Waste World

Waste360

Waste World is a podcast hosted by Gage Edwards, featuring in-depth discussions on the world of waste from experts, professionals, influencers, and community members involved in the waste and recycling industry.

  1. MAR 3

    Waste World - Episode 55: Driving Success in the Waste Industry

    This week’s episode of the Waste World podcast features a session from WasteExpo 2025 titled “Culture at the Core: Driving Success in the Waste Industry.” The discussion centered on one of the most influential forces behind organizational performance: company culture. From safety and accountability to employee engagement and growth, panelists shared how culture shapes not only internal operations but long-term competitive advantage. The panel featured Patti Hamilton of Coastal Waste & Recycling, Paul Ross of American Waste Control, William J. Rumpke Jr. of Rumpke Waste & Recycling, Erin Huber of International Motors, Jason Craft of Waste Connections, and Maria Frizzell of Schaefer Plastics North America. Together, they explored how clearly defined values, trust-based leadership, and consistent communication drive measurable outcomes, including improved safety performance, stronger employee retention, and more cohesive teams.  Panelists stressed that culture is not slogans on a wall, but behaviors that are taught, modeled, and celebrated. Whether through structured leadership training, safety initiatives, open communication, or community engagement, the message was clear: organizations that define and protect their culture are better positioned to attract talent, retain employees, and sustain long-term success. Be sure to follow and subscribe to the Waste World podcast on Spotify and other podcast services. Also, watch the video version of the Waste World podcast on WasteExpo’s YouTube page.

    1h 12m
  2. JAN 27

    Waste World – Episode 51: ReFED’s Sara Burnett on the Future of Food Waste

    On the Waste World podcast, Gage Edwards chats with Sara Burnett, executive director of ReFED, about why momentum is finally building and how bipartisan policy, private-sector engagement and consumer behavior shifts are starting to move the needle on a system-wide challenge that still sees a large share of food go uneaten. Burnett spent nearly two decades at Panera Bread, where she led clean food, donation and sustainability initiatives before joining ReFED to scale data-driven solutions nationwide. A trained food scientist and supply chain expert, she has seen waste at every stage of the system and now focuses on helping businesses and policymakers implement practical, scalable strategies that reduce waste while improving efficiency and economics. During the conversation, Sara details why embedded, operational solutions outperform behavior-dependent ones, how inflation is reshaping household food management, and where AI is already delivering real gains in inventory tracking, portion control and organics recovery. Burnett also highlighted the growing role of bipartisan policy support, clearer food date labeling and flexible portioning as levers that benefit businesses, consumers and communities alike. Be sure to follow and subscribe to the Waste World podcast on Spotify and other podcast services. Also, watch the video version of the Waste World podcast on WasteExpo’s YouTube page.

    36 min
  3. JAN 20

    Waste World - Episode 50: Todd Thomas on Zero Wood Waste and the Future of AI-Driven Infrastructure

    In this episode of the Waste World podcast, Gage Edwards is joined by Todd Thomas to examine how AI-driven growth is reshaping waste measurement, material recovery, and private-sector climate leadership. The conversation focuses on why 2026 is shaping up to be a turning point for construction sustainability. Todd Thomas is the founder and CEO of Woodchuck, a climate-tech company using artificial intelligence to track, sort, and divert construction and manufacturing waste, with a particular focus on wood. He is also a (now) four-time bestselling author and the author of Hyperscale: AI, Data Centers, and the Next Great Expansion of Global Energy Capacity, where he explores the intersection of digital infrastructure, energy systems, and sustainability. During the podcast, Todd discusses how AI data centers are forcing new standards in construction sustainability, why “zero wood waste” commitments signal a broader industry shift, and how AI-enabled waste tracking is making material flows and climate impact measurable for the first time. The show also covers how sustainability is moving beyond compliance toward a true competitive advantage for builders, operators, and technology leaders. Be sure to follow and subscribe to the Waste World podcast on Spotify and other podcast services. Also, watch the video version of the Waste World podcast on WasteExpo’s YouTube page.

    44 min

About

Waste World is a podcast hosted by Gage Edwards, featuring in-depth discussions on the world of waste from experts, professionals, influencers, and community members involved in the waste and recycling industry.

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