Giving Compass' Take:

• The initiative to help Philadelphia reach zero waste is part of a strategy to improve government services with private sector partnerships and community engagement, rather than a top-down approach.

• How can we create a sustainable and environmentally friendly food system? What can we learn from the zero food waste movement?

• Learn more about ways to reduce your food waste. 

Philadelphia’s SmartCityPHL initiative emphasizes community engagement and the use of technology to solve problems raised by residents and businesses, rather than a top-down approach. That is also the guiding principle of the city’s IT Strategic Plan, released in October, which first detailed the "Pitch and Pilot" proposal.

In a press briefing, Philadelphia Smart Cities Director Emily Yates said the initiative would "create an environment in which the government can collaborate with the private sector." The program is available to companies large and small, and startups owned by minorities, women or other disadvantaged populations are especially encouraged to apply. The idea, city officials told reporters, is to create a pipeline for businesses to offer solutions to the government, and for the government to seek out help from the tech community.

The initiative helps to advance Philadelphia's goal to reach "zero waste," or to nearly eliminate diversion to landfills and conventional incinerators by 2035, which can be done by improving recycling and reducing waste generation. Litter and waste are top issues that Philadelphians bring up to the government; the city has responded with new trash cans and a ban on plastic bags, among other initiatives.

Read the full article about using tech to reduce waste by Jason Plautz at Smart Cities Dive.