Name: Dr Frank O’ConnorJob: Director, Ecodesign Centre (EDC)Age: 43Location: Cardiff, WalesEducation: I see education as a lifelong journey, but my formal education includes a Degree in Technology with Education, Master’s in Advanced Manufacturing, Post-graduate Certificate in Management and PhD in Ecodesign.Route to present job: My research into recycling of precious metals led to me finding my passion for environmental issues and their relationship with design. Since then, I have worked in, or as a specialist advisor to, all sectors in ecodesign and related issues and set up the Ecodesign Centre in 2006 to make ecodesign happen.Typical working day: There is no typical working day or working hours. Our week (at EDC) commences with a team get together at the office, where we review the previous week’s results and set priorities for the coming week. We then set about delivering on these priorities, which in my case involves transferring ecodesign knowledge and inspiring change in policy, business and education. I am a strong advocate of extending trust to your staff and permitting flexible working.What makes you get up in the morning? I love and believe in what I do and what we are trying to achieve as a centre. I realise I am very lucky to still be so passionate about ecodesign after over 20 years and I am still as determined as ever to make ecodesign the norm.
Any downsides? I am generally a very positive thinker with a can-do attitude but one of my biggest challenges tends to my own impatience and I can get frustrated with bad design, ‘societal crimes’, society’s unwillingness to change, unnecessary hierarchy and bureaucracy and the ‘owed a job culture’.
What would be your waste minimisation dream come true? If we all switched our mindsets to view waste as resource and if true costs were accounted for and ecodesign became globally recognised as good design, a key tool in achieving a sustainable economy.
Top waste prevention tip: Don’t accept things as they are! Waste is a resource waiting to be transformed, not destroyed. Keep it simple, do it now.

Name: Professor Paul S Phillips
Job: Professor of Environmental and Waste Management at University of Northampton (part-time)
Age: 62
Location: Northampton
Education: BSc, Chemistry (Cardiff) 1972, PhD, Chemistry (Cardiff) 1975. In 1992-93, at Northampton, we launched the first components of a modular undergraduate degree in waste management with the (at present) CIWM. This led to a full degree, then a Master’s degree.
Route to present job: The main route for me was the research interest in both waste management and radon gas and lung cancer.
Typical working day: I’m in university by about 8am. I’ll meet two of my six research students some time in the day and lecture at Master’s level for around three hours. Then I’ll run seminars, edit journals and write papers. I’ll leave for home to edit papers and write reports at about 5.30pm, then have a pint of beer or two after 6pm.
What makes you get up in the morning? The satisfaction of doing research and seeing a subject (like waste management) develop and start to change the world. When we started on commercial and industrial (C&I) waste in 1996, we were thought to be a bit mad when we said how big the savings could be, but we were proved correct. Also, working with all types of people helps me get up.
Any downsides? Only when Wales loses in rugby and I have to come in and get taunted.
What would be your waste minimisation dream come true? A zero waste place. It
can be done in some places more easily than in others and takes a long while to get the public to buy into the components of waste prevention behaviour, but given time can
be done.
Top waste prevention tip: For municipal solid waste: know the attitudes and mix of your population and design campaigns (with local partners) to provoke demand side changes. Then work with retail on supply side issues. For C&I waste: the answer is audit, set sensible goals and above all else be very supportive to a company as you take them lovingly through the process of change.

Name: Dr Anna ScottJob: Community Engagement Manager, Waste Watch (part of Keep Britain Tidy) Age: 33 Location: London Education: BA (Hons) Biological Sciences from St John’s College, University of Oxford; MSc Conservation from University College London; PhD from University of Sheffield examining the adoption and practice of environmental actions in households. Route to present job: While writing up my PhD I worked on a short household sustainability auditing project with BioRegional, and then joined Waste Watch as a Recycling Advisor, talking to hundreds of residents on the doorstep in West London about their recycling services. This on-the-ground experience of community engagement helped me to move up to managing such projects and I now manage a team of 15 staff.Typical working day: My work is about leading and managing the development and implementation of community engagement projects in line with Waste Watch’s new strategy. Since I joined the organisation, we have gone from promoting the 3Rs to helping people to reduce waste whilst living more fulfilling lives that improve our health, wellbeing and happiness – what we call ‘wasting less and living more’. And eating cake is usually a feature of the working day in the Waste Watch office! What makes you get up in the morning? Unrelenting commitment to the mission, and my passionate and supportive colleagues.Any downsides? Not enough hours in the day to get everything done.What would be your waste minimisation dream come true? I walk down my street on a refuse collection day and the huge piles of overflowing bins bags have been replaced by neatly placed recycling boxes and bags, and residents thank the recycling crew for the great job they’re doing as they pass by. Also seeing neighbours set up a sharing circle to lend and borrow items such as ladders and lawn mowers and sharing their time and skills. Top waste prevention tip: Don’t waste your vegetables that are past their prime – turn them into a tasty, healthy soup instead.

Name: Emma MarshJob: Head of Love Food Hate WasteAge: 38Location: NorthamptonshireEducation: BA (hons) International Relations; MAPMRoute to present job: I started out working for the police but despite enjoying what I did, I knew in my heart that my interest lay in the environmental sector. I took a year out volunteering with an environmental charity, before getting the job at WRAP confirmed that’s where my future lay and I’ve now been here for eight years!
Typical working day: Up at 6am, if not before, make lunch for the two of us – and yes, it is usually leftovers or a medly of what’s in the fridge! Then get the chicken up (we only have one left but she’s too old and bossy to tolerate any newcomers). After that it could be reviewing new research and insights, developing new communications resources, working with key partners such as charities, retailers, local authorities to deliver Love Food Hate Waste, radio interviews, etc.
What makes you get up in the morning? The knowledge that everything I do (and am working for) will help reduce the amount of food needlessly wasted every single day.
Any downsides? The frustration of knowing that if I had more resources I could achieve so much more.
What would be your waste minimisation dream come true? That we continue to see real and substantial reductions in the amount of food and drink we waste in the UK, both us as consumers and also industry, working together. We’re all playing our part but there is still so much we can do.
Top waste prevention tip: Keep your fruit in the fridge and not the fruit bowl – it really does make a real difference to how long it stays fresh (and visit lovefoodhatewaste.com and partners, because they’re full of tips!).

Name: Liz JarvisJob: Senior Waste Manager at Devon County CouncilAge: 46Location: Exeter, DevonEducation: I did several accountancy and IT courses when I was younger and I recently finished a Professional Diploma in Marketing with the Chartered Institute of Marketing. I’m now studying for a Diploma in Digital Marketing. Work wise, there has been and still is a wealth of knowledge, experience and readiness from people to teach that has helped me to achieve a position which I love. Route to present job: Administration Officer (voluntary appointment in order to gain experience) at Devon County Council which led to role as Administration Officer, then Assistant Waste Management Officer, Waste Management Officer, Project Manager on the ‘Don’t let Devon go to waste’ and now Senior Waste Manager at Devon County Council and still learning!Typical working day: Highlights in my diary this week include clearing invoices, filming at a furniture group and recycling centre for a WEEE film, developing and planning a future marketing campaign for March, talking to people at a ‘Ditch the Junkmail’ roadshow (one of my favourites), furniture reuse group audits and a finance meeting (least favourite!).What makes you get up in the morning? The people I work with (internal and external), motivated people in the community (they amaze me) and the mortgage.Any downsides? Unnecessary bureaucracy.What would be your waste minimisation dream come true? Locally – everyone in Devon knew what a swishing party was and attended one on a regular basis. Globally – commercialisation didn’t get in the way of avoiding waste and providing for people in need.Top waste prevention tip: Agree a £10 birthday present limit for your friends and the gift(s) must be bought from secondhand sources. My best friend and I have been doing this for many years.