Your Green Review

What if you were told that every time you took out the trash you were not only contributing to a growing solid waste crisis, but literally throwing money out the window (or into the trash bin, as the case may be).  Sure it’s messy-and maybe even a little smelly-but cash is literally buried in dumpsters across the nation, hidden among discarded banana peels and junk mail.

Sound too good to be true?  Not by a long shot.  As Greenbiz.com’s Judith Nemes reported earlier this month, Burt’s Bees was able to turn 40 tons of trash into $25,000 in cash and savings following its first waste audit.  And they’re not alone.  Ghirardelli Chocolate Company saved $2.6 million by replacing its disposable cardboard boxes with reusable totes; The San Diego Wild Animal Park successfully diverted 96% of its solid waste stream-all 22,080 tons of it-saving over $1 million in landfill and hauling fees annually; and the Brooklyn Brewery in Brooklyn, New York, cut its waste stream by over 50%, saving the company more than $25,000 a year.

Seeing a trend?  It’s the growing awareness that resource frugality and environmental conservation are intrinsically linked to money in the bank.  When it comes to trash, it’s all about turning liabilities into assets.

Regardless of company size, waste revaluation represents a unique (yet often overlooked) opportunity for cost savings and revenue generation. Yet simply deciding to recycle will not result in environmental alchemy.  A successful waste revaluation program starts like any other; by taking a thorough inventory (a.k.a. a waste audit).  Evaluating the waste your business generates is no less valuable than taking any other inventory; it reveals what’s coming in, what’s going out, current performance and areas for improvement. A waste audit may expose inefficient paper usage, supplies that should be recycled or reused instead of trashed, raw materials that should be resold and so on.

In the face of recession, one thing has become all too clear: there is no better catalyst for resource conservation than financial insecurity.  Good for the environment and maybe just what your business needs to survive the uncertain months and/or years ahead:

WASTE AUDIT (The inventory)

Step One:  Collect the trash.  A sufficient collection period depends on facility size but is typically range between one day and one week.  The sample should be representative of typical waste composition.

Step Two: Rally the troops.  Engage employees in the waste audit in order to drive home the importance of waste reduction but do not inform them that you’ll be collecting the trash ahead of time.  You don’t want people on their best behavior; your information is only useful if it’s truly representative.

Step Three: Sort and analyze.  Create piles for every waste type (food, recyclables, office supplies etc.) and determine the potential for percent waste diversion (see waste diversion categories below).

Step Four: Document.  Record total waste and its components; this will be important when measuring the success of any subsequent programs.

WASTE DIVERSION (Capitalizing on your trash)

Pollution Prevention. Buy smart, use smart to produce less waste.   Greater efficiency inherently translates into less waste (thus less cost) and is the most effective in terms of environmental conservation.  Don’t underestimate the potential financial impacts of pollution prevention; it may be a major money-saving opportunity.

Resell. Everything from compost to shipping pallets has value; it’s just a matter of finding someone to buy it.  Material exchanges, Gazelle.com, Craigslist.com and even paid listings can help find you a buyer.

Recycle.  This not only reduces waste removal costs but keeps usable material out of the landfills and conserves natural resources.  If recycling pick up is not available, there should be free recycling drop off centers in your area.

Donate.  Whether donating building supplies to a local Habitat For Humanity Re-store or outdated equipment to local schools, your donation diverts from hauling fees, could provide a tax deduction, and may even generate some publicity.  Resources include Freecycle, Freebootr.com , Material Exchages and craigslist.

Reduce Pick Up: If a significant reduction in waste volume has been achieved, consider reducing the frequency of waste pick up.  Less pick up means less cost.