Welcome To BioCycle Global 2011

We welcome you to BioCycle Global 2011, our International Conference on Composting, Renewable Energy and Organics Recycling. Between conference speakers, delegates and exhibitors, 21 countries on six of the seven continents are represented. Today’s environmental and economic challenges are not unique to any particular country in the world. Whether developed or developing, all nations are facing the repercussions of climate change and global recession. And all will benefit from the sustainable resource management strategies being discussed over the next several days.

This truly global event creates a wonderful opportunity to share information and experiences, both in the conference sessions and in the exhibit hall. We invite you to network with the experts and technology providers, who together have the knowledge to advance your organics management programs and build sustainable communities. Tuesday evening, from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm, please be sure to join us for our Global Reception, where networking opportunities continue while listening to jazz and enjoying food and drink.

BioCycle Global 2011 is striving to be a Zero Waste event. Zero Waste stations are located throughout our conference venue to recycle and compost your materials. To avoid contamination in the compost stream, please look at the signs carefully before placing your materials in the specially marked compost and recycling containers. Zero Waste San Diego is overseeing the greening of BioCycle Global 2011. We greatly appreciate their assistance.

Be sure to look at page 10 of this program to learn about Conference Extras. During the lunch break Tuesday and Wednesday, there will be screenings of two videos and the documentary film DIVE! Tuesday evening, following the Global Reception, you can participate in a Roundtable discussion on bioplastics, hosted by the California Organics Recycling Council. On Thursday, all conference participants are invited to San Pasqual Valley Soils in Escondido, starting at 12:15 pm, for live equipment demonstrations. Those not registered for the all-day BioCycle Global field trip will need to provide their own transportation.

Please take advantage of the next three days to tap into the energy and excitement generated by the exchange of information — the fuel we need to continue our endeavors to build healthy soils and sustain our communities and the planet. Every action that every one of you is taking with your projects, research and products is putting us one step closer to global sustainability.

On behalf of the Goldstein family — our founder Jerome Goldstein as well as Rill, Ina and myself — along with our coworkers, Doug Pinkerton, Teri Sorg-McManamon, Celeste Madtes and Dan Sullivan, we thank you for coming to BioCycle Global 2011. We also thank our sponsors, speakers, moderators and our host city of San Diego, for their generous support.

Nora Goldstein