Are you passionate about promoting sustainability, reducing waste, and driving positive change towards a circular economy? We invite you to join us as a speaker at the 13th Annual Zero Waste Symposium, where we’ll explore innovative solutions and strategies to achieve a zero waste future.

Event Details:

  • Date: February 18, 2026
  • Location: San Diego County Operation Center (COC) 5520 Overland Ave, San Diego, CA 92123
  • Theme: No theme, but more of a focus on SB 1383, 707 & 54 topics.

Why Speak at our Symposium?

  • Showcase your expertise in zero waste, sustainability, reuse, organics, food recovery, and the circular economy.
  • Connect with industry leaders, professionals, and activists committed to a sustainable future.
  • Share your insights, research, and success stories to inspire positive change.
  • Contribute to meaningful discussions and collaborations that advance zero-waste practices.

We Welcome Presentations on Topics Such as:

  • Zero Waste Initiatives
  • Circular Economy Models and Implementation
  • SB 1383, 707 & 54 topics
  • Innovations in Recycling and Composting
  • Sustainable Packaging and Product Design
  • Food Recovery Programs and Strategies
  • Zero Waste Case Studies and Success Stories
  • Waste Reduction and Recycling Technologies
  • Sustainable Practices in Agriculture and Food Production

Join us as an in-person speaker at the 13th Annual Zero Waste Symposium and be a driving force in the journey towards sustainability, reuse, and a circular economy. Together, let’s turn the vision of zero waste into reality.

Part 1

Instructions (Part 1 of 2 Forms):

When you click Submit on this form, you will be directed to a second form (Part 2) to provide additional details about your presentation.

  • Presentation Title: Enter the title of your presentation here, and be sure to use the exact same title again in Part 2.
  • Panel Speakers:
    • If your panel is submitting one shared slide deck, only one panelist should complete Part 2.
    • All other panelists should complete only Part 1, using the exact same presentation title.

Speaker Contact Info

This is your name as it will appear on our site. If you have a Ph.D., please use "Jonny Jones, Ph.D." rather than "Dr. Jonny Jones."
Why do we ask for your name twice? It helps us organize our site. No prefixes or suffixes… Just your given name or nick name. "Jonny" or "Jon".
This is your family name only. No suffixes or prefexes… just your family name. "Jones"
A direct contact cell number please. No front-office or staff phone numbers. Again this will not be published on your page.

Speaker Profile Information

Please see the description below for acceptable images. We really want to put you in your best light. We can only do that if you provide an image of you that does the same. Please rename your file before you upload to this convention for jpg or png format: jonny_jones_zws_2026.png
Two or three paragraphs about you, 800 characters or less.

Social Media

For Social Media, please consider your personal linked-in, but your business-specific facebook and instagram pages.

Other Panelists

Include the names of all panelists for this presentation here. If you are the only presenter, leave this field blank.

Consent

(Form will not submit without permission accepted.)

Speaker Consent*
I consent to my session being recorded and authorize Zero Waste San Diego to share the recording and my slide deck online, including on this website, YouTube, and social media.

Tips for Choosing a Photo for Upload

Why are we requesting this? We want to present you at your best!

  • Professional studio photos are acceptable.
  • The image format is either .jpg or .png.
  • Please use the file naming format: first_last_zws_2026.jpg or first_last_zws_2026.png
    • For instance:
      • jonny_jones_zws_2026.png
      • frodo_baggins_zws_2026.jpg
    • This way if we disconnect your image from your profile by mistake, we can find your image easier by search.
  • The photo should be recent – within the last year. If it’s the same photo on your website for years, maybe a new photo is in order.
  • If you don’t have studio lighting, take the photo outdoors.
  • The best time to snap great photos is dawn, dusk, or a bright, cloudy day. Avoid direct sun.
  • Find a shady spot with a suitable background.
  • Ask a friend for help. No selfies. The perspective is off when the lens is that close.
  • Have your friend hold your phone from six feet away. While you smile, have them take many photos and choose the best one.
  • The photo should show at least your head, shoulders, and torso.
  • There should be a decent amount of space around your form.
  • The photo should be at least 1000 pixels wide and 1000 pixels tall.
  • Before you send the photo, open it up in a photo browsing app—Zoom in to 100%. If we can’t see the eye color, separate eyelashes, or eyebrow hairs, it’s probably too blurry or too small.
  • While these should be understood, it’s probably worth saying it here:
    • No sunglasses, baseball caps, or broad-brimmed hats. (We need to see your eyes. If you are visually impaired, sunglasses are acceptable.)
    • No photos of just your face or part of your face.
    • Do not enlarge a smaller photo to make it big enough to meet the requirements. It will be blurry.
    • No tiny screen-captured photos from another website.
    • No photos of you with your pet or something that is supposed to “represent” you but isn’t you.
    • No action shots, so not you on your skateboard or riding your skeedoo.
    • No background removal. No fancy backgrounds. Just you and a real background.
    • Unless it’s professionally done, don’t pre-crop or edit the photo. We’ll manage that.
    • No blurry, underexposed, overexposed, or off-centered photos.

Small Print: Filling out this application does not guarantee that you will be selected. All selected speakers will have their presentations recorded by Zero Waste San Diego (ZWSD) for future display on YouTube or a similar venue. Recordings are the property of ZWSD. All selected speakers must submit their slide decks to a later specified Google Drive folder or similar venue. We will be using these slides for the presentation. Slides will be combined into a single deck, so slide decks must be ready by _this date_.