Sip & Spark: Lightning Talks on Sustainability

Tickets for Lightening Talks are donation-based, with a suggested contribution of $10. Your support helps us host free and low-cost sustainability programming across NYC. We appreciate this incredible community!

--

Grab a drink, pull up a stool, and get inspired!

📅 Event Overview

Date: Thursday, December 11, 2025
Time: 6:00 – 9:00 PM (after-work vibes!)
Location: KCBC Brewery, 381 Troutman St, Brooklyn, NY
Tickets: Donation-based (suggested $10)

Sip & Spark is an evening of fast-paced, 5-minute lightning talks from NYC changemakers who are reimagining what a sustainable future looks like — from circular design and community composting to local food systems and creative reuse.

Hosted by Zero Waste NYC at KCBC Brewery, this event brings together sustainability professionals, small business owners, creatives, and everyday New Yorkers who want to make an impact (and meet others doing the same).

💡 The Talks

Each speaker will share one big idea or story in five minutes — so expect a mix of inspiration, creativity, and connection. Topics will range from zero waste living and community repair to food systems, fashion, and climate action.

⚡ The Speakers!

Justin Green - Executive Director, Big Reuse

Elizabeth Balkan - Zero waste policy and reuse implementation specialist

Nicole De Santis - Founder, Clean Bushwick Initiative

Stephanie O’Brien - Founder, Brooklyn Creative Reuse

Victoria Augustine - Beyond Plastics Queens

Ben Schachter - Founder, Treasure It app

Nina Hawkes - Owner, DiaperKind

Ryan Nebeker - Research and Policy, FoodPrint

KCBC is a Brooklyn-born brewery that brews all its beer on-site using NY-grown ingredients — keeping its footprint small while supporting local agriculture. Their taproom doubles as a community space, hosting art shows, mutual aid drives, and local markets — so it’s the perfect place for conversations that spark change.

🎁 And Don’t Miss Friday’s Holiday Night Market!

Join us the next night, Friday, December 12th, for our Annual Sustainable Holiday Market at Brooklyn Roots Collective, featuring sustainable brands, local makers, and community partners. No registration required — just show up and shop small for good! Food and drink will be available for purchase.

📝 Note: This is a ticketed event for Thursday, 12/11 Lightning Talks ONLY. The event is listed on both Eventbrite and Luma to reach a wider audience — you only need to register once on either platform! Your RSVP counts either way 💚

🎟️ Tickets

Tickets for Lightening Talks are donation-based, with a suggested contribution of $10–$20. Your support helps us host free and low-cost sustainability programming across NYC. We appreciate this incredible community!

Thanks to our participating sponsors:

Brooklyn Creative Reuse and DiaperKind!

Whether it’s a salad, a hamburger or your morning egg sandwich, your meal has an impact on the environment and on the welfare of animals, food/farm workers and on public health.

FoodPrint aims to pull back the curtain on the impacts of industrial food production practices and explain the benefits of more sustainable approaches to food production and consumption. They also want to help people raise their collective voices and take action to make real change in the food system.