Benefits of SWANA membership to students
SWANA provides FREE membership for full-time students who are pursuing undergraduate or graduate degrees, and PhD candidates, with a focus on environmental sciences, solid waste management, or resource diversion.
When students join SWANA, they will become members of the largest organization for solid waste and recycling professionals. Through our network of 47 Chapters throughout North America, students can meet and network with current leaders and decision makers working in solid waste, environmental science, composting, and recycling. These connections can lead to potential internships and become future careers.
By becoming a member of SWANA, students can:
· Apply for scholarships and internship opportunities
· Access MentorMatch – SWANA’s online mentoring site
· Compete in SWANA’s Annual Solid Waste Design Competition
· Attend Young Professionals (YP) Group events, for those 35 years of age and younger
· Participate in SWANA Chapter events and Technical Divisions
For full-time students with an interest in environmental sciences, solid waste management, or recycling-related professions, FREE SWANA Student Membership is a perfect fit.
Washington Evergreen Chapter will be offering scholarships to attend to students and AmeriCorps members interested in working in the solid waste/materials management fields.
Scholarship benefits include:
- Paid registration (including tours)
- Paid accommodation (single-occupancy room at Tulalip Resort on April 18 and 19)
- Match with a mentor in the field who will email recipients before the symposium, share a meal with them during the symposium, and be available for contact throughout the following year
- Free Evergreen chapter technical sessions for 1 year
- Invitation to join Evergreen chapter board meetings
To be eligible, applicants must:
- Be 21 by April 18, 2023 (guests at Tulalip Resort must be at least 21)
- Live in SWANA’s northwest region (WA, OR, MT, ID, BC, Yukon)
Preference will be given to SWANA members living in the chapter area (WA and MT), and becoming a student member is free. The scholarship does not include transportation costs, but the chapter will help interested recipients find a carpool to the symposium venue;. Applications are due January 23.
Apply here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdwe8N5Xy9ysYKELUA_eKk3OmEiHUf5V-TYhE3h0x3rhboxFA/viewform
2023 SWANA Northwest Regional Symposium
April 18-20, 2023
Tulalip Resort Hotel
Each spring the Evergreen (WA and MT), Beaver (OR and ID), and Pacific (BC and Yukon) chapters hold a joint Northwest Symposium. Join solid waste industry professionals from a wide variety of specialized fields, where members come to exchange information and learn from technical experts.
The SWANA Evergreen Chapter is among the more active and diversely represented chapters in the nation. We have a positive reputation among members, neighboring chapters and the national organization for promoting innovation, supporting education, and taking on challenging technical and policy initiatives.
Our Board of Directors reflects who you are through its representation of public officials, engineering professionals, and commercial operators and haulers. Our members, sponsors and surrounding communities benefit from the energy we commit toward taking on tomorrow’s resource challenges.
Topics
Here are some suggested topics surrounding the theme:
- The future of labor in the solid waste industry (i.e. hiring/retention amid staffing shortages, automation)
- Safety, operations, and planning post-COVID-19
- Innovations in landfill and facility operation
- Organic materials management, collection, processing, and policy
- Extended producer responsibility (EPR) policy and programs
- Climate change and solid waste operations/emergency management
- New and emerging materials markets
- Alternative fuel technologies (i.e., operations, economics, emissions)
- Integrated solid waste management planning
- Solid waste system finance and rate making
- Collection systems management
For more information on the SWANA Northwest Regional Symposium, and/or for scholarship information, check out the website: https://swananw.org/nw-symposium/