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
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.
read more…Local Food Security: building a movement through yard gardens and food forests
Sarasota, FL
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.
The RiA Magazine article, Local Food Security: building a movement through yard gardens and food forests, provides the history of gardening movements, chronicles the current gardening movement, and showcases the January Ei Pilots tour.
Humanity Day Interview
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
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.
COASTAL-WATER QUALITY: Challenges, Solutions, and Economic Impact
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.
SOIL & WATER: the foundation of life
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 HERE.
Compost’s Empowering Role in Sustainable Soils
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.
Ei Online Magazines
