Zero waste in action at a huge festival in Michigan. Achieved 90% landfill diversion in only three years of zero waste implementation. Speaker will not be at ISTC in person but you are welcome to come to the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center to view the webinar.

In 2018, long-standing sponsor Toyota approached the Ann Arbor Summer Festival (A2SF) with a challenge to create social impact in southeast Michigan by changing community behaviors around sustainability and the environment. Over the past two seasons, A2SF has implemented a dramatic waste management transformation, created educational opportunities, and presented community-collaborative art programming. The operational goal? To become a zero waste event with 90% landfill diversion over three years.

Come Join us for our Speaker, James Carter who is the Programming & Operations Manager, Ann Arbor Summer Festival. James divides his time between programming A2SF and managing staff in-season. He’s led the Festival Footprint Initiative to transform A2SF into a zero waste event, and his focus is social impact through artistic programming and community engagement. James has curated and produced performing and visual art for 19 years. He co-founded the Manhattan-based theater company terraNOVA Collective and presented world-class performers in its soloNOVA Arts Festival, such as Taylor Mac, W. Kamau Bell, Nilaja Sun, The Bengsons, Erin Markey, and Emily DeCola. James also served as Season Producer for the Ensemble Studio Theatre. As the editor for the Civilians’ Extended Play, he worked on Lynn Nottage’s immersive and interactive community created installation “This is Reading,” which was born of research for her Pulitzer Prize-winning play “Sweat.”