Technology

OC WASTE & RECYCLING AND ORANGE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION LAUNCH PROJECT ZERO WASTE CURRICULUM FOR K-12 EDUCATION

Published

3 months ago

May 14, 2026

Free, Standards-aligned Lessons Support Classroom Instruction and
Environmental Learning Across Orange County

SANTA ANA, Calif., May 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — OC Waste & Recycling and the Orange County Department of Education have launched Project Zero Waste, a free, standards-aligned K–12 curriculum designed to support classroom instruction and advance environmental learning for students across Orange County.

Project Zero Waste provides teachers, educators, and homeschool families with age-appropriate lessons focused on recycling, composting, and sustainable materials management. Offered at no cost, the digital curriculum is available countywide in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese, expanding access to environmental education for diverse school communities.

Designed to integrate seamlessly into existing classroom instruction, Project Zero Waste aligns with California Science and Social Science frameworks and supports hands-on learning across all grade levels. Younger students are introduced to foundational concepts such as waste sorting and composting, while older students explore topics including climate science, methane emissions and food recovery systems that expose them to related career pathways.

“Project Zero Waste gives educators practical tools to engage students in meaningful conversations about sustainability while supporting academic standards,” said Tom Koutroulis, Director, OC Waste & Recycling. “By making the curriculum available throughout Orange County, we are helping students understand how everyday choices connect to environmental outcomes, empowering the next generation as part of the solution.”

Building on the County’s award-winning EcoChallenge curriculum, Project Zero Waste expands and enhances the program with increased hands-on learning opportunities. Goals include increasing awareness of waste reduction and recycling best practices, supporting California’s organic waste diversion requirements and encouraging students to apply sustainable habits at school, at home and in their communities. Through interactive lessons and family engagement materials, students are encouraged to become informed stewards of the environment.

“This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to providing students with learning experiences that are relevant, accessible and impactful,” said Dr. Stefan Bean, Orange County Superintendent of Schools. “Project Zero Waste connects classroom learning with real-world environmental challenges, helping students develop knowledge and habits that benefit their schools and communities.”

As the program continues to expand, OC Waste & Recycling and the Orange County Department of Education are incorporating free field trips as part of the Project Zero Waste learning experience. The field trips include bus and substitute teacher stipends, offering students firsthand exposure to waste management operations, resource recovery and potential career pathways. Field trip opportunities for the 2026 school year are fully booked. Educators interested in participating in 2027 can register to learn when future opportunities become available at OCDE.us/ito/pages/Project-ZeroWaste.aspx.

Project Zero Waste curriculum materials are delivered digitally, allowing educators to participate at their own pace throughout the school year. Additional information on how to access the curriculum will be shared through OC Waste & Recycling and Orange County Department of Education outreach channels. For more information visit OClandfills.com/ProjectZeroWaste.

About the Orange County Department of Education

The Orange County Department of Education serves some of Orange County’s most vulnerable student populations and provides support and mandated fiscal oversight to 28 school districts serving more than 600 schools and more than 430,000 students.

In addition to providing direct instruction through its own alternative and special education programs, OCDE administers programs and services critical to the operations of local school districts and community colleges, including professional development, legal guidance, payroll services, career and technical education support, high-speed internet access, Local Control and Accountability Plan assistance and approval, family resources and student enrichment.

About OC Waste & Recycling (OCWR)
OCWR serves the County’s solid waste disposal needs through resource recovery, operating public landfills, protecting the local environment, investing in renewable energy enterprises and promoting recycling to ensure a safe and healthy community for current and future generations. The department manages one of the nation’s premier solid waste disposal systems and three composting greenery sites, all serving residents and businesses in the County’s 34 cities and its unincorporated areas. OCWR’s three active landfills and compost greeneries reflect environmental engineering at its best. Learn more at www.OClandfills.com.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/oc-waste–recycling-and-orange-county-department-of-education-launch-project-zero-waste-curriculum-for-k-12-education-302772900.html

SOURCE Orange County – OC Waste & Recycling

Technology

LeanDNA Launches Demand Scenario Modeling in APEX, Replacing Spreadsheet Guesswork With Real-Time Production Feasibility

Published

1 minute ago

August 25, 2026

New capability lets production planners test demand changes against live supply and BOM data in minutes, without exporting ERP data or risking live system records.

AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — LeanDNA, a leading intelligent supply chain execution platform, today announced the general availability of Demand Scenario Modeling (DSM), a new capability within its APEX platform that lets production planners, buyers, and supply chain managers instantly test demand changes against real supply and Bill of Materials (BOM) data, without spreadsheets or system risk.

When forecasts shift, most production planners still turn to spreadsheets to find out whether production can support it: exporting ERP data, flattening multi-level BOMs, and reconciling supply just to answer one question — can we build this? The process is slow, error-prone, and disconnected from real-time system data, and it often produces false shortages that obscure the actual constraints.

Demand Scenario Modeling replaces that manual exercise with what-if analysis built directly into APEX. Production planners can model a demand change and immediately see which components truly constrain production, how many units can realistically be built, and where shortage risk increases, turning a process that has historically taken hours into a workflow measured in minutes.

Because DSM runs in a sandbox environment connected to live ERP and BOM data, planners can test and compare multiple scenarios, adjust quantities and dates, and recalculate instantly, without posting temporary plans or manipulating live records to get an answer. That combination of speed and system safety is central to how LeanDNA has built the capability.

“Production planners shouldn’t have to choose between speed and safety when they’re testing a demand change,” said Andy Ellenthal, CEO of LeanDNA. “Demand Scenario Modeling gives them both: an answer in minutes, grounded in the same supply and BOM data running their factory, without ever touching a live ERP record. It replaces guesswork with a repeatable way to say yes, no, or not yet with confidence.”

Demand Scenario Modeling is available now to APEX customers and is purpose-built for the tactical-to-mid-horizon planning window — roughly one to twelve months out — where production teams most often need to turn a demand question into a production commitment.

About LeanDNA

LeanDNA powers the world’s discrete manufacturing with a single source of truth for factory-first supply planning, materials management, and inventory optimization. APEX, the AI-powered expert execution platform from LeanDNA, transforms data into optimized decisions and action. LeanDNA empowers manufacturers in aerospace, HVAC,industrials, automotive, and medical to improve on-time delivery and working capital levels. Leading manufacturers including Caterpillar, Daikin Applied, Safran, and Siemens use APEX for supply chain orchestration to gain visibility into current and incoming materials, take action based on inventory criticality, collaborate in real time with suppliers, and track progress toward inventory optimization goals. Learn more at LeanDNA.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/leandna-launches-demand-scenario-modeling-in-apex-replacing-spreadsheet-guesswork-with-real-time-production-feasibility-302859776.html

SOURCE LeanDNA Inc

Technology

OppFi to Participate in September 2026 Conferences

Published

1 minute ago

August 25, 2026

CHICAGO, Aug. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — OppFi Inc. (NYSE: OPFI) (“OppFi” or the “Company”), a leading tech-enabled digital finance platform that works with banks to provide financial products and services for everyday Americans, today announced that management will participate in the following conferences in September 2026:

Oppenheimer Fintech Leaders Conference
Location: New York
Date: September 15, 2026

U.S. Bancorp | BTIG Consumer Finance Conference 2026
Location: Boston
Date: September 17, 2026

To schedule a meeting with OppFi, please reach out to your Oppenheimer or BTIG representatives.

About OppFi
OppFi (NYSE: OPFI) is a leading tech-enabled digital finance platform that works with banks to provide financial products and services for everyday Americans. Through a transparent and responsible platform, which includes financial inclusion and excellent customer experience, the Company supports consumers who are turned away by mainstream options to build better financial health. OppLoans by OppFi maintains a 4.4/5.0 star rating on Trustpilot with more than 5,400 reviews, making the Company one of the top consumer-rated financial platforms online. OppFi also holds a 35% equity interest in Bitty Holdings, LLC (“Bitty”), a credit access company that offers revenue-based financing and other working capital solutions to small businesses. For more information, please visit oppfi.com.

Investors:

investors@oppfi.com

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SOURCE OppFi

Technology

Zillow Group to present at Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference

Published

1 minute ago

August 25, 2026

SEATTLE, Aug. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Zillow Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: Z and ZG), which is transforming the way people buy, sell, rent and finance homes, today announced Zillow Group will present at this year’s Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference in San Francisco.

Chief Operating Officer & Chief Financial Officer Jeremy Hofmann will participate in a fireside chat on Thursday, Sept. 10, at 10:50 a.m. PT / 1:50 p.m. ET.

Register and access the live webcast here. Live and recorded versions of the webcast will also be available under the Events & Presentations section on Zillow Group’s Investor Relations website.

About Zillow Group:

Zillow Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: Z and ZG) is reimagining real estate to make home a reality for more and more people.

As the most visited real estate app and website in the United States, Zillow connects hundreds of millions of consumers with innovative technology, trusted agents and loan officers, and seamless digital solutions. With industry-leading tools and resources, Zillow supercharges real estate professionals so they can grow their businesses and deliver exceptional client experiences. For renters and housing providers, Zillow offers not only a robust marketplace but a set of end-to-end products and services to streamline applications, leases, payments and more.

Zillow’s ecosystem spans the entire home journey — from dreaming and shopping to renting, buying, selling and financing.

Zillow Group’s affiliates, subsidiaries and brands include Zillow®, Zillow Premier Agent®, Zillow Home Loans®, Zillow Rentals®, Zillow® New Construction, Trulia®, StreetEasy®, Out East®, HotPads®, Follow Up Boss®, ShowingTime®, dotloop® and Zillow® Closing.

All marks herein are owned by MFTB Holdco, Inc., a Zillow affiliate. Zillow Home Loans, LLC is an Equal Housing Lender, NMLS #10287 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org). © 2026 MFTB Holdco, Inc., a Zillow affiliate.

(ZFIN)

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/zillow-group-to-present-at-goldman-sachs-communacopia–technology-conference-302859785.html

SOURCE Zillow Group, Inc.