Human Connection in the Time of AI

Linda Norris-Waldt
Executive Director
 
Over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, it seemed news reports were everywhere about the downsides of AI and machine learning. Whether or not you agree, it does seem that one thing that is still left over from the Covid years (and further exacerbated by the non-human nature of artificial intelligence) is a continued “craving for connection,” as our membership coordinator, Ksenia, puts it.
 
USCC’s Member Needs Survey, which we do every other year (you have an extra three weeks to take it), has some interesting early trends—and one of them is a real wish to have personal interactions in our industry. This makes sense, because we are not a white-collar trade. We succeed in the field through talking to each other and sharing what works and what fails. 

It’s why we’re so excited about our new MEMBER CONNECT program, which you should have heard about by now. Our staff pondered the need to create real interaction across the country, which is so hard when we are a national organization. We wanted to provide better support for, and real-time awareness of, our chapters and their activities and to our members in states where we don’t yet have chapters. The Board of Directors liked this idea and suggested we follow EPA regions.

So far this fiscal year (since July), each USCC staff member has been assigned a region and has been getting to know our regional members better through our membership renewal calls, reminder calls for surveys, and attending meetings. You’ll see who your representative is through our social media posts or on this web page—feel free to let your rep know if you have a question, concern, something to cheer about, or something going on!

Another connection you’ll find at COMPOST2026 (the “mother” of in-person connection—what we call our Family Reunion) is the On-Site Test for Certified Compost Operations Manager (CCOM)™ or Certified Composting Professional (CCP)™. This is the first time we’ve done this, and it is proving very popular! If you have been working on getting certified and prefer old-fashioned test-taking alongside others to the standard online test, check it out here.

Last but not least, if you are an operator, foreperson, site manager or anyone who recommends, specifies or buys equipment, we recommend you check out our Pre-Demo Day Pit Stop, a new initiative to bring more operations focused content to the conference. You’ll start at the Trade Show on Wednesday morning, visiting booths and picking up your bus ticket, then head out with a box lunch for an afternoon of one-on-one discussion with vendors at the Demonstration Day site while it is quiet—a good chance to kick the tires and ask all those questions that you normally have to wait in line to ask on Demo Day. Only 50 spots are available for this pilot project, so sign up now.

Your craving for connection is something USCC wants to be sure to address so you can do your jobs better, advocate for composting more effectively, and be happier as you go through your day. (And, this column WAS NOT even written using AI!)

Happy Holidays!
 
- Linda Norris-Waldt