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Green Star E-News Vol. 3, No. 10 October 21, 2002
Recognizing Alaska businesses committed to environmental responsibility.
In this issue:
* Shining Stars
* Life Changes at Green Star
* It’s Time to Winterize
* Waste Prevention 101: Restaurants
* Recycling 101: Compact Discs
* This Month’s Hot Link: U.S. EPA Jobs Through Recycling Net Share
* Thank you 2002 Sponsors
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SHINING STARS
Welcome and thank you to our newest member: ALPAR (Alaskans for Litter Prevention and Recycling) recently enrolled and is working toward both a Green Star and an Air Quality award.
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LIFE CHANGES AT GREEN STAR
Wondering why E-News has arrived a little late? Green Star staff members were recently on leave to experience a few life-changing events.
Congratulations to Green Star’s Executive Director Sean Skaling and his wife Jenny on the recent arrival of a new baby boy! Lawton Michael Skaling was born on September 26th at 6:59 pm. Weighing in at 7 pounds, 6 ounces, he is Sean and Jenny’s first child. Lawton is now introducing Sean and Jenny to the world of sleeplessness.
Congratulations to Green Star’s Recycling Program Coordinator Jeanne Carlson and her new husband Colton on their recent marriage. Jeanne and Colton were married in Skaneateles, New York, on September 28th. They spent a week in New England after the wedding, recovering from the planning process and enjoying the fall colors.
Now we’re back and running strong with new perspectives to make Anchorage a waste-free city.
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IT’S TIME TO WINTERIZE
As the temperature drops and snow starts to creep down the mountains, we all start thinking about the long lines to get our studded tires put on and finding the gas can to gas up the snow blower. There are a few other things you may want to consider as winter approaches to help you get through the winter and improve Anchorage’s winter air quality.
While you are digging out your studded tires, look for your car plug-in timer as well. Now is the time to get your timer set up and find an extension cord so when the temperatures start falling below 20°F at night, you will be ready to plug in your car. The timer is handy so you don’t waste electricity by leaving the car plugged in all night. You also don’t need to get up early to plug in before you leave for work; simply set the timer so the block heater begins heating your car’s engine two hours before you leave for work. If you do not have a plug-in timer, contact Green Star at 278-7827. We have a limited supply of free timers for car plug-ins.
For businesses that may be arranging winter parking lot maintenance, consider requesting larger size traction aggregate with no fines. This reduces air pollution caused by particulate matter from traction materials.
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WASTE PREVENTION 101: Restaurants
Restaurants are surprisingly under-represented on the list of Green Star enrollees and awardees. We would like to see more restaurants joining Green Star and taking a closer look at their waste-generating activities. Many restaurants are already doing l0ts of the things that would qualify them as award winners. Green Star would like to recognize them so give us a call if you own, manage, or work in a local restaurant. In addition, be sure to encourage your favorite restaurant to join Green Star.
Anchorage is home to more than 1,000 restaurants. Most are small – almost half have fewer than 10 employees. Another quarter have between 10 and 50 employees. Restaurants in Anchorage range from the reindeer sausage cart typically parked on 4th Avenue to the many upscale dining spots, such as Simon & Seafort’s, Ristorante Orso, Hotel Captain Cook, and Corsair, all just a few blocks from that little hot dog cart. In between (figuratively, of course) are all of the fast food chains, family restaurants, small delis, pancake huts, pizza joints, Thai houses, and brew pubs that make Anchorage’s dining choices so eclectic.
Such diversity brings diversity in trash. Waste generated by restaurants and bars typically is about 45% food waste by weight. Cardboard is the second largest component at 16%, followed by mixed paper at 11%. Metal, glass, and plastic containers make up about 11%. Paper and plastic packaging waste is often higher in fast food restaurants, and glass is higher in sit-down restaurants. Quantities of plastic waste have risen considerably in the last decade as plastics replace other types of packaging.
Estimates of how much waste restaurants generate varies. One estimate puts waste generation at 17 pounds per employee per day. Another states 0.005 pounds per square foot per day. In other words, it is hard to predict waste generation given the differences among restaurants.
The one constant is that there is always room for improvements and increased efficiencies. Here are just a few waste prevention tips for restaurants:
In the Kitchen
* Cross-utilize products. This means using every ounce of a product. End cuts of meats can be used in appetizers or soups. Vegetable peelings can be used in vegetable stocks. End cutting of vegetables can go into cream-based soups. Cross-utilization also means using the same product for several different menu items.
* Streamline your menu. More is not always better. A bigger menu may require more ingredients, more equipment, and more time. Streamlining through cross-utilization and repeating sauces on different items can create an efficient menu with enough variety to satisfy but not overwhelm customers.
* Examine customer leftovers. Taking a look at what comes back into the kitchen can assist in the streamlining process by identifying items that are not often eaten. It also can give you a sense of portion sizes. If most plates come back with French fries on them, you may want to consider reducing the portion size and/or offering a choice of sides.
* Use prepared items. Prepared or partially prepared food items can reduce labor costs and reduce food waste, although they may increase packaging waste in some cases.
* Institute just-in-time deliveries. Ordering small quantities that arrive daily, rather than larger orders weekly or every other week may reduce spoilage, and reduce the need for large storage areas.
* Take frequent inventories. Weekly or daily inventories, in conjunction with just-in-time deliveries, can greatly reduce waste through spoilage and theft.
* Tighten up receiving. Having someone help unload and check in all products can reduce paying for spoiled or damaged product. A spot check of incoming goods will allow you to identify and reject items that might have gone undetected. Without a spot check, you may be paying for product that is no good, then paying again to dispose of it.
* Buy in bulk when possible. This is the opposite philosophy to just-in-time purchasing. If you have storage space, consider purchasing nonperishable items in bulk. The reduced packaging and the economies of scale when buying in bulk are both benefits.
In the Bar and Dining Room
* Switch to draft beer to reduce costs and increase profits. Retrofitting a bar to accommodate draft beer can cost several thousand dollars but the savings in reduced handling of bottles and the fact that draft profits are higher means the switch will more than pay for itself.
* Purchase bar mixes and juices in concentrate to minimize packaging. Mix into reusable pouring containers.
* Dispense soft drinks and other beverages using a beverage gun.
* Use reusable drink coasters instead of cocktail napkins. Many beverage companies offer reusable coasters as a promotion with their product, or consider having coasters made with your restaurant name on them.
* Restock buffets more frequently instead of stocking too much food initially.
* Serve desserts directly from your dessert display tray or cart and replenish the tray throughout the night rather than using samples all evening that are discarded at the end of the night. Or consider fake dessert samples.
* Use garnishes that are typically consumed, rather than ones that will be discarded after the meal. For example, most people will eat an orange slice but few will tackle a piece of raw flowering kale.
* Use refillable containers for sugar, cream, salt, pepper, ketchup, and other condiments. Purchase bulk condiments instead of individual packets.
* In take-out situations, allow customers to choose whether or not to take items such as napkins, straws, utensils, and drink lids.
* Use a chalkboard or dry-erase board for daily specials rather than printing daily special menus.
Energy Suggestions
* Reclaim heat from walk-in cooler and freezer compressor lines to preheat water for water-heater tanks. Instead of running compressor lines directly to a condenser, which vents the heat, run the lines through a preheating water tank and then to the condenser. Both the water heater and the condenser do not need to work as hard.
* Check equipment regularly. Restaurant equipment takes a beating and regular preventative maintenance can keep costs down and delay the need for equipment replacement. A refrigerator or freezer unit may be opened and closed hundreds of times each day in a restaurant. Check the door seals on freezers and refrigerators to check for gaps and leaks that allow cold air to escape. Fixing these will save money but also keep the ice cream from getting mushy. Also, remember to clean vents and intake grates for maximum efficiency.
* If you are operating several walk-in coolers or freezers that are not at full capacity during certain times of the year, consider consolidating items in one unit and shutting the other one off during the slow months. A full freezer or cooler operates more efficiently, and shutting one down will save energy.
* Retrofit and update your lighting. Ambiance is a key part of many dining experiences, especially in higher priced restaurants. You may think your lighting options are limited but consider the many new innovations in lighting that will allow you to create the proper mood while reducing energy costs. Compact fluorescent lamps come in different colors, many simulating the warmer colors of incandescent bulbs. Many varieties also are now dimmable. In kitchens, switch to T-8 fluorescent lamps and install reflectors to make fewer lamps go farther. Always remember to cover overhead fixtures in food preparation areas to avoid any breakage problems. Consider installing light timers or motion sensors in walk-in freezers and coolers and storage rooms to avoid having lights on when no one is using the area. Signs asking employees to turn off lights are often ineffective during busy hours.
Resources
Alaska Cabaret, Hotel, Restaurant, and Retailers Association
1111 East 80th Avenue, Suite 3
Anchorage, AK 99518
(907) 274-8133
http://www.alaskacharr.com
Alaska Restaurant and Beverage Association
330 E. 4th Avenue, Suite 201
Anchorage, AK 99501
arba@4aha.org
Green Restaurant Association –
a San Diego-based organization with members nationwide
http://www.dinegreen.com
NYC WasteLe$$ Restaurant Waste Reduction Tips
http://www.nycwasteless.com/gov-bus/Tips/restips.htm
California Integrated Waste Management Board’s
Food for Thought: Restaurant Guide to Waste Reduction and Recycling
http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Publications/default.asp?pubid=17
California Integrated Waste Management Board’s
Food Service Waste Reduction Tips and Ideas
http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/BizWaste/FactSheets/FoodSrvc.htm
Restaurant Profile: Eat Your Vegetables, a California restaurant
http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/BizWaste/FactSheets/EatVeg.htm
Maui County Restaurant Resource Efficiency/Pollution Prevention Guidelines
http://www.co.maui.hi.us/departments/recycle/restpp2.html
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RECYCLING 101: Compact Discs
This is the final article in our two-year-long series of recycling articles about specific materials. Compact discs are composed of a one-millimeter thick polycarbonate disc covered with a thin layer of aluminum (the information layer), and coated with lacquer. Whether they are old software discs, free AOL discs, or really bad music you should never have purchased, waste CDs are starting to pile up in businesses and households across the country. Below are some recycling options, along with a few reuse suggestions.
The National Picture
There are now quite a few companies that recycle CDs but most will only accept CDs, CD-roms, and other software from large software companies and replicators. Residents and small businesses with CDs have fewer choices for recycling CDs, but some of the recycling options are listed below.
One CD recycler processes 1 million CDs and 3 million floppy disks every month. In its second year of operation, Trotter Technologies, in San Jose, CA, recovered 20 million CDs. The company also recycles mountains of manuals and other grades of paper that come with each software box -- a hefty 10,800 tons a year. The company gets requests from software companies across the country to dispose of excess products. The CDs are ground and sold to polymer companies that melt the material for reuse. Jewel boxes are typically packaged and sold back to software companies for reuse.
Another company processes about 100,000 lbs./month of obsolete CDs. Nesar System’s primary suppliers are the U.S. Army and Bayer Corp. The CDs are from outdated federal logs. It also sources CD-ROMs from car dealerships and law libraries, and scrap from CD manufacturers.
These are just a few of the companies that are recycling the millions of pounds of waste CDs generated in the U.S.
How Do I Recycle Compact Discs?
One easy method is to ship your CDs to GreenDisk (www.greendisk.com). GreenDisk accepts most types of electronic media for recycling, including CDs, DVDs, computer diskettes, video and audio tapes, as well as cell phones and inkjet toner cartridges. The company is planning to expand to collect even more materials in the future. The web site has full shipping instructions. The program costs the consumer the price of shipping plus an additional 10¢ per pound. There is a minimum charge of $5 or 50 pounds.
One hundred percent of the money that you pay to ship your waste materials (beyond the post office’s costs) is donated to charity. GreenDisk makes all of its money through the sale of products, e.g., its reformatted disks and tapes. The workshops where materials are sorted, reformatted, relabeled, and repackaged are staffed by a group of disabled workers who keep all money from the shipping fees.
GreenDisk is continually working to develop programs that make electronics recycling cheaper and easier for the consumer. Its goal is to have workshop facilities in all 21 of the U.S. Postal Service’s bulk mail regions. This would mean shipping charges would be reduced dramatically, as the materials would never have to be shipped out of a region, which costs more.
Another GreenDisk project in the works is called “techno trash cans.” This project would be in conjunction with Best Buy stores and would provide full-time recycling drop-off bins for various electronic media.
Data Management Services, in Terre Haute, IN, offers another CD recycling option. The company accepts any quantity, from an envelope to pallet loads, for the cost of shipping the CDs. See Resources for details.
A local disk recycling collection option may be available at Green Star’s Electronics Recycling Day, slated for early May 2003. More details will be posted in future E-News issues.
Reusing Compact Discs
If you have just a few CDs and don’t want to package and ship them to a recycler, consider these reuse suggestions:
* Drink coasters,
* Candle stands (to prevent wax from dripping on your table),
* Suncatchers (hang them in a window),
* Christmas ornaments, or
* A high-tech replacement for the old ‘70s beaded doorway -- string CDs together and hang in an open doorway.
Resources
Data Management Services
c/0 Digital Audio Disk Corporation
99 Mulberry Street
Terre Haute, IN 47807
(812) 462-8323
This company will accept CDs with jewel cases and the inside plastic tray. The sender must remove all other materials. The CDs are deinked, the aluminum is removed, and the plastic is ground and sold for use in furniture and other recycled products. There are no minimum quantities and no fees above the shipping costs. Data Management Services is owned by Sony Corporation.
GreenDisk Services
2200 Burlington
Columbia, MO 65202
(800) 305-3475
http://www.greendisk.com
Ship used disks (3.5"), CDs, and videotapes to GreenDisk’s recycling facility in Columbia MO. The media is magnetically erased, fully inspected and evaluated. The disks and CDs are then disassembled and the plastic and metal components are recycled to make new disks and other items. The tapes are de-labeled, cleaned, packaged and resold. See the web site for shipping instructions and fees.
Lacerta Group, Inc.
134 Southampton St.
Boston MA 02118
(617) 442-3111
(617) 442-6111 FAX
http://www.lacerta.com
taperecycle@lacerta.com
Lacerta only accepts CDs in large quantities, but consumers can send free of charge small quantities of VHS tapes and computer backup tapes for recycling. There is a charge for data destruction however.
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THIS MONTH’S HOT LINK: U.S. EPA’s Jobs Through Recycling Net Share
Search the results of this continuing recycling list serve using key words. It can provide you with information about how to recycle numerous unusual items, from tennis balls to roofing tiles. http://www.epa.gov/jtr/netshare/index.htm
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THANK YOU 2002 SPONSORS
Green Star could not exist without the generous financial support of many individuals and leading local businesses. To become a Green Star individual member or corporate sponsor, please call (278-7827) or visit our web site http://www.greenstarinc.org. A huge thank you to our 2002 sponsors!
Platinum: BP Exploration Alaska, Municipality of Anchorage Solid Waste Services, ConocoPhillips Alaska
Gold: Alaska Conservation Foundation, KTUU Channel 2, Wells Fargo
Silver: Anchorage Refuse (A Waste Management Company), National Association of PET Container Resources (NAPCOR), Phone Directories, Inc., Princess Tours, The Home Depot
Bronze: Data Pro, La Mex, Odom Corporation, Sam's Club, Smurfit-Stone Recycling Company, Pepsi-Cola Bottling of Anchorage, Wal-Mart ‘A’ St. Store
Supporter: ALPAR, Anchorage Daily News, Bear Tooth Grill and Theater Pub, Café Del Mundo, Chugach Electric Association, Corporate Express Alaska, Denali Commission, Moose’s Tooth Pub and Pizzeria, Nabors Alaska Drilling, Side Street Espresso, Snow City Cafe
Contributor: Alaska Center for the Environment, Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, Alaska Serigraphics, Alaska Wildland Adventures, Arctic Wire Rope & Supply, CH2M Hill, Fowler & Associates, Green Connection, Shoot-N-Edit, Spenard Builders Supply, The Body Shop, Webb Consulting & Management Services
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Past issues of E-News are available on our web site, sorted by topic or date. Please send comments, questions, or suggestions for future E-News topics to us at enews@greenstarinc.org. Forward this newsletter freely. Send us any email addresses you wish to add to our mailing list. Thank you!
The staff of Green Star, Anchorage:
Sean Skaling, Executive Director
Jeanne Carlson, Recycling Program Coordinator
If you would like to discontinue receiving E-News, please write to enews@greenstarinc.org
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