Monthly Forum: Sustainable Food Systems in NYC - Policy, Compost, and Private Sector Engagement

Join us for a conversation with experts from the NYC Department of Sanitation (DSNY), C40 Cities, and most recently from the Mayor’s Office of Food Policy to explore local composting programs, plant-forward and low-carbon public meal initiatives, and global strategies that cities around the world are using to tackle food system challenges. 

In New York City, 250,000 tons of food is wasted every year—accounting for one-fifth of all waste generated. If even a portion of this food were diverted from landfills, we could significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions while addressing food insecurity. There is enormous potential to create a more sustainable and equitable city by rethinking how we produce, distribute, and consume food.

Learn how New York City is leading—and learning—in the fight to build a better food future.

Date: September 18th

Time: 6:30 to 8pm (doors open at 6:15)

Location: Fujitsu AirStage - 42nd floor, 1450 Broadway, New York, NY

Presenters for this event include:

Tia Schwab - Senior Manager of US Food Systems, C40 Cities

Neeti Jain - Environmental Scientist, Previously at the NYC Mayor’s Office of Food Policy

Andrew Hoyles - Director of Outreach in the Bureau of Public Affairs at the Department of Sanitation (DSNY)

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Presenter details:

Tia Schwab is the Senior Manager of US Food Systems at C40, working with a cohort of US cities to improve food procurement and reduce food waste. 

Prior to joining C40, Tia was a policy advisor at the NYC Mayor’s Office of Food Policy, managing the city’s Good Food Purchasing initiative and supporting the climate and environment portfolio. Before that, she worked in Washington, DC, advancing campaigns for nutrition security at the Center for Science in the Public Interest and supporting strategic communications and development at Grantmakers In Health. 

Tia holds a Master’s degree in food and agriculture law and policy from Vermont Law School and a Bachelor’s degree in human biology focusing on food systems and public health from Stanford University.


Neeti Jain is an environmental scientist and storyteller, working at the intersection of climate change, sustainable food systems, policy, and culture. Previously, at the NYC Mayor’s Office of Food Policy, she led the city’s portfolio of food and climate initiatives and launched the first-of-its-kind public-private partnership, the Plant-Powered Carbon Challenge, to shift institutional procurement towards plant-powered foods at organizations like the US Open, JP Morgan Chase, and the New York Botanical Garden. Neeti holds degrees in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Chicago and Environmental Science from Yale University. An educator at heart, she is an adjunct faculty member at New York University and a producer at the Story Collider, teaching scientists to use the power of narratives to change the world. A Los Angeles native, she has made her way across the three coasts and now spends her time lurking around the underwater dioramas at the American Museum of Natural History.

Andrew Hoyles is the Director of Outreach in the Bureau of Public Affairs at the Department of Sanitation (DSNY) working to expand outreach, education, and participation in Sanitations waste, recycling and composting programs.

Andrew became interested in composting through local farming taking place in his hometown. He sees composting as a very cool way to reduce one’s waste, which can be inspiring in the big picture but easy enough for the individual to manage.

Prior to working at DSNY, Andrew worked at the Lower East Side Ecology Center as a compost project manager, managing food scrap drop-off sites, compost education, and the Master Composter Certification Course.

Andrew’s happy place = Long hikes with views along the way that end in nights that are filled with stars.

Andrew has completed the USCC Compost Operators Training, holds a master’s degree in Environmental Policy and Sustainability Management from the New School University and a bachelor’s degree in Biosystems Engineering from Michigan State University.

If you have any questions, please contact the GreenHomeNYC Forums group at forums@greenhomenyc.org.

Since 2002, GreenHomeNYC has been promoting an energy efficient and sustainable built environment, and supporting green professional development in NYC.

Visit www.greenhomenyc.org to learn more!