Steve Christman’s environmental science career launched 30 years ago in Indiana, making him one of the state’s first greenies. During his career, he has operated a landfill and a materials recovery facility, created environmental programs and served on a number of eco-conscious boards before becoming Executive Director of the Northeast Indiana Solid Waste Management District (NISWMD). NISWMD is a multi-county entity charged by the state to reduce the solid waste stream in the area by enacting waste-reduction strategies such as recycling and composting. As Christman points out, solid waste production has a direct correlation with the health of the economy, so the last few years have shown a dramatic drop-off in volume. “Municipal solid waste management is not a garbage problem,” Christman says. “Solid waste management is a materials-handling problem. It’s a matter of being able to pick material up and put it down, and do something with it in between — as efficient as possible with the least amount of cost.”
NE Indiana Solid Waste Management District’s Steve Christman and Initiative Foods’ John Ypma
“Green is Good” welcomes NE Indiana Solid Waste Management District’s Steve Christman and Initiative Foods’ John Ypma to discuss their green initiatives.