Center for State and Local Governance: Resources and Media

Model Governance Tools

ELI and NRDC have developed model food waste reduction policies to make it easier for local governments to adopt solutions. Based on extensive best practices research, these models provide legal language as well as background information and alternative approaches—all of which are intended to help guide stakeholders and policymakers in tailoring the policy to their unique circumstances.  

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  • Model Municipal Zoning Ordinance on Community Composting (June 2024)
    • Adapts zoning codes to make community composting a permissible land use. 
      • An “off-the-shelf” model policy or template without commentaries may be found here. 
      • A background memorandum may be found here. 
      • A slide deck may be found here. 
  • Model Ordinance Establishing a Pay-As-You-Throw Program for Residential Municipal Solid Waste (November 2023)
    • Establishes a local PAYT program that incentivizes household organics recycling.
      • An “off-the-shelf” model policy or template without commentaries may be found here. 
      • A slide deck may be found here. 
  • Model Executive Order on Municipal Leadership on Food Waste Reduction (July 2023)
    • Adopts a suite of actions to reduce the amount of food wasted throughout municipal operations, thereby highlighting the importance of food waste reduction and demonstrating measures that businesses and other entities may replicate.
      • An “off-the-shelf” model policy or template without commentaries may be found here. 
      • A background memorandum may be found here. 
      • A template for municipal department annual reporting on food waste reduction may be found here. 
      • A slide deck may be found here. 
  • Model Ordinance on Mandatory Reporting for Large Food Waste Generators (July 2022) 
    • Requires reporting by large generators to provide data on food waste generation, increase awareness about food waste, and ultimately reduce disposal of wasted food in favor of prevention, rescue, and recycling.
      • An “off-the-shelf” model policy or template without commentaries may be found here. 
      • A background memorandum may be found here. 
      • A slide deck may be found here. 
  • Model Compost Procurement Policy (July 2021) 
    • Requires the use of compost where appropriate to realize economic and environmental benefits and foster the development of robust food scrap recycling infrastructure.
      • An “off-the-shelf” model policy or template without commentaries may be found here.
      • A slide deck may be found here. 

Toolkits and Additional Resources

ELI reduces the transaction costs for resource-strapped municipalities of taking action by providing them with toolkits and resource guides that synthesize legal and policy solutions and compile vetted, science-based resources. ELI also creates slide decks and other hands-on tools for them to use. 

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Toolkits 

Food Waste

Plant-Based Proteins

Resource Guides and Compilations 
Slide Decks

Food Waste

Plant-Based Proteins

Articles

Plant-Based Proteins

Research Briefs and Reports

ELI conducts extensive best practice research on a range of topics important to food waste prevention and environmental decision-making and distills the key takeaways into research briefs and reports. 

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Research Briefs
Reports, Articles, and Factsheets  

The following materials were developed in ELI’s capacity as the former Project Director for NRDC’s pilot initiative (2015-2021) and Senior Strategic Advisor (with NRDC) to Urban Green Lab’s Nashville Food Waste Initiative. 

Presentations and Convenings

ELI presents on waste and climate solutions and convenes municipalities and their constituents to consider and workshop policy and initiatives in their communities.

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Convenings 

Nashville Mayor Cooper's Sustainability Advisory Committee provided advice on a range of sustainability issues, including the city’s Climate Action Plan. ELI Senior Attorney Linda Breggin was the co-chair of the Sustainability Advisory Committee in 2021.

Presentations and Webinars

Food Waste 

Plant-Based Proteins 

Climate Action 

Digital Media

ELI releases podcasts and blogs on today's most important local and state environmental issues. 

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Podcasts

ELI's podcast, People, Places and Planet, has released episodes with insights for local governments looking to advance climate and waste solutions. Check out the following episodes: 

Blogs