August 2004
Commercial RethinkWaste Nexus
Transforming the Way We Think about Trash
Treading More Lightly on the Earth
Conceptually, sustainability has been around forever; however, its latest incarnation relating to the modern world takes on a new meaning.
Sustainability is defined as meeting today's needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. To participate in sustainable business practices, here are a few things you can do:
- Purchase sustainable furnishings.
- Work with your suppliers to purchase recycled-content or reusable products.
- Learn more about sustainable business practices.
Stylish Furniture Meets Sustainable Design
By emphasizing the 'design' message as much as the 'green' message, the new Q collection has captured the attention of top designers and architects who might not have otherwise considered environmentally preferable products. Examples are high-end furnishings made with formaldehyde-free glues, polyurethane-free finishes, certified wood, and fabrics colored with zero-impact dyes.
Article by Dominic Basulto for GreenBuzz, www.greenbiz.com/news/columns_third.cfm?NewsID=26783
Supply-chain Change
Think your purchasing power doesn't matter? Think again. You can take a number of steps to practice waste prevention through what you buy. You may practice green purchasing by buying recycled-content materials, but even better is to reduce waste to begin with. Here are a few things you can do:
- Re-evaluate items purchased. Are they really necessary? (e.g., some cafeterias have stopped purchasing straws).
- Purchase refillable or reusable products (e.g., refillable pens and pencils, cloth towels and rags, mugs, flatware, dishes, air filters).
- Conduct a pre-purchase review to consider alternatives to disposable and single-use products (e.g., styrofoam cups or mugs).
- Request that vendors deliver goods in reusable containers (e.g., plastic totes) to eliminate packaging.
Remember to educate employees about waste prevention through purchasing. Purchasing agents base orders on employee requests. Employees need to know what to ask for.
To learn more, consider reading "Buying for the Future: Contract Management and the Environmental Challenge" by Kevin Lyons. This book walks users through the tools and techniques for integrating environmental criteria in a large, institutional procurement program, from corporate policies, to contractual issues, to community relations.
Adapted from "Purchasing for Waste Reduction", publication #500-94-030, California Integrated Waste Management Board
Sustainability and Business Successes
Recycling is just one component of sustainability. However, by participating in sustainable business practices, your business can reap the rewards of your action. Here are a few examples:
- A small commercial office building is saving $18,000 a year in garbage bills by recycling paper, bottles and cans, compostables, scrap metal, and wood pallets.
- A large manufacturer achieved a 32 percent reduction in cardboard and plastic waste by improving process efficiency. This effort conserved more than 544,000 pounds of these materials combined and saved more than $43,000.
Sources: San Francisco Environment, US EPA WasteWise
Events
July 18, 2004 - Sept 6, 2004
Office Depot Offers Free Recycling of Electronics
Office Depot and HP offer a free, nationwide, in-store electronics recycling program in which customers can drop off any brand of unwanted electronics at any of Office Depot's more than 850 retail locations in the continental United States.
The program, which runs from July 18 through September 6, 2004, will leverage HP's electronics recycling expertise and Office Depot's retail presence to offer consumer and business customers the most comprehensive, convenient and environmentally responsible electronics recycling service available.
Full program details, as well as in-store drop-off instructions and locations, are available at www.officedepot.com/recycle.
Aug 29, 2004 - Sept 1, 2004
National Recycling Coalition's Annual Congress & Expo
San Francisco, California
This national event will be held at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. Many days of presentations, workshops, and tours are offered. Great opportunity to learn from peers, tour unique facilities and learn more about waste reduction and recycling issues.
For more information, see the NRC Web site at www.nrc-recycle.org/.
To be added or removed from this list, contact the RethinkWaste Recycling Coordinator at (650) 802-3500.
