About the Webinar:

Solid waste policies only work when people participate. Washington's Organics Management Laws set an ambitious target: reduce organic materials going to landfill by 75% or more by 2030 through food waste prevention, rescue, and recycling. If implemented successfully, the laws are projected to triple organics collection statewide by 2035, but that outcome depends on individual residents and workers actually putting food and yard waste in the right bin.

So how do we get them there?

Join three industry veterans for a candid conversation about what works, and what doesn't, when building community engagement programs from the ground up.

• Jeff Gage, of Green Mountain Technologies and co-founder of Seattle's Master Composters Program (1986), will share lessons from one of the region's longest-running and most successful resident engagement programs.

• Sam Wilder, of Wilder Environmental Consulting, will draw on decades of hands-on experience supporting resident engagement for some of Washington's most populous jurisdictions, with examples from across King County.

• Robbette Schmit, of Winton MFG Compost Works, will share her perspective as a compost operator who also works directly with customers and community members to drive participation in a region where organics collection is just getting started.

Together, they will trace a full arc, from early program-building to mature systems to emerging infrastructure, offering practical takeaways for anyone working to move the needle on organics recycling.

About the Speakers:

Jeff Gage
Green Mountain Technologies | Co-founder, Seattle Master Composter Program

Jeff Gage has spent more than four decades at the intersection of composting science and community practice. As a director at Green Mountain Technologies, he has designed and implemented 36 composting systems that collectively divert more than 2 million tons of organic waste annually. He holds multiple patents for innovative aeration systems and is widely recognized for his odor control research and feasibility work. Early in his career, he helped start Seattle’s Master Composter program and the Woodland Park Zoo’s ZooDoo composting program.

Sam Wilder (she/her)
Founder, Wilder Environmental Consulting

Sam Wilder has spent nearly 30 years helping communities turn sustainability goals into practice. She founded Wilder Environmental Consulting in 2002 and has since supported thousands of businesses, schools, and multifamily properties in implementing conservation improvements. Through her work, Sam has helped multiple cities and counties design and launch food scrap programs from outreach to measurement. She is certified as a Climate Reality Leader and trained in Community-Based Social Marketing.

Robbette Schmit
General Manager, Winton MFG Compost Works

Robbette has served as General Manager of Winton Compost Works in Leavenworth, WA, since 2001. Since joining Winton, Robbette has built out hauling routes within two WSDA pest jurisdictions, developed commercial composting programs, and led community education on organics recycling.