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Ei Educates

Though education was always integral to the important work over the years, Ei’s primary focus was on projects, pilots, and initiatives supported by Ei Partners. As Ei enters the Era of Impact, gears shift to a new business model and platform, Ei Educates.

Era of Recycling Refinement (2010 inception through June 2017)
In 2010 Ei, a 501(c)3 non-profit, was founded as the home to the Zero Waste Zones (ZWZ), the nation’s forerunner in the commercial collection of food waste for compost. When the ZWZ were sold to the National Restaurant Association in 2012, Ei’s focus shifted to the Sustainable Food Court Initiative (SFCI) via the SFCI – Atlanta Airport Pilot, SFCI – Concord Mills Pilot, and the SFCI – Georgia Dome Pilot.

Working closely with the SMAT – Sustainable Materials Action Team – Ei responded to industry partners’ requests to develop the Compostable Food & Beverage Packaging-Education Session and the World Chefs Waste | Recycling Course Curriculum. Later, Holly provided the working documents for the World Chefs Food Waste Challenge launched in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia at the 2018 WorldChefs Congress; in the Congress’ final plenary session, Holly presented on The Profitability of Waste: the business case for food waste reduction.

Era of Regeneration (June 2017 through June 2024,)
In June 2017, Ei announced the Era of Recycling Refinement was Mission Accomplished and entered the Era of Regeneration. Focus areas included Nature Prevails, Soil Health | Regenerative Agriculture, and Water Use | Toxicity.

Until the COVID pandemic in 2020. the Ei Partner-business model remained viable; partner-funded programs included the Ei Conscious Cleaning Initiative and the Three-Step Straw Initiative (TSSI.) While traveling for the TSSI, Holly intertwined work related to the Health-Food School Programs.

During the pandemic, Holly returned to her hometown Sarasota, Florida and launched the Ei Rewilding Urban Landscapes Pilots (Rewilding Pilots) in her spacious yard. Once settled in Sarasota, Holly embarked on building a Lambda Alpha International  FL Suncoast Chapter while establishing herself within the local environmental community.

Thus, the Ei Educates platform emerged as the Ei business model evolved away from projects, pilots, and initiatives and towards the Era of Impact.

Era of Impact
Within the Ei Educates platform, Ei utilizes its extensive professional network as well as Ei Founder & CEO Holly Elmore’s experience to educate on pertinent environmental and social equity topics. With their in-depth industry expertise and connections, Ei Advisors are essential to the success of Ei Educates.

The inaugural Ei Educates session debuted at the 2018 U.S. Composting Council hosted in Atlanta, Georgia via the Ei-hosted panel Compost’s Empowering Role in Sustainable Soils; Holly moderated the session and panelists included Ei Advisors and Strategic Allies. It was the most popular break-out session at the conference with every seat filled in the large room. The RiA Magazine article, GAME WON: 2018 compost conference a record-breaking success, showcases the Ei-hosted panel.

Post-COVID pandemic in 2023, Ei Educates webinars, speaking engagements, articles, and tours segued into common ground.

Introduction to Water and Land Economics

Jul 7, 2024

June 13, 2024
LAI Global Water-Land Series Group Webinar

The Lambda Alpha International (LAI) Global Water-Land Series Group (Group) hosted the Introduction to Water and Land Economics Global Webinar; introductory in nature, the webinar was designed as a foundation for a plethora of future webinars on more specific topics.

As the Group Co-Chair, Ei Founder & CEO Holly Elmore orchestrated the superb webinar and invited Ei Advisors and LAI members Steve Suau and Brad Bass to serve as webinar panelists along with UC Davis Distinguished Professor Jay Lund, a LAI Sacramento Chapter member,

Below is a synopsis of the webinar agenda:
Jay Lund – Overview & History
• Overview of the current water supply and quality scenario and its implications on land economics; give history and name institutions involved in water management.
• Western N America specific challenges, solutions, and success stories.

Steve Suau – Integrated Watershed Management
• Four elements of integrated watershed management.
• Florida specific challenges, solutions, and success stories.

Brad Bass – Algal Blooms, a Economic Perspective
• Overview of the algae blooms that segue into challenges with non-native/invasive species.
• Solutions available at a regional level as well as examples of successful local programs in the Canadian Great Lakes region.

A superb Question & Answer session followed the excellent presentations; topics ran the gamut from local and federal government policy and regulations to carbon sequestration to solutions for Big Sugar’s impact on the Everglades to the implications of sea-level rise on coastal communities.

To view the recorded Introduction to Water and Land Economics webinar, click HERE.

The Regeneration in ACTION Magazine article, Introduction to Water and Land Economics, gives an in-depth summary of the impressive webinar.

The panelist PPT presentations are available for download: Jay Lund, Steve Suau, Brad Bass

Local Food Security: building a movement through yard gardens and food forests

Feb 5, 2024

The Ei Rewilding Urban Landscapes Pilots (Ei Pilots) support the modern-day-gardening movement and showcase how lawns may be replaced with vegetable gardens and food forests; the Ei Pilots are aesthetically pleasing as well as functional. Located in Holly’s spacious front and backyards, the Ei Pilots are easily accessible for tours.

On January 7, 2023 the FB group 941 Natural Gardeners hosted an Ei Pilots tour focused on the backyard food forest and the vegetable, herb and edible-flower garden. Nearly 30 intrigued local residents attended the Sunday morning tour. Though Holly lead the tour, the Ei Pilots Curator Zach Zildjian of ZZ Design Services was on site to answer in-depth and technical questions.

Humanity Day Interview

Oct 28, 2023

October 28, 2023
Virtual

For the virtual Humanity Day celebration, Holly was interviewed regarding Ei’s decades-long impact and her personal philosophies. The 12-minute-interview video is available on Vimeo for viewing.

After introductions, Holly spoke on the following topics:
– Zero Waste Zones
– Endeavors on the horizon
– Keys to Success
– Collective Consciousness
– Worker Populations
– A Renewed Earth
– Back to Basics

The RiA Magazine article, I AM Humanity, gives an overview of Holly’s interview.

Environmental Stewardship: the business perspective

Aug 28, 2023

May 25, 2023
Temple of Understanding on-line webinar

The Temple of Understanding invited Ei to host the May monthly Eco Justice for ALL Dialogue. With the topic, Environmental Stewardship: the business perspective, Ei Founder & CEO Holly Elmore orchestrated the following panel of Ei Advisors as the dialogue speakers.
* Stephanie Barger -TRUE Certification for Zero Waste / U.S. Green Building Council Global Director of Market Transformation
* Simon Lamb -, author of award-winning Junglenomics
* Tim Trefzer – Honeycomb Strategies Event and Venue Sustainability VP, Sports & Venues.

Holly served as the dialogue moderator.

In addition to Ei Advisors, the panelists are members of Lambda Alpha International, a 90-year-old land economics honorary.

The RiA Magazine article, Environmental Stewardship: the business perspective, highlights the impressive dialogue; the entire Environmental Stewardship: the business perspective Dialogue is available for viewing on YouTube.

SOIL & WATER: the foundation of life

Feb 10, 2023

February 9, 2023
ECO Democrats Manatee
Bradenton, FL

On February 9, Ei Founder & CEO presented at the February ECO Democrats Manatee monthly meeting to an enthusiastic audience, in person and online. It was inspiring to learn how so many in the audience maintain ecological landscapes at their homes, or at least edging towards one.

The RiA Magazine article, Soil & Water The Foundation of Life, recaps the presentation outline with more in-depth information. The PPT presentation is available for download below:

02-09-23_EiPPT_ECODemsDownload

COASTAL-WATER QUALITY: Challenges, Solutions, and Economic Impact

Feb 2, 2023

February 17,2023
LAI Global Webinar – online

On February 17 Lambda Alpha International (LAI, a land-economics honorary) hosted the Global Webinar Coastal-Water Quality: Challenges, Solutions, and Economic Impact presented by Sarasota’s environmental leadership. As a member of the LAI executive committee, Ei Founder & CEO Holly Elmore orchestrated the webinar.

The global webinar was the second program in an eighteen-month series about water and land economics around the globe hosted by the LAI Global Water Group.

LAI At-Large Members from Florida’s Central Gulf Coast shared on global-coastal-water challenges along with the economic impact to the local and regional communities. With a well-orchestrated plan, via the Water Playbook, community organizations execute programs designed to prevent water contamination from land use and to cleanse contaminates in the water.

The Sarasota Bay Report Card documents achievements and remaining challenging scenarios. Teamwork is required for success with support provided by local, state, and federal governments as well as the community (foundations and taxpayers.)

Sarasota ROCKS when it comes to water-quality commitments; after all, the local economy and way of life depend on healthy waters!

The RiA article, Coastal-Water Quality: Challenges, Solutions, and Economic Impact, gives an in-depth synopsis of the empowering presentations; the 90-minute recorded webinar may be viewed at this LINK.

Below are the panelists along with their respective PPT presentations available for download:
• David Tomasko, Ph,D, Sarasota Bay Estuary Program Executive Director: State of the Bay, How to Meet Water-Quality Goals
• Jon Thaxton, Gulf Coast Community Foundation Senior Vice President Community Investment: Water-Quality Playbook
• Christine Johnson, Conservation Foundation of the Gulf Coast President: Conservation Easements
• Sandy Gilbert, Solutions to Avoid Red Tide Chair: Healthy Stormwater Ponds

Compost’s Empowering Role in Sustainable Soils

Feb 2, 2018

January 23, 2018
2018 U.S. Composting Council Conference
Atlanta, GA

Ei Founder Holly Elmore moderated the popular Ei-hosted panel, Compost’s Empowering Role in Sustainable Soils, the conference’s most popular break-out session. Per the program, the following is the panel description:

Soil is the foundation of life. Healthy, vibrant soil eco-systems are the building blocks for healthy communities with effective stormwater-management programs, solid erosion-control systems, and nutritious urban-food production. … and compost feeds the soil eco-systems!

Industry experts shared about compost’s empowering role in carbon sequestration/climate change, soil-management systems grounded in solid economics, and green-urban infrastructure.

The ZWA Blog article, GAME WON: 2018 compost conference a record-breaking success, features the Ei-hosted panel.

Below are the panelists along with their respective PPT presentations available for download:

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