A Zero Waste Culture

A Zero Waste Culture (AZWC) was founded in 2019 by Helena Iturralde, inspired by visits to Miami's Waste Management Recycling Facility that revealed alarming gaps in recycling efforts. Helena assembled a group of Key Biscayne residents to take action, focusing on grassroots initiatives that combat climate change and promote sustainability.

We're asking our community for help in keeping our existing initiatives afloat and supporting new ones. Among these, we aim to expand our reuse and recycling efforts with local businesses and schools to collect hard-to-recycle items. From dental products to school supplies -and other community reuse/recycle projects- we’re committed to keeping useful materials out of the trash.

Below, the effort since our inception:

• Educated over 300 families, businesses, and schools through the Community Compost program, providing nutrient-rich soil for the community, gardens, nurseries, schools, and mangrove restoration projects.
• Diverted 350,800 lbs (175 tons) of food waste and 165 tons of yard waste from landfills and turning it into compost.
• Supporting the Key Biscayne Community Garden by donating compost made from the community’s own food scraps, creating a full-circle system where our waste becomes healthy soil that grows vegetables and herbs without chemical fertilizers
• Rescued 12,545 glass bottles (8.72 tons) from the landfill. Thanks to our partnership with GlassForLife, the glass collected from the KB community is transformed into new bottles and sand to restore coastlines and repair highways.
• Diverted 196 lbs of techno-trash (CDs, DVDs, VHS tapes, and small electronics) through a drop-off program generously sponsored by a community member.
• Recycled 1,410 corks from the community, through our partnership with ReCork, helping protect cork oak forests and reduce waste.
• Provided accessible drop-off options for tennis balls, sneakers, women’s clothing, reading glasses, halloween costumes and other, helping nonprofits and community programs reuse and recycle instead of landfilling.
• Offering free pumpkin composting to the entire community to emphasize waste reduction and environmental stewardship.
• Engaged over 100 participants weekly through our recycling polls, improving recycling habits and awareness.
• Developed a youth leadership program to empower teens as environmental advocates.
• Expanded our “Bring Your Own Container” (BYOC) movement, with all farmers market food vendors offering discounts for reusable containers.
• Continuing to promote the “Plastic Free Key Biscayne” campaign to reduce single-use plastics.
• Organized tours to the Waste Management Material Recycling Facility to educate the community about what happens to recyclables and promote better waste practices
• Repurposed over 3,500 pounds of textiles into reusable bags and other items.
• Engaged over 265 volunteers to support sustainability efforts and inspire community action.
• Offered drop-offs for hard-to-recycle plastics.
• Hosting Family Fun Days, teaching children and parents composting in a fun, hands-on way.
• Advocating for reducing plastic waste, opposing new incinerators, and protecting Biscayne Bay and the Everglades.
• Celebrated the First Zero Waste Miami Business Award in April 2024 for exceptional environmental efforts across Miami-Dade County.

Join us this Give Miami Day, and let’s build a future where zero waste is not just a goal but a way of life.