kathryn is a respected mentor and trainer at CBC, where she continues to work in the public broadcaster's Learning and Development department. She works across platforms, but her first love is audio. She leads training workshops for reporters, producers, editors and hosts on performance and audio skills including podcasting and compelling storytelling. There is a strong social justice undercurrent to Kathryn’s work. Her commitment to teaching, reporting and fostering dialogue about issues of social justice, Indigenous relations and mental health appear in the courses she teaches and in her key collaborations.</span><br> </p></div>

http://www.zwc.ca/speakers/SpeakersPhoto2021/KathrynGretsinger.jpg, Kathryn Gretsinger

Speaker

Kathryn

Gretsinger

Chair, National Zero Waste Committee

http://www.zwc.ca/speakers/Jack Froese

Chair, National Zero Waste Committee

<div class="ExternalClass2A5E1464259840A8BE53CC4E1322815C"><p>Jack Froese is the Mayor of the Township of Langley, which he has called home for 41 years. Mayor Jack Froese has lived, worked, and raised a family in Langley and was a successful business owner and farmer. Jack also sits on the Metro Vancouver Board of Directors and is the Chair of Zero Waste Committee. In this capacity he also is the Chair of the National Zero Waste Council, an initiative of Metro Vancouver that is a collaborative, cross sector approach to make advances in waste prevention and the transition to a circular economy across Canada. In all these capacities, Jack has the same approach of working collaboratively to identify and pursue solutions that contribute to community well-being, long-term prosperity and environmental sustainability, now and in the future.<br></p></div>

http://www.zwc.ca/speakers/SpeakersPhoto2021/JackFroese.jpg, Jack Froese

Speaker

Jack

Froese

Chair, Metro Vancouver Board

http://www.zwc.ca/speakers/Sav Dhaliwal

Chair, Metro Vancouver Board

<div class="ExternalClass5B03EFF40AD84144978B9FF19DEC41E9"><p>Sav Dhaliwal was elected Chair of the Metro Vancouver Board in November 2018, following a decade as a Board Director and 16 years as City of Burnaby Councillor. He has also served as president of both the Union of B.C. Municipalities and Lower Mainland Local Government Association and worked with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities as the Chair of the Standing Committee for Municipal Finance and as well as Infrastructure and Transportation Policy. Prior to local politics, Sav enjoyed a long career in the private sector working in information technology at TELUS. He has also served not-for-profit organizations in Burnaby, including the Burnaby Minor Hockey Association, Burnaby Sports Hall of Fame Committee, New Vista Society and the Burnaby Lions Club. Sav has been recognized by the Government of Canada, the University of British Columbia & the Goel Family Charitable Foundation, the Fiji Association of British Columbia and the Chetna Association of Canada for his outstanding services to the Community. He and his wife, Cheryl, have lived in Burnaby for more than 40 years.<br></p></div>

http://www.zwc.ca/speakers/SpeakersPhoto2021/SavDhaliwal.jpg, Sav Dhaliwal

Speaker

Sav

Dhaliwal

Co-Founder and Executive Director, One Earth and Board Member, National Zero Waste Council

http://www.zwc.ca/speakers/Vanessa Timmer

Co-Founder and Executive Director, One Earth and Board Member, National Zero Waste Council

<div class="ExternalClass9696A04E9C004CE2918ECCB167292815"><p>Dr. Vanessa Timmer is the Executive Director of One Earth, a Vancouver, Canada-based environmental ‘think and do tank’ creating and imagining sustainable ways of living in cities and around the world. One Earth collaborates with partners to transform how people live their lives – what they need, what they consume and produce, and what they aspire to – enabling everyone to live good quality of lives within their fair share of our planet’s resources. Vanessa is also a Senior Research Fellow at Utrecht University with Pathways to Sustainability, the Urban Futures Studio, and the Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development. She holds a Doctorate and studied at Queen’s University, Oxford, UBC and Harvard. Vanessa sits on the Multi-stakeholder Advisory Committee for the United Nations 10YFP Sustainable Lifestyles Programme. In Canada, she is a Board member of the National Zero Waste Council and of the Vancouver Foundation Partnership Committee. In 2018, Vanessa received the 2018 YWCA Women of Distinction Award in Environmental Sustainability.<br></p></div>

http://www.zwc.ca/speakers/SpeakersPhoto2021/VanessaTimmer.jpg, Vanessa Timmer

Speaker

Vanessa

Timmer

CONFERENCE

CONNECT

Metro Vancouver acknowledges that the region’s residents live, work, and learn on the shared territories of many Indigenous peoples, including 10 local First Nations: Katzie, Kwantlen, Kwikwetlem, Matsqui, Musqueam, Qayqayt, Semiahmoo, Squamish, Tsawwassen, and Tsleil-Waututh.

Metro Vancouver respects the diverse and distinct histories, languages, and cultures of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit, which collectively enrich our lives and the region.