The 30th Annual Recycling Update Call for Speakers is now live!

The 30th Annual Recycling Update Call for Speakers is now live! The tentative date is March 25, 2026. Official date and SF venue to be confirmed soon!

How to Apply: Submit your proposal by COBD – Monday, December 1st, 2025.

Application portal: https://bit.ly/RU2026Speaker

For additional questions, feel free to contact our office.

The Northern California Recycling Association (NCRA) is seeking dynamic speakers for its annual Recycling Update (RU), our fast-paced, high-energy event that showcases what’s new and innovative in the world of waste reduction and Zero Waste. We welcome proposals from those who haven’t yet presented at RU, as well as from experienced speakers eager to share their cutting-edge ideas and insights.

With over 500 attendees, including local government recycling staff, policy makers, consultants, haulers, and processors from across Northern California, RU is an ideal platform to showcase your work in front of a highly engaged audience. This is your chance to highlight the latest programs, policies, and projects shaping the future of our industry.

Presentation Format:

Each speaker is allotted 10 minutes for their presentation, followed by a 2-minute Q&A session.

The event features a single-track format, ensuring that all attendees hear your presentation—no breakouts, no missed opportunities.

Timeliness is crucial. Speakers must be well-prepared and adhere to their time limits.

Key Focus Areas: We encourage proposals that reflect NCRA’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, incorporating these values in both the content and design of presentations. Additionally, the selection committee is especially interested in presentations that explore reuse, repair, state and local policies, edible food recovery programs/ enforcement, extender producer responsibility, and recycling markets.

DEI Salon: What is Meaningful Community Engagement? Let’s Talk About It!

Link to Recording

The Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) Committee Presents:

Do you find it challenging to get good turnouts at public meetings?

Join us for a salon style discussion to explore non-traditional strategies to collect feedback and gain insight to diverse community perspectives on policies and projects.

This peer sharing opportunity will explore topics such as:

-What does successful engagement look like

-How to create space for overlooked communities to participate in planning processes

-Challenges and barriers to encouraging participation in public meetings

Recorded on October 21, 2025 | 12 – 1pm PDT via Zoom.

Calendar 2025

COMMITTEE MEETING SCHEDULE, APRIL 2025

For more details including Zoom links, contact the office.
Zero Waste Advocacy (ZWAC)
:
    ZWAC Show: ON HOLD, Second Tuesday of most months, 5:30pm – 8:30pm. Join at 5pm for sharing, web page
    Legislation: Second Thursday, 6:30pm, Legislative Tracker
Membership, Engagement & Activities: (MEAC) Third Wednesday of each month, 4pm
Communications and Social Media: Fourth Tuesdays, 5pm
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI):
Alternating Tuesdays, 4pm, web page
Zero Food Waste Committee: Second Friday of the month, 1-2pm, web page
Zero Food Waste Schools Committee: Second Thursdays, 4:30pm,
web-page

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.

2025 SPECIAL EVENTS
Board Retreat:  January 26, Oakland
Introduction To Recycling:  Two days – Monday, February 3, in San Francisco and Tuesday, February 4, Online
Recycling Update: March 18, Oakland
Members Meeting: June 18, San Francisco
Beach Clean-up and Annual Picnic: September 20, Alameda

NCRA Annual Meeting, 6/18/2025

NCRA’s Annual Meeting

Wednesday, June 18, 2025
San Francisco Environment Department
& via Zoom

Light Networking Dinner –  6pm
Program – 6:15pm – 8pm

Please note, all in-person attendees must register by 6/17. The morning of 6/18, staff will share the list with SFE hosts and the building security.
In other words, drop-ins not allowed.

Registration now open!