The Chic Guide: What is Waste-Free Dayton?
Brett Bogan, Administrator at Waste-Free Dayton: Waste-Free Dayton (WFD) is a grassroots organization that started as a Facebook group but will soon be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Not only do we want to raise awareness and educate our members and supporters about sustainability and living waste-free, we want to inspire our community to take action and build a healthier community in which everybody shares in the benefits. Our Mission is to promote and implement solutions for a healthier and more sustainable future. To accomplish our mission, we have identified three primary focus areas: Plastic Pollution, Reducing Waste & Composting, and Community Rejuvenation.
The Chic Guide: What’s the inspiration behind it?
Bogan: The organization started as a Facebook group early in the COVID pandemic. In a search to seek community support to live more waste-free, and during a time when it seemed that the only way to safely and effectively receive that support was through social media, WFD was created. It became a place to share information like recipes, tricks, knowledge, and resources, and to encourage other people in the area on this same journey who had similar or more information they could share as well.
The Chic Guide: Who’s behind it?
Bogan: Friends and social justice advocates with a common vision, Natalie Warrick and myself decided to organize Waste-Free Dayton as a nonprofit corporation in June 2021. Natalie conceived the idea and created the WFD Facebook group in April 2020, and she currently serves as Executive Director. Natalie was born and raised in Texas, and moved to Ohio to attend Cincinnati Christian University where she played soccer and received her Bachelor’s degree in Biblical Studies. She lives in Dayton with her husband David and their two cats Rose and Luna. In her free time, Natalie enjoys cooking, bike riding, reading, and spending time in nature while foraging for mushrooms.
Natalie brought me onboard in April of this year to assist with administrative duties, brainstorming and vision casting, and growing the organization. He currently serves as Associate Director of Waste-Free Dayton. I’m a graduate of Wright State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. I have prior nonprofit experience, forming an anti-human trafficking nonprofit in 2012, and serving as a volunteer/advocate for International Justice Mission since 2014. I live in Troy with his wife Laura. They have a sophomore who attends high school in Dayton, and the rest of their household consists of 3 dogs, 1 cat, 2 bunnies and 1 bird. In my free time, I enjoy running, listening to music, playing piano, and reading.
The Chic Guide: What makes Waste-Free Dayton unique?
Bogan: We believe that nonprofits and community organizations can make much more of an impact when they partner and collaborate instead of compete against each other. Issues can be addressed more effectively when everybody with similar goals are on the same page. While WFD has its focus areas and specific plans that we are putting in place for each, we intend to be a resource hub in the Dayton area, allowing people to learn about programs and volunteer opportunities with other organizations.
The Chic Guide: How can readers get involved?
Bogan: The easiest way to get involved with WFD is to participate in our monthly litter cleanup events. More information can be found on our website or social media accounts.
Readers can also join our Facebook group if they are interested in sharing and receiving tips and information.
The Chic Guide: What do you hope to accomplish through Waste-Free Dayton?
Bogan: Ultimately, we want more people to be aware of and engage in environmental issues, and to take a more active role in caring for one another and their community. From that increased engagement and awareness, we expect recycling to increase and to keep food and waste out of our landfills, more waste-free alternatives being promoted in Dayton, and cleaner communities.
The Chic Guide: Is there anything new on the horizon?
Bogan: There are three initiatives we are actively working on. First, we are partnering with Compost Clubhouse, an organization based in Columbus that empowers kids to educate and inspire in our communities with the goal of keeping food out of our landfills. The goal is to bring Compost Clubhouse to communities in the Dayton area in 2022.
Second, we are going to be getting out into the community to do educational presentations, on topics such as recycling, composting and food waste, and plastic pollution. We will be starting with neighborhood associations, and then eventually larger, community-wide events.
The third initiative is around advocacy, showing people how to use their voices to communicate to elected officials what changes need to happen in our community.
The Chic Guide: Where can readers go to learn more and follow along?
Bogan: There are several ways for people to connect with us. You can visit our website and sign up to be on our mailing list at www.wastefreedayton.org. You can follow us on Facebook and Instagram, and for more engagement and interaction with people interested in living minimally and waste-free, you can join the Facebook group.
