Businesses Slash Their Trash!
Meet The Business Leaders In Our Community Who Are Making A Difference By Removing Many Tons Of Waste From The Landfill Through The Steamboat Sustainable Business Program
By Lyn Halliday
President, Environmental Solutions Unltd and
Steamboat Sustainable Business Program Consultant
Circumventing the Landfill
In today's world, solid waste disposal landfills are difficult to site, expensive to construct, and heavily regulated. In the Steamboat Springs area, most of our non-recyclable solid waste goes to the Twin Enviro Landfill in Milner. Reducing the volume of waste being landfilled via reducing up-front waste, recycling, and finding new uses for otherwise discardable items, will help extend the life of the landfill and is one of the key goals of the Steamboat Sustainable Business Program.
Businesses which attain certification in the Steamboat Sustainable Business Program (SBP) have undergone, amongst other evaluations, an assessment of their energy consumption, water usage, community contribution, and-the subject of this article-analysis of their waste stream in order to develop a waste reduction strategy. As a result, many tons of solid waste have been diverted from the local landfill. Let's explore some of their success storie
Tons of Waste Being Diverted by the Steamboat Sustainable Business Program
How many tons have been diverted from the local landfill as a result of the SBP? A number of factors make it difficult to arrive at an accurate number. However, it is accurate to state that all participating businesses-small and large, and in all business sectors-have made a significant contribution toward this goal. Many have cut their landfill waste in excess of fifty percent, resulting in many, many tons of non-landfilled waste.
Two significant opportunities to cut waste in almost any business are reducing the use of office paper and recycling cardboard. It is relatively easy and cost-effective to make measurable progress through recycling, reuse and reducing paper use by finding non-paper alternatives such as paperless invoicing, faxing, on-line marketing and other means.
Going Above and Beyond
Of the seventy-two businesses I have coached thus far, the accomplishments of each stand out for different reasons. Some of the leaders in paper reduction are realtors (Prudential Steamboat Realty and Colorado Group Realty), banks (Alpine and Mountain Valley), and architect/engineering firms (Kelly & Stone Architects, Drexel Barrell & Co., Landmark Consultants, and Vertical Arts). Alpine Insurance, Central Park Management, and Horizons have also excelled in paper reduction strategies.
Other creative ways businesses have successfully “slashed their trash,” have been discovered through the waste stream assessment component of the SBP as summarized below.
Manufacturing
Moots Cycles has been in the SBP since early 2007. Raw materials used by Moots such as titanium and aluminum are cut, ground and welded to patented specifications. The by-product is metal shavings, one hundred-percent of which are collected and recycled by the company.
BAP/Big Agnes has found a way to recycle their fleece, plastic bags and plastic sleeping bags and is selling tents, pads and sleeping bags made from recycled plastic.
Restaurants
Restaurants in the SBP, Rex's, Mazzolas, Big House Burgers, Ore House, c.v. bistro, Moving Mountains Chalets Catering, and the Steamboat Ski Corp Food & Beverage operation, have all taken huge strides to reduce waste to the landfill. One means includes a process change such as purchasing recyclable or compostable containers and then removing them from the waste stream altogether. As the community gets closer to having a commercial-scale composting facility at the Milner Landfill, the Ski Area and others are participating in a pilot project which sends food scraps and compostable waste to that facility. Other businesses besides restaurants, for example Smartwool, have also signed up to participate.
The Mountain Fire House crew has purchased its own internal composting unit for their kitchen scraps. An on-site vegetable and herb garden is planned for this spring to “close the circle” and use the compost as a soil enhancer. Another notable is Mountain West Environments which recycles its organic waste at the landfill's composting facility.
Lodging Properties
Being a mountain resort town, lodging many visitors poses a unique challenge when it comes to waste reduction. Two of the SBP participating properties, ResortQuest Steamboat and the Steamboat Sheraton Resort, have worked tirelessly to implement in-room recycling. This has entailed a complex set of changes to how they do business. Environmental Solutions Unltd, a local environmental consulting firm located in Steamboat Springs, is in the process of creating a publication as a model for future use by other lodging companies based on the challenges and successes experienced and observed. Other property managers, Moving Mountains Chalets, Pinnacle Resort Management and Simply Steamboat, have also reduced waste and incorporated recycled products in a variety of ways such as electronic confirmations, providing refillable water bottles for guests instead of plastic bottled water, and converting to wall mounted refillable soap and shampoo dispensers in guest rooms.
Education/Institutions
One of our key challenges in the Steamboat Springs area is recycling tube-type fluorescent bulbs which contain small amounts of mercury and should not be landfilled. Colorado Mountain College has gone above and beyond in purchasing its own fluorescent bulb crusher, which removes harmful components and recycles the rest. Other businesses must rely on their suppliers to take used bulbs back and recycle them out of town. CMC is also moving to electronic exams and textbooks. Lowell Whiteman K-8 creatively reuses all kinds of materials in their science lab in addition to their other recycling efforts.
Construction
The construction industry generates a lot of waste. SBP participants Letson Enterprises, Fox Construction and Native Excavating have all found ways to make significant reductions. For example, over-orders are given special attention, some of which are re-routed to Home ReSource, a non-profit that resells building materials. Cardboard recycling at construction sites is a relatively easy way to cut down on landfill waste. A number of entities provide on-site rolloffs for this purpose. Marabou has well-defined sustainable building design standards to guide future homebuilding within the development.
Other Notable Examples
Black Tie Ski Rentals recycles their ski and snowboard inventory back into the market for resale at the end of each season. Local newspaper publishing company, the Steamboat Pilot and Today, has dramatically reduced waste by converting their press operation to recyclable aluminum plates instead of film. Catamount Ranch & Club is working on a monumental plastic reduction program. They have already saved $4,000 in one year by enhancing their recycling efforts company-wide. Pet Kare Clinic purchases many of its products, such as cleaners, in bulk. Steamboat Motors transports “clunker cars” to Denver for recycling, and recycles many of their other by-products such as tires and oil. Go Alpine recycles car batteries, coolant, oil and other materials.
Closing the Loop
Other businesses focus on reusing recycled materials to make the products they sell. PostNet sells paper made from post consumer recycled sources and offers a free program at their Steamboat Springs store for folks to bring in packaging “peanuts” which they then reuse, Light Works of Steamboat carries an extensive line of energy efficient bulbs and fixtures made from sustainable products, TouchStone Promotions offers a vast array of “green” promotional products, Steve Green Company continues to expand its supply of green cleaners, recyclable plastic containers, and paper products made from recycled materials.
Getting Together
Sometimes it is difficult or expensive for a small business to set up a recycling collection on its own. One of the successes of the SBP has been to provide a platform for businesses within an office complex to share collection and related costs.
In Closing
It is impossible to recognize all of the incredible efforts being undertaken by the business community in our area-all of which are individually and collectively making a HUGE difference in reducing waste. Suffice it to say that the efforts and creativity of our local sustainable businesses are stunning! Some practices cost more upfront but end up saving money in the longer term. Other benefits to the bottom line include newly developed efficiencies, improved employee pride, and customer preference.
Become a SPB Member Today!
Have you thought about your waste stream lately? Any business can make a difference. Enroll in the SBP today to learn more and get help on how to “slash your trash” by visiting steamboatchamber.com.
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