November 4, 2012
MEDIA ADVISORY
Jean-Michel Cousteau to Deliver Keynote Address at 7th Annual Potomac Watershed Trash Summit
(Silver Spring, MD) Elected officials, government agencies, NGOs, businesses, and concerned citizens will gather at the Alice Ferguson Foundation’s (AFF) 7th annual Potomac Watershed Trash Summit on November 7th to discuss regional policies and efforts to mitigate litter and waste in the Potomac Watershed. Local litter problems are connected to the larger global threat of litter, waste, and pollution. What happens to trash upstream in waterways like the Potomac affects the environment downstream and is currently one of the major threats to ocean health. This year’s Summit keynote speaker, world-renowned conservationist, ocean explorer and film-maker, Jean-Michel Cousteau, will share his global perspective on the problem of litter. AFF will also unveil its new Trash Free Potomac Network, an online community created to connect volunteers, organizations, businesses and governments together to address the trash problem in the region throughout the year.
What: Key stakeholders seek solutions to the pervasive problem of trash and litter in the Potomac Watershed. Topics for discussion and action during the Summit include:
- Compost: Protecting our Watershed This session will explore how compost can improve our watershed’s water quality, identify opportunities to adopt compost as a best management practice, and discuss how to incorporate compost into policy.
- Monitoring: Watch It Several different protocols being utilized both regionally and around the world for data collection and how to track and share data will be examined during this session.
- Elevating the 4 Rs: Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle By getting back to basics and expanding beyond the common ideas associated with the 4 Rs, this session will demonstrate the power of using the fundamentals in waste reduction strategy.
- Public Education: Strengthening the Grassroots The session will closely examine effective community outreach tools and the most efficient and effective ways to evaluate community-based social marketing campaign, with a focus on AFF’s Regional Litter Prevention Campaign.
- Policy Issues: The Washington Metropolitan area trash policies and source reduction and incentive-based policies that have been successful in other parts of the country.
- Creative Engagement: Expanding the Base Speakers will address a range of engagement opportunities including art, mobile apps, and online geographic data mapping all geared toward raising awareness and engaging a broader audience.
Where: Silver Spring Civic Building, One Veteran’s Place, Silver Spring, MD 20910
When: Wednesday, November 7, 2012 from 8:30am-4:30pm. The morning plenary session begins at 9:00 am and the lunchtime plenary session begins a 12:00pm.
Who: In addition to keynote speaker Jean-Michel Cousteau, Montgomery County Executive Isaiah Leggett will speak during the lunchtime plenary. Other elected officials who plan to attend and speak during the morning plenary include:
- County Executive Isaiah Leggett, Montgomery County, MD
- Mayor William D. Euille, City of Alexandria
- State Senator Brian E. Frosh, MD
- State Delegate Heather Mizeur, MD
- State Delegate Susan Lee, MD
- State Delegate Al Carr, MD
- State Delegate Alfonzo Lopez, VA
- Councilmember Phil Andrews, Montgomery County, MD
- Councilmember Hans Riemer, Montgomery County, MD
- Councilmember Brent Bolin, Mount Rainer, MD
- Councilmember James Kraft, District 1, Baltimore City, MD
# # #