Author: Editor

2026 Calendar

COMMITTEE MEETING SCHEDULE, APRIL 2026

  • Zero Waste Advocacy (ZWAC): Legislative Committee: Second Thursday, 6:30pm, Legislative Tracker
  • ZWAC Show: ON HOLD, Second Tuesday of most months, 5:30pm, web page Membership, Engagement & Activities: (MEAC) First Tuesday, 4pm
  • Communications and Social Media: Fourth Tuesdays, 5pm
  • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI): 2nd and 4th Tuesdays, 4-4:30pm, web-page
  • Zero Food Waste Committee: Second Friday of the month, 1-2pm, web-page
  • Zero Waste Schools Committee: Quarterly, 4th Thursday, 4:30pm – 5:30pm, web-page

For more details including Zoom links, contact the office.

Newsletter: Great way to learn about NCRA, meet other members and get your feet wet!! Meets via phone or Zoom – usually one-on-one. Open assignments include writers, researchers, photographers and photo editors. Also, short book reviews and interviews.  Suggestions welcome!

Meetings are free and held via Zoom unless the newsletter and social media announcements say otherwise. Please RSVP if you would like to attend and the office will send you the link. 

Board Meetings:  The third Thursday of most months, 6:30pm – 8:30pm. All interested parties are welcome, but may have to limit comments to introductions or specific agenda items. Agenda items are due the first week of the month. Contact the office for details. 

2026 NOTEABLE DATES

  • Alameda Volunteer Coastal Cleanup: Every second Saturday of the Month, Learn more
  • Introduction To Recycling:  Two days – Monday, January 27, in San Francisco, and Tuesday, January 28, Online                   
  • Green Love Crafting & Networking: January 31, San Francisco Presidio – Sports Basement
  • Board Retreat:  February, Oakland
  • DEI Committee Salon: March 17, Zoom
  • Recycling Update: March 25, San Francisco State University
  • International Day of Zero Waste: March 30
  • Zero Food Waste Forum Webinar: April 10, Zoom
  • Members Meeting: May 21, East Bay TBD
  • Advocacy Day: June 17, State Capitol in Sacramento, RSVP
  • Beach Clean-up and Annual Picnic: September 19, Alameda
  • Call for Recycling Update Speaker presentations: October 2026
  • International Repair Day: October 19, Find a Fixit Clinic near you
  • Board Director Candidate Election Statements Due: September 2026, Learn more
  • Board Director Elections Commence: November 2026
  • America Recycles Day: November 15

Announcing Recycling Update 2026 (Media Release)

Northern California Recycling Association to host 30th Annual Recycling Update at San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA – February 2026 – The Northern California Recycling Association (NCRA) is proud to host the 30th Annual Recycling Update (RU), the premier event for resource recovery professionals in Northern California. This year’s milestone conference will take place on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, at San Francisco State University’s McKenna Theatre, in San Francisco, CA. In person registration includes catered lunch at the Cesar Chavez Student Center and entrance to the highly popular networking event, Green Drinks. 

About RU

Recycling Update is widely recognized as the leading one day Zero Waste conference in Northern California. Known for its fast-paced, speed-dating presentation format, featuring 20 speakers from across California and the West Coast each presenting for 10 minutes on the latest innovations, programs, policies on more than just recycling; topics will cover reuse, repair, composting, outreach, extended producer responsibility (EPR), and edible food recovery. 

Since 2023, over 500 register to attend RU each year, attendees include municipal employees, refuse service providers, local and state policy makers, business leaders, university professors and facility staff, students, plastic-free and anti-incineration advocates, consultants, among many other sustainability professionals. 

Event Details

  • March 25, 2026
  • San Francisco State University – San Francisco, CA
  • Presentations: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM at McKenna Theatre
  • Lunch at Cesar Chavez Student Center
  • After-hours Green Drinks Reception at Seven Hills Conference Center

About San Francisco State

San Francisco State University has a long-standing tradition of student-led activism and leadership in sustainability. From the historic 1968 student strike that created the nation’s first College of Ethnic Studies, to becoming the first public university to divest from fossil fuels in 2013, and most recently committing to divest from arms dealers in 2025, SF State continues to champion racial and environmental justice.

Most notably the campus is committed to Zero Waste, achieving 72% landfill diversion in 2023 through adoption of recycling and composting across the campus, an edible food recovery program, student-led clothing swaps, and Sustainable Move Out programs. 

Registration

Discounts for students, educators, and advocates start at $125. Scholarship opportunities available. Registration includes a 6 or 12-month NCRA membership. Register here.

Quote from NCRA Leadership

“For 30 years, Recycling Update has been the hub for innovation and collaboration in resource recovery in Northern California,” said Freddy Coronado, NCRA President “This milestone event is more than just recycling, it’s a celebration and sharing of proven and implemented Zero Waste solutions in California and beyond that have and continue to prevent landfilling, incineration, and the exploitation of Earth’s natural resources.”

Program Highlights?

RU delivers actionable insights and networking opportunities for advancing Zero Waste goals.

To learn more and register, visit our event website. 

Media Contact: Freddy Coronado via the NCRA Office.

NCRA Media Release, 2026 02 26 (pdf)

2025 Board of Directors Election – Candidate Statements

Eight NCRA members – including five incumbents, have been nominated to serve on the 2026 – 2027 Board of Directors. There are seven two-year positions to fill.

The Meet the Candidates Night will be held November 20 at 5:30pm. Voting opens Monday, November 10 and ends Monday, December 1 at 11:59pm.

Early on November 10, custom voting links will be emailed to all current members. If you do not receive a SimplyVoting email that day, please confirm your membership is up-to-date using this simple 4-step system. If there is an issue, please contact the office.

Results will be presented to the board for ratification in early December, then to the candidates via email and later to the membership via the December newsletter.

NCRA BOARD OF DIRECTOR CANDIDATES, 2025

Click each picture to access the associated candidate statement. Many include a LinkedIn link at the bottom of the page.