Circular Economy and Sustainable Marketplace

Mission:  We are working to build a circular economy in the greater Washington DC region and help people and businesses utilize green products.  We are working to create sustainable marketplace solutions by connecting those who want to DEPLOY sustainable solutions with companies and vendors who can PROVIDE those solutions. 

Program:  Our program includes conducting a monthly Circular Economy Working Group which meets on the 4th Wednesday of the month.  In addition, we conduct ur annual Clean Energy & Sustainability Extravaganza which helps to showcase green products and services, innovation, in conjunction with research and educational programs at universities and colleges in the DC area.  See more on these programs below.

 

Circular Economy

The Circular Economy Working Group seeks to emulate nature by closing the loop of resource use and recycling, where nothing is wasted and everything serves a purpose!   

Join us for our Circular Economy Working Group meetings which are held on the 4th Wednesday of every month.  The DC Circular Economy Working Group meets under Leaders in Energy and consists of individuals in the public, private, governmental, and non-profit sector who are interested in learning about circular economy issues and in creating a more circular economy in the DMV Region.

You can RSVP here for our monthly Working Group meetings.   We welcome you to join our Google Group here to share resources and articles and help build the CE community here in the DMV.

Lara Ilao serves as the Chair for our Leaders in Energy Circular Economy Working Group (CEWG).   
January 27, 2021 Meeting:

Our Circular Economy Working Group (CEWG) reconvened on Wednesday, January 27th, from 6-8 pm. Stephanie Miller, founder of Zero Waste in DC, which provides consultations to individual households on reducing waste and talks for organizations committed to a sustainable future, discussed her recently published book Zero Waste Living The 80/20 Way. Topics include zero waste and sustainable tips and strategies and how focusing on those things (the 20%) which make the biggest (80%) difference with the goal of reaching as wide an audience as possible to effect real impact. Previously, she held a 25-year career at the International Finance Corporation, the private sector arm of the World Bank Group, where she served as Director of IFC’s Climate Business Department and led global teams to find innovative solutions to climate change.

Articles on Our Past Circular Economy Activities:

“Is the Building World Ready for the Circular Economy,” by Joel Oronato, Architect and Engineer, Hickok Cole and Circular Economy Group Member  — Presentation at Circular Economy Happy Hour meeting on September 9. 2020 and accompanying article.

Working Circular: Incorporating Circular Economy Principles at Work (June 24, 2020) including

Recap article by Jess Parker

Link to recorded program

Transforming Waste into Energy for the Circular Economy – Canada- USA Event (at the Canadian Embassy on October 25, 2018), by Dina Mansour

Circular Economy Working Tour of C2 Management Facility, September 22, 2018, by Michelle Minstrell

Sunshine in a Glass — Sustainable Vineyard Tour, September 22, 2018, by Elvin Yuzugullu

Steps Toward Action in the Circular Economy, Circular Economy Workshop at the University of the District of Columbia, September 29, 2017;

Entrepreneurial Solutions for Sustainable Facilities in the Circular Economy, held in Crystal City, May 24, 2016; and

Sustainable Manufacturing Workshop & Tour Was a Hit with Attendees,  Alexandria Renewable Enterprise in Alexandria, Virginia, May 19, 2015

Annual Clean Energy & Sustainability Extravaganza

We have conducted seven annual Clean Energy and Sustainability Extravaganza events at universities in the Washington DC region to bring together university research and innovation with vendors working in clean energy and sustainable solutions.  See the recap articles from our February 29, 2020 event at the University of Maryland-College Park.  These events have been conducted with the Association of Energy Engineers National Capital Chapter.

Consolidated Presentations from the Extravaganza including the three panels – CWEEL, University and Business Showcase Panels

Keynote Address presentation by Dr. Reinhard Radermacher

The Role of Universities in Affordable Clean Energy (Business Showcase Panel), by Aakansha Lam, Energy Scalable, Inc.