Set in the heart of downtown Bellevue, WA, the Meydenbauer Center earned the 2026 Recycler of the Year–Organics award at the Washington State Recycling Association’s Annual Conference and Trade Show in May.
“We are incredibly honored to be recognized for our efforts to minimize food waste and divert organic materials from the landfill. Our team has been working diligently for nearly three years to create a robust and sustainable food rescue program,” said Sara Waltemire, Meydenbauer Center’s COO, in a media statement.
In 2023, Meydenbauer Center pursued an initiative to implement more environmentally conscious strategies across all departments. The convention center formed a 13-person Sustainability Committee with key team members spanning multiple departments, including food and beverage, events, operations, security, and leadership. Focusing on waste diversion, energy efficiency, and staff education, the Sustainability Committee spearheaded greener measures across the board to generate impressive results.
Waste Diversion, Energy Efficiency & Staff Education
In 2025, Meydenbauer Center saw a substantial improvement in waste diversion as the team hosted nearly 300 events, welcomed 35,000 guests, and served more than 133,000 meals. The Bellevue convention center increased waste diversion from a rate of 60% to 76% by 2025 and diverted 45+ tons of organic materials from landfills through expanded composting efforts.
Sustainable Food Rescue & Community Giveback
Through OSL Serves, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing nutritional, culturally relevant, and medically sensitive meals to people across the Greater Seattle-Tacoma area, Meydenbauer Center provided 1,720 pounds of surplus food that helped serve 4,720 community members in 2025.
“Jack and Angela have been so supportive in ensuring all foods still useable are kept in the best condition for us to pick up and use immediately. We don’t get this kind of exceptional commitment on donating food with respect and care for those we feed anywhere else,” noted Abid Choudhury, Food Industry Manager (FIM) Director at OSL Serves, referring to Meydenbauer Center team members Jack Reese and Angela Bowman.
Sustainability Toolkit for Event Organizers
Beyond its own operations, Meydenbauer Center has extended its sustainability efforts by educating and empowering event organizers by developing a Sustainability Toolkit, equipping planners with local vendor connections and practical tools for recycling and sustainable meal planning. By providing clients with practical resources and recommendations, Meydenbauer Center continues to lead the way in helping event organizers integrate sustainability into their events.
Meydenbauer Center opened in 1993 as the Greater Seattle area’s second largest convention facility, with 54,000 square feet of event space including a 36,000-sf Center Hall and nine meeting rooms totaling 12,000 square feet. Also included is a 2,500-sf Executive Conference Suite as well as a 410-seat performing arts theater.
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