Designing Out Waste: A Journey Towards Environmental Sustainability

By Liz Crowther, Founder of Low Waste Collective

Liz Crowther specializes in zero-waste implementation and project management. Photo credit: Ana Isabel Photography

When I was little, I’d ride my bike around the neighborhood looking for tent worms on the sidewalk and move them to the grass so no one could step on them. I’ve always cared for the environment, which made it an easy focus for my career–bringing together a care for nature and how local and federal governments impact our lives.

Early Roots Caring for the Natural World I was born and grew up in Panama, where nature was a loud and relevant part of everyday life.

Some terrain can be mountainous and tricky to navigate, especially for residents living in rural areas where established waste systems often lack the operational consistency needed to keep areas litter-free. When I visit, I still see litter piling up on the street sides and witness trash burning as a frequent, viable option for our neighbors for handling waste.

Academic Foundation I completed my undergraduate and graduate degrees at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts, with a double major in Spanish and environmental studies, to learn about environmental movement work, ethics, and sustainability on a global level. My senior capstone project focused on composting operations among food providers in urban settings.

I then earned my masters in Community Development and Planning, working with youth on urban farms and transforming discarded urban plots into green spaces for community use. Affecting change on the local level brought visible, tangible changes which at the time felt like the most relevant impact on the planet.

Starting in Local Government  After graduate school, I joined the City of Falls Church, Virginia, as their environmental services specialist, supporting all operations within the Department of Public Works (DPW). I led the update for outreach materials for the recycling coordinator, conducted transportation weather safety outreach, and supported the stormwater engineer to maintain Clean Water Act inspections for best management practices (BMPs). 

Learning in Appalachia

I then spent a few months in the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia, leading trail work with diverse youth through the organization MobilizeGreen. Working alongside National Forest Service staff in remote Appalachia reinforced the importance of federal and state investment in rural America.

Growing Expertise in Arlington

While en route to a worksite on the Monongahela, I had my final interview call with Arlington County Government, leading to a start date right after I returned from West Virginia. I worked as a recycling outreach specialist with the Department of Environmental Services, Solid Waste Bureau, analyzing $2 million of historic programming data and cutting operations time by 80% by creating a bilingual compliance outreach program for more than 4,000 businesses.

I earned my LEED Green Associate, TRUE Zero Waste Advisor, and completed the then Energy Masters Program (now EcoAmbassadors), helping weatherize and optimize energy usage in affordable housing units between Arlington County and Alexandria. For DMV-based residents with some evenings and weekends available, I recommend working with EcoAction Arlington to impact change and connect with other sustainability-focused professionals. 

The Pandemic Shift Halfway through my time at Arlington County, the pandemic hit. My colleague and I fielded hundreds of phone calls and emails from home-bound residents and businesses during lockdown. Families were purging their homes and had more questions than answers: Are CDs recyclable? What do I do with 30 cans of paint that’s been in the garage for a decade? As a recycling expert, I realized how intricately connected we are to our possessions, what we throw out, and how useful it is to connect residents with programs, services, and resources to lower waste at home and work. 

Liz with the Low Waste Collective, conducting a waste audit with Ana Marie King in collaboration with Femme Fatale DC

Launching Low Waste Collective I started the Low Waste Collective to highlight low-waste initiatives from around the world. As a business, we conduct formal waste characterization studies for enterprises, residences, and large-scale office buildings. Typically required by code or mandate for new builds or renovations, a waste audit is a physical sort of trash and recycling to determine the composition of discarded materials. This data gives insight into what is being wasted, what can be recycled, reused, and reduced. Waste is a key indicator of inefficiency and wasted money. Waste audits help increase recycling and lower waste with a commitment to protect the environment.

The Pentagon Chapter While creating content for the Low Waste Collective– and still at Arlington County– I was offered a position to oversee waste operations as a contracted project manager at the Pentagon. This role was meant to be: I met someone years before working in environmental compliance at the DoW and knew I wanted to help enforce ESG at the Pentagon.

Working on-site with dozens of stakeholders, managing 20+ staff, and managing over a dozen other contracts was deeply fulfilling. Zero Waste Solutions has an amazing portfolio across the nation, with staff working around the clock to deliver the best customer service in waste management. If you’re looking for a waste hauler for an individual/long-term project or looking to switch contractors, please reach out to me, and I can connect you with their team.

My 8+ years serving local and federal government waste management systems marries the pace and rhythm of local and federal government work with how sustainability affects everyone on- and off-site, not just those interested in advancing “green” policy. From analyzing waste hauler contracts to showing friends and family that composting is easy at home, I created the Low Waste Collective to encourage agency and action, along with corporate responsibility, to help lower waste in our world. I interview various entities that conduct low-waste initiatives and occasionally organize events that support businesses and residents in lowering their waste.

Looking Ahead

Moving forward, I’m taking on portfolio project management work and continuing in zero-waste and sustainability operations. Please stay in touch: I love virtual coffees, informational interviews, and any excuse to try a new restaurant in the District! To schedule a spotlight conversation on a low-waste initiative, contact Liz by email. You can also connect with her on LinkedIn, and check out her website.