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Success Stories - Miscellaneous
Success Stories
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Aaron’s Bicycle Repair
The waste reduction atmosphere at Aaron’s Bicycle Repair is contagious. In 2002, this small shop employed innovative waste reduction techniques to reduce its waste by 10 percent. Company employees refused to purchase products with excessive packaging, prevented paper waste by paying bills online, and recycled everything from glass bottles to bike gears. Aaron’s Bicycle Repair created a Web site <www.rideyourbike.com> to educate customers about these practices and encourage them to become environmental stewards.Amtrak – Los Angeles, CA
The 700 employees at Amtrak’s Los Angeles Union Station and mechanical facilities constantly learn about and implement new ways to reduce waste. In 2000, the employees of Los Angeles implemented ideas for reducing waste such as switching to reusable cups, refillable pens, and duplex copying. Additionally, revenue generated from recycling was used to buy employees T-shirts, hats, and duffel bags made from recycled materials. The company saved $3,000 by beginning a toner refill program and eliminated 500 pounds of waste. Through a materials exchange, Amtrak promoted the internal reuse of items such as office supplies, cleaning supplies, and packing peanuts. Through increased recycling and diversion, it eliminated two trash compactors, saving $33,700. Finally, the company spent more than $7,000 on recycled-content products in 2000.
Applied Specialties, Inc.
Applied Specialties started a returnable tote program with suppliers and bought bulk materials, reducing waste by more than 10 tons. By using remanufactured toner cartridges in printers and switching to a toner system for the fax machine, the company saved $600 and eliminated an additional 260 pounds of waste. E-mail and double-sided copies also saved Applied Specialties $320 and decreased paper waste by 500 pounds.
Disneyland® Resort – Anaheim, CA
Disneyland Resort is a popular tourist destination employing 20,000 Cast Members. The Disneyland Resort has implemented many environmentally friendly programs that range from a measurement system which tracks its waste reduction and donation efforts to a toner cartridge return program. Additionally, the Resort recycled more than 5,200 tons of material in 2000, including rubber, food, wood, leaves and brush, glass, metals, plastics, corrugated packaging, and paper. The Resort also purchased furniture made from 100 percent recycled HDPE plastic for its out-door guest areas, including benches, picnic tables, and kraft tables.
When The Disneyland Resort evaluated its waste reduction successes, the resort found that it diverted more than 37 percent of its wastes! This success, however, didn’t stop these environmental superstars. The Disneyland Resort is evaluating opportunities that have the potential to reduce waste generation by an additional 30 percent.
The company’s main administration building houses more than 1,100 employees, so it was a perfect location to establish office supply reuse centers. The resort also expanded its employee outreach program, which increased participation in a videotape return and reuse program— diverting approximately 650 pounds of videotapes from landfills. It also established a program to reuse usable alkaline batteries. The program focused on the departments that, because of operational requirements, generate batteries that can still be used in other applications. Through the program, staff redistributed these still powerful batteries to other business units and employees.
The Disneyland Resort also continued activities to recycle and buy recycled materials. In 2001, the resort recycled more than 2,000 tons of paper and purchased picnic benches, craft tables, and a lifeguard station made from recycled HDPE containing at least 76 percent postconsumer materials.
Evelyn Hill, Inc.—Statue of Liberty National Monument
Evelyn Hill, Inc. operates the gift shop and food service at one of the most widely recognized American monuments, the Statue of Liberty National Monument. In 2000, the family-owned concessioner of 150 employees committed to improving solid waste management on Liberty Island, establishing a recycling center on the island and prioritizing waste prevention, recycling, and recycled-content procurement. Evelyn Hill worked extensively with vendors to redesign packaging and lightweight containers and emphasized switching to reusable or recyclable containers. Specifically, the company negotiated with Haagen Dazs to eliminate the cardboard overwrap and individual cardboard boxes in ice cream packaging, eliminating more than 3 tons of cardboard from the waste stream. The company also worked with Tyson to create a special bulk pack for its chicken patties. Diverting nearly 2 tons of solid waste, the company replaced cans of cheese sauce with pouch bags, switched from cans to paper containers for hot chocolate, and replaced hand soap from plastic jugs to concentrate in smaller containers. French fries were served in washable plastic baskets, conserving nearly 2 tons of paper plates, and a travel mug and souvenir take-home cup reduced paper cup disposal by nearly 2 tons. In the first year of its program, Evelyn Hill purchased more than 220,000 hamburger and sandwich boxes made from 40 percent post consumer content, and replaced many of its paper products with recycled-content products. In total, the company saved$112,000 in 2000. Finally, Evelyn Hill educated visitors and employees about the importance of resource conservation, printing an educational message on its 100 percent recycled-content napkins.
Evelyn Hill Inc. operates a $50,000 per year recycling center—at no cost! Rather than dispose of food baskets and trays after each use, the company cleans them for reuse, saving enough money to pay the operating costs of the recycling center. This progressive store recycled 395 tons of cardboard, plastic, aluminum, and glass. In 2001, Evelyn Hill Inc. recycled 63 percent of the company’s trash and reduced carting fees by more than 17 percent. In 2002, Evelyn Hill aims to maintain a recycling rate of more than 75 percent!
Changes in the company’s purchasing practices enabled Evelyn Hill to achieve such an impressive recycling rate. For example, the company switched from paper cups to recyclable PET (#1) plastic cups for its beverages. All used PET plastic cups and bottles are sent to South Carolina where they are made into fabric. Evelyn Hill Inc. demonstrates closed-loop recycling by using this fabric for its signature tote bag. In addition, new composting projects boosted the recycled rate. In only six months, the concessionaire collected nearly 1 ton of used coffee grounds for composting.
Recycling is not the only area where Evelyn Hill excels. The company also uses innovation to prevent waste, such as ordering 12” x 12” napkins rather than 12” x 13.” This one-inch difference eliminated 1 ton of paper. Evelyn Hill also installed a pump system to dispense condiments and creamers, eliminating the need for more than 2 million single-serving condiment packets and 330,000 single-serving creamer cups. To close the recycling loop, the company spent $250,000 on recycled-content goods, such as 100 percent recycled toilet paper and 20 percent recycled gift bags that can also be recycled.
Progress isn’t close to stopping at Evelyn Hill after 2001’s successes. Plans for 2002 and beyond include the construction of a geothermal system for cleaner climate control!
Kessler Consulting, Inc. – FL
For Kessler Consulting, Inc., reducing waste isn’t just a business—it’s protocol! This environmental planning firm creates innovative reduction ideas for clients as well as itself. When the company moved into a new office last year, it practiced many of the reduce, reuse, and recycle efforts it preaches. To begin with, the seven-person staff purchased a refurbished telephone system. Kessler also stocked the new kitchen with dishes, cups, and flatware to discourage the use of disposable items.
Common procedure is to reuse all office supplies until they require recycling. Envelopes, notebooks, folders, and boxes are constantly reused, and all paper is printed on two sides. Through duplex printing alone, the company has reused nearly 780 pounds of paper.
In 2001, Kessler began a composting program that collects food scraps and yard trimmings and uses the compost on premises for landscaping. Because its policy is to purchase items containing recycled material whenever possible, Kessler purchased a 10-seater, 100 percent recycled plastic picnic table for lunch breaks. The company also purchases recycled-content paper, letterhead, envelopes, and business cards.
Employees at Kessler clearly feel pride in their WasteWise activities. The company displays WasteWise posters in the kitchen, conference room, and copy room, as well as the WasteWise logo on company reports and the Web site. Based on the company’s calculations, in 2001, it reused nearly 15 percent of all waste and recycled an additional 60 percent. Only 25 percent of Kessler’s trash actually makes it to a disposal facility!
Kinko’s, Inc. – Ventura, CA
Kinko’s, an office services provider, developed a company-wide intranet system to distribute memoranda and training materials to all branch locations. In addition, the company implemented a paperless invoicing system for its major vendors. Kinko’s also leases 92 percent of its copiers and printers and 82 percent of its computers and finishing equipment, which lessens the environmental burden typically associated with end-of-life electronics equipment. The company also returns used toner cartridges to the manufacturer, where they are refilled and resold to Kinko’s at a reduced rate. With 85 percent of its branches participating, Kinko’s recycled more than 6,000 tons of paper in 2000. Furthermore, the company purchased more than 6,500 tons of recycled-content paper and 2,000 tons of recycled packaging.
McDonald’s Corporation – Oakbrook, IL
McDonald’s continually works to reduce the weight, volume, and environmental impact of its packaging materials and explores new packaging alternatives. Switching to lighter weight packaging for two of the company’s sandwiches conserved 3,200 tons of boxboard containers and saved $3.6 million. The company also led the way in promoting the “buy recycled” message by spending $300 million on more than 300,000 tons of recycled-content materials in 1999.
Pitney Bowes Inc. – Stamford, CT
A provider of mailing and document handling services to businesses, Pitney Bowes has successfully implemented a nationwide toner cartridge recycling program for its home-office and field locations where employees use ink-jet, laser, and facsimile printers. By partnering with a re-manufacturer, toner cartridges are efficiently collected and returned for refurbishment and resale. Rebate proceeds are donated to a nonprofit recipient organization whose mission is to teach children about recycling and materials reuse. In addition to the toner cartridge program, Pitney Bowes recycled 11.4 million pounds of materials in 2003.
In addition to engineering mailing and document technologies, Pitney Bowes Inc. protects the environment by developing innovative waste reduction strategies. In 2002, the company prevented more than 3,400 pounds of paper waste by asking employees to view their pay stubs on a secure Web site and completing requisitions electronically. The company also incorporated waste prevention into the manufacturing process, creating new parts from plastic waste.
Pitney Bowes, Inc. implemented numerous innovative waste prevention, recycling, and buy-recycled measures in 2000. Two of the company’s divisions conserved 344 tons of wooden pallets through its wood pallet reuse program. Incoming packaging was reused for outgoing shipments, conserving an additional 26 tons of wooden pallets. Pitney Bowes also educated its 7,800 employees on the benefits of waste reduction through posters, e-mail, and other communications. Six of the company’s facilities implemented a program to recycle Styrofoam products used in food service. The Styrofoam is converted into a gel-like material that is then returned to the recycling-equipment vendor for further processing back into Styrofoam or other plastic products. This process resulted in a 40 percent reduction of total trash volume at those facilities. The company reground 35.5 tons of postconsumer HDPE plastic and mixed preconsumer plastic resins for reuse in plastic products. The company also recycled more than 1,139 tons of corrugated, 827 tons of high-grade paper, 327 tons of HDPE, and 139 tons of mixed paper. Plastics recycling alone generated a cost savings of nearly $115,000. In addition, the company purchased 1,477 tons of 30 to 100 percent postconsumer recycled-content paper and corrugated, and 90 tons of janitorial and cafeteria supplies with 40 to 100 percent recycled content. Employees are strongly encouraged to purchase products with the highest possible recycled content. Pitney Bowes also encouraged its vendors to prominently identify products containing recycled content in catalogs so that these products could be easily identified and procured. Vendors were also asked to provide the maxi-mum number of recycled-content products.
When spending the company’s money, employees at Pitney Bowes do it right! Pitney Bowes Inc. continues to decrease its burden on the environment by reducing wastes, recycling, and buying products made of recycled materials. In conjunction with designing products that are easier to disassemble, reuse, and recycle, Pitney Bowes recycled more than 2,800 tons of materials in 2001. Furthermore, it purchased food-service supplies, paper, toner cartridges, and other office supplies that contain 30 to 100 percent recycled content! These products total more than 1,500 tons, constituting 15 percent of total annual purchases. Pitney Bowes continues to identify products containing postconsumer recycled content in their supply catalogues to facilitate purchasing activities, and it encourages employees to purchase materials with the highest recycled content available.
Pitney Bowes didn’t stop there! An employee environmental education program reinforces the company’s environmental mission at all levels. The program covered topics such as environmentally preferable purchasing, shortening the paper trail, reuse of office supplies, and tips for recycling white versus mixed paper. The company distributed nearly 20 percent of its 230 environmental communications electronically.
From bins to great marketing signs, Pitney Bowes makes recycling educational and fun—so much so that many employees started to recycle at home! The recycling program’s success is due in part to the fact that recycling isn’t just encouraged around the snack rooms and by the printers. Pitney Bowes also placed recycling bins in conference rooms, breakout rooms, copy centers, pantries, and other office areas where waste is produced.
SST Trucking, LLC – Garland, TX
SST Trucking, LLC achieved substantial cost savings by utilizing reusable shipping racks, working with suppliers to reduce packaging, and establishing a transport packaging return program. The company saved more than $55,000 and reduced packaging waste by nearly 180 tons through initiatives adopted as part of the Transport Packaging Challenge program.
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company manages a theme park, studios, and other attractions near Anaheim, California, and employs 37,500 people. Disney decreased paper usage and saved $25,000 in 2000 by ordering office supplies electronically instead of by fax. Disney also saved more than $150,000 by establishing a company-wide return program for toner cartridges. In addition, the company commissary implemented a policy of using salad bar plates for dine-in meals and using disposable packaging only for take-out orders. Walt Disney Studios also maintains a database that lists all reusable sets and props to facilitate sharing these materials, while the lighting department donates used lighting gels to the Los Angeles Children’s Museum for art projects such as kaleidoscopes and imitation stained glass. The company collected more than 4,000 tons of recyclable materials, including plastics, wood, mixed paper, and corrugated packaging. Disney’s buying recycled activities included testing rechargeable batteries and recycled glass coffee mugs, increasing the percentage of recycled material in printer and copier paper, and working with its office products supplier to track the purchase of recycled-content items.
The Walt Disney Company made strides in its waste reduction activities in 2001 by working with employees to educate them on being environmentally conscious, even when eating at Disney’s commissaries. Disney posts signs asking employees and guests to minimize their use of disposables and to take only the condiments that they need. In addition, employees are encouraged to use reusable beverage mugs which are available for purchase at the commissary. A discounted beverage refill is offered as an incentive. These processes have helped minimize the waste created at the commissaries, and the company continues to work closely with staff to evaluate other waste minimization activities.
The Walt Disney Company also recognized the benefit of reusing materials and equipment. The company worked with its various facilities and warehouses to clean out unwanted inventory and supplies including computers, electronics, scrap metals, wood, paint, and videotapes. Employees distributed these items internally, donated the usable leftovers, and recycled the rest, diverting more than 90 tons from the landfill.
Disney even looked into greener ways to send its annual holiday cards. As Disney transitions from mailing the cards, envelopes, and inserts to sending cards electronically, the company reduced its paper use by more than 6 tons, and saved more than $100,000 in purchasing and related activities! The company also worked with its office supply company to conduct electronic ordering and billing, saving $156,000 in incentives and rebates.
The Walt Disney Company has excelled with its paper reduction program, saving the company $1.9 million in 2005 alone. Much of these savings can be attributed to Disney’s commitment to switching from paper to electronic media. The company’s Electronic Pay Stub Initiative gives employees the option to receive pay stub advisory notices online. In 2005, Disney also implemented the Hummingbird Imaging System, a secure electronic receiving and storage program for credit files and collection reports, saving enough paper to equal more than 750 trees. Disney has extended its paper reduction ethic to shareholders by limiting the amount of printed copies of the annual Enviroport and encouraging them to read electronic copies of the publication.
Outstanding achievements in the areas of community involvement, organic material reduction and climate change have earned The Walt Disney Company three Gold Achievement Awards.
- Community Involvement. Environmentality is a key part of Disney’s outlook toward business growth and natural resource conservation. Disney employees help make guests, customers, local groups, and surrounding neighbors environmentally aware through local educational outreach. For example, the Jiminy Cricket Environmentality Challenge educates 5th grade students, and Disney VoluntEARS support local environmental organizations.
- Organic material reduction. In an effort to take responsibility for its own waste, Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, diverted more than 5,600 tons of food scraps from its hotels and restaurants in 2004 to make compost for use both on and off site. Additionally, Disney promotes the reuse and recycling of grass and other yard trimmings. More than 13,500 tons of grass clippings were left to fertilize 10,000 acres of property at the resort.
- Climate. In 2004, the company reduced greenhouse gas emissions by more than 12,000 metric tons of carbon equivalent, which is equivalent to taking more than 9,700 cars off the road for one year.
The Walt Disney World Company – Orlando, FL
The Walt Disney World Company is a good neighbor, reaching out to the surrounding community by donating surplus materials for reuse. The company donated more than 10 tons of office supplies to local schools and delivered 200 tons of prepared food to the Second Harvest Food Bank. Disney also reduced its use of plastic bubble wrap by switching to recyclable paper packaging. In addition, the company recycled more than 5,000 tons of materials, including metals, plastics, polystyrene packaging materials, and paper. Furthermore, the company developed a system to track its recycled-content purchasing and continued educating employees about the importance of buying recycled.
Xanterra South Rim, LLC
Xanterra South Rim, LLC has gone beyond the basics with its waste reduction program by purchasing numerous items with recycled content, as well as increasing the recycled content of many products. In 2005, Xanterra switched to chlorine-free, 100 percent postconsumer recycled-content copy paper. It also sells blankets, T-shirts, and sweatshirts that contain between 60 to 100 percent recycled-content materials. Xanterra recycles many of the items it uses, which helps create markets for these materials. In addition, Xanterra also closes the loop by buying back the equivalent of more than 10 percent of the paper and 25 percent of the plastic it recycles. In 2005, Xanterra avoided $55,000 in disposal costs through its recycling and waste prevention program.