By Ron
Romero, City of Austin Texas
SWANA’s
WASTECON is an annual event that showcases the Solid Waste Industry and all of
its initiatives and accomplishments. Attending WASTECON always offers a
multitude of training opportunities, technical sessions, and exposure to various
vendors and exhibitors offering the latest advancements in equipment and
services. So what is the ‘draw’ that consistently brings SWANA members
back each year? Well, the answer for me is quite simple: WASTECON is
a comprehensive source of unbiased, independent and practical expertise from
colleagues (many of whom you consider good friends) who genuinely want you to be
successful.
It’s
hard to put your finger on it, but the bond you create with other SWANA members
from different cities (and in some cases even different countries) is
special. Despite the fact of communicating primarily by email or phone
with colleagues, you develop relationships that promote open and substantive
communication. Not only do SWANA members communicate the successes of
their cities and their programs, they feel comfortable detailing the trials and
tribulations they encounter when trying to get the job done. One of the
most common questions I ask my colleagues is, “Why didn’t it work?” Or the often
echoed, “What did it take to get it done?” People come to WASTECON to
learn from each other and to share information and experiences that will help
others in their future endeavors.
In
today's financially strapped economy, our cities rely on us – whether they
realize it or not - to think outside the box. We are considered industry
insiders and we have the difficult task of creating the necessary changes and
improvements during these challenging economic times that will enable us to
continue our efforts to preserve our environment. At WASTECON, you meet
new people and see old friends who have similar interests and experiences, and
who share the same vision that you do. Attending WASTECON let’s us see
what’s out there. Even though we may not be in the market for any new
products or services, we can begin evaluating our current situation and envision
where we want to go in the future. The value of attending this conference
well outweighs the perceived ‘savings’ of staying home. Attending and
networking allows you an opportunity to build relationships that will help you
and your community, and will enrich you personally.
Alas,
the souvenirs and trinkets you collect from the trade show are great and are
eagerly awaited at home by anxious children and even at the office by
co-workers, but the real reason people return to WASTECON each year is their
desire to make this earth a better place for generations to come and to
demonstrate to our colleagues that we are all on the same team.