Attendees getting food at a past EPN event. The next breakfast will be on Nov. 14 and focus around plastic products in Central Ohio and how they’re reused. Credit: Duane Gandelot, School of Environmental and Natural Resources (SENR) Communications Coordinator
Early risers can join the Environmental Professionals Network for a series of breakfasts aiming to create a dialogue between featured speakers and audience members surrounding environmental topics.
The network, which has hosted two breakfasts so far this fall, is a service in the School of Environment and Natural Resources that connects professionals with students and community members. The next breakfast will be hosted on Nov. 14, focusing on plastic products in Central Ohio and how they can effectively be reused or recycled.
October’s breakfast brought together researchers and experts, as six panelists discussed the relationship between the fashion industry and the environment.
“Every garment you wear tells a story about the natural resources, people and infrastructure involved from the design to the discarding of that fabric,” Callia Téllez, the network’s program assistant, said.
This discussion covered circular economy strategies, upcycling and recycling solutions and highlighted some local brand leaders in sustainability, according to the network’s webpage.
November’s plastics event will include experts from the City of Columbus, the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio, Rumpke Waste Management and Ohio State.
“This program, co-hosted with Ohio State’s Facilities Operations and Development, Sustainability & Strategic Services, and the Sustainability Institute, will examine plastic from ‘Zero Waste’ and ‘Circular Economy’ perspectives through the lenses of product design, materials, outreach, and policy,” the website states.
Previous event topics range from discussions on economic, community and urban development in Columbus to the conservation of natural spaces on a global scale.
Established in 2012 by David Hanselman, the breakfasts aim to foster a space where anyone interested in the environment can learn and connect with others. Attendees are not required to be professionally involved in environmental fields or with the School of Environment and Natural Resources, Joseph Campbell, the program director, said.
November’s breakfast will be held at the Nationwide and Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center. Attendance is $5 for students and $25 for non-students.
Virtual attendance is also available at no cost, and the events typically begin at 7:15 a.m.
Registration for these events can be found on the network’s webpage.