Are You Building a Wall?
Americans throw away enough paper in a year to build a wall 12 feet
high from New York City to Los Angeles
Despite the hype that computer makers fed us a few years ago, the
computer has NOT decreased the paper used in most offices today. According to the U.S. Conference of Mayors
Clean Your Files Day Program, the average citizen uses 1 ½ pounds of paper per
day. The average office employee uses
10,000 sheets of paper per year according to
the Environmental Defense Fund.
Now that’s just the figures on paper.
What about the ink cartridges and cell phones that are tossed into
landfills each year? No matter how you
slice it, recycling today is big business.
Whether it’s glass, paper, plastic, steel, ink cartridges, computers,
magazines, cardboard boxes, cell phones or another material, recycling products
reduces waste and cost, and saves energy and resources. So why isn’t your business utilizing a
recycling program?
Many small business owners feel overwhelmed when asked about recycling,
but it needn’t be daunting because there are a lot of resources available. Many of them are just an Internet click away. Some that you might look at are:
There may also be businesses nearby you that have “been there and done
that” and may be willing to share advice, strategies, plans, and programs. Why reinvent the wheel when you can duplicate
it?
Here are 18 steps that will help start your recycling program, and help
your business become a good corporate citizen:
- Make the
decision to start. Believing that a recycling program is positive and
beneficial to the business must exist as the foundation.
- Get “buy-in”
from other manage-ment and employees.
- Decide if you
need a “designated” recycling coordinator.
This could be a volunteer who feels strongly about the subject.
- Find a mentor
or model. Find a business similar
in size that has a successful program and ask for help.
- Create a
program plan. This should include
goals and measurable objectives.
- Know what can
be recycled – what to collect and what to toss. There are regulations as to what can and
cannot be recycled.
- Understand
recycling and educate the team.
Tell your employees why you want to recycle, why it’s important and
what’s expected of each employee.
- Determine a
collection method. Decide from the beginning whether recyclables will be
commingled or separated by source.
- Make
recycling convenient and easy. Don’t skimp on collection bins, for
example. If a bin is easier to find
than a trash can than your program is bound to work.
- Choose a
method for removal. Here in Santa Clarita we’re fortunate to have our own
trash companies alert about recycling and willing to assist citizens.
- Establish
program guidelines. Keep it simple
and foolproof for employees.
- Launch your
program and get team “buy in”.
Make it fun. Schedule a kick
off program, or even a company-wide contest to name the program.
- Implement! Now it’s time to put the program into
practice. Purchase and place bins,
label recycling areas/bins. Make
sure you place signs about what is recyclable and what isn’t in the same
vicinity as the collection bins.
- Promote and
market your program. Keep the
momentum going among your employees.
Some companies even offer incentive programs to recognize individuals
or departments for their efforts.
- Evaluate the
program periodically. Analyze your
program’s effectiveness and let team members know the result. How much waste is being saved? Is it
reducing costs? Are supply expenses lower?
- Keep it going
and build on the program. If you
started with just paper, now extend it to plastic/ink cartridges, for
example.
- Publicize
successes. Internally promote the
program with workers via a newsletter or email. Externally, use it for a PR boost by
sharing results with local and trade publications with a Press Release.
Hey, great advertising!
- Close the
loop. Buy recycled content products
for your business, reduce waste in the office, and reuse materials when
possible.
The start of a new business year is the perfect time
to start a recycling program in your business.
It’s just what’s needed to re-energize holiday-worn workers, and make
them feel like a part of your company’s planning team. Happy Recycling!
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@frontierdefenseservices
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