Ruth Abbe is a Zero Waste practitioner with more than 25 years of experience in recycling and composting programs and facility development. As the principal of Abbe & Associates LLC, she works with municipalities across the U.S. to develop the social and physical infrastructure to achieve Zero Waste. She serves on the Board of Directors of the GrassRoots Recycling Network (Zero Waste USA), the Zero Waste International Alliance, and the Gold Rush Chapter of the Solid Waste Association of North America. In her home city of Alameda, CA she is a grassroots leader with Community Action for a Sustainable Alameda, CASA. CASA has developed an award-winning recycling and composting program for the Alameda schools (the Alameda Green Schools Challenge) and supports the “Miss Alameda Says, ‘Compost!’” program to help implement mandatory recycling and composting requirements at restaurants and multifamily buildings.