Zero Waste Practices = Increased Green Dollars

"Going Green" makes an impact on both ROI - Return on Investment - and the Big R - Revenue. As energy conservation and waste reduction operating practices are becoming common place, companies realize that many of the "going green" initiatives are cost-neutral to cost-savings, with minimal to no upfront investments. From the revenue standpoint, consumers, whether personal or corporate, are voting with their dollars and spending with companies who walk the green talk.

A recent article on SpecialEvents.com featured caterers from around the country whose green practices paid dividends in their profitability. ZWZ-Caterers Champion Patrick Cuccaro of Affairs to Remember is quoted in the article about how their sustainable practices won ATR a 3,300 compostable meals contract for Atlanta's Green Concert.

According to Cuccaro,the customer spent more money on meals this year to ensure integrity of the food provided. In addition to the compostable packaging, all prep food residuals were also collected for composting at ATR's kitchen as part of their zero waste practices.

Ei Sponsor Whitten Management handled the custodial services for the Green Concert and hauled all compostable items, including the packaging for the 3,300 meals, to Greenco Environmental for composting.

Click here to read the complete article and learn about initiatives in other parts of the nation..

Thanks to our pioneers, Atlanta is trailblazing the pathways to sustainable corporate practices.

ZWZ Director a SSO Superhero!

In mid September Ei Sponsor Harvest Power announced their SSO Superhero program with a national press release. SSO = Source Separated Organics. Superheros are recognized for their heroic efforts on the journey to create organic-free landfills.

Ei Founder & ZWZ Director Holly Elmore was honored as one of the first SSO Superheroes with a profile on the Harvest Power website and prominent mention in the press release.

The media attention is beginning with a September 22 Waste & Recycling article Company's program plans to increase organics recycling. Stay tuned for more media as an interview with a producer from Today in America is scheduled for this week.

Thank you Harvest Power!

Foodservice Industry Ready to Embrace Composting?!

Peter Romeo, renown restaurant industry author, writes about the practicality of bringing composting options to restaurants on the National Restaurant Association's blog in a post titled Compost Your Way to Zero Waste.

Zero Waste Zone Director, Holly Elmore, is quoted on the practicalities of the first step: Identify the available infrastructure consisting of collection options for food waste delivery to state-permitted facilities.

With only approximately 300 plus food-permitted composting facilities in the nation, many communities have only one option for their excess food and prep scraps: The Landfill.

The NRA 's discussion of the collection of organics for composting validates the industry is ready to mobilize on its tremendous environmental impact. In the last several years, the U.S. EPA directed the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Division to place primary focus on diverting organics, including food residuals, from landfills.

As Compost, The Quiet Hero noted in his session at the NRA Show in May, food residuals in landfills are the top man-made generator of methane gas, which is 20 - 25 times more potent than naturally produced carbon. With only only 2.5% of food residuals transported for composting or other alternative options, the 31 million tons of food waste sent to landfills annually is the equivalent of 5.2 million cars on the road for one year.

The time is NOW for the foodservice industry to mobilize and demand food residual collection for composting, or other alternatives, compliant with state regulations is available through out the nation. Private enterprise is ready, willing and able to meet the pent-up demand. In many communities, regulatory and zoning roadblocks remain the two primary obstacles.

As a member of the nation's largest private sector industry, foodservice operators may cast a powerful collective message to local, state and federal regulators: The foodservice industry chooses to produce valuable compost, or other products, with the food residuals produced in their operations. Landfill destination is not acceptable as the primary or only option for these food residuals.

Join the Cork ReHarvest Movement

Since it's 2008 inception, Cork ReHarvest has led the cork recycling movement in the US and Canada, helping to collect and recycle some of the 13 billion natural corks produced each year. Visit the Cork ReHarvest website to learn why it is important from environmental, economic and social consciousness perspectives to purchase wines with cork closures and participate in the Cork ReHarvest program.

The Cork ReHarvest Mission is: Our organization is dedicated to the protection and sustainability of the Mediterranean cork forests and the families, who for generations have farmed these forests. Visit the About Us page for more details on the mission and progr

am.

The wine industry in many countries, especially Australia and New Zealand, embraces the use of screw caps over corks for their wines. On the FAQ page learn: In comparison to a natural co

rk, 24 times more greenhouse gasses are released and over 10 times more energy is used when making one screw cap.

Whole Foods joined the Cork ReHarvest program nationwide. Consumers may save corks from their home wine enjoyment and take them to the collection bins at their local Whole Foods for reharvesting.

As a Cork ReHarvest Partner, Elemental Impact and Zero Waste Zones encourage

foodservice operators serving wine to join the Cork ReHarvest program. With the environmental, economic and social impact the program is a simple way to enhance the journey on the sustainable path.

National ZWZ Directory

ZWZ Participants & Suppliers may now join the on-line National Directory with supporting programs at various levels. For ZWZ Participants, the levels begin at $100 and for ZWZ Suppliers at $500. ZWZ Participants market their sustainable practices to the industry and potential customers. ZWZ Suppliers reach ZWZ Participants with information about their products/services. Learn more about National Directory at this link.

Whole Foods Increases Composting Efforts

This summer the Whole Foods Buckhead store increased their composting efforts by creating a recycling & composting center in the dining area. In-store diners may now separate their paper, plastics, glass, metals and organic material, including the compostable products used in the prepared foods area, for collection to recycling and composting facilities. Whole Foods partners with Farmer D Organics, who produces bio-dynamic certified compost from unsellable produce and now in-store dining food residuals and compostable serving pieces. Farmer D Compost is sold with the garden supplies outside the store entrance.

Kudos to Whole Foods for taking the lead ~ let's hope these composting & recycling centers are common place in the future!

Buckhead embraces Zero Waste

Thanks to Garth Peters, The Buckhead Coalition Director of Community Development, future applicants for liquor licenses in the Buckhead Community will be questioned about their recycling efforts and participation in the ZWZ~Buckhead. Applications, whether original, transfers or renewals, are reviewed by the Safety Committee of Neighborhood Planning Unit B. Although not required, the message is clear: Buckhead takes sustainability seriously and supports zero waste. To learn more about Buckhead's commitment read the Buckhead Reporter August 13 article.