Starbucks Community Service: Message List

Re: YAY We are recycling!!

communityservice@starbucks.com — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 03:58:15 GMT

Thanks for the great info Stacey! I'll keep it in mind as we continue to improve access to recycling in our district. If it works, I'm trying to post an image of something similar to our chemical cart so hopefully you get an idea of what it is.

Re: YAY We are recycling!!

communityservice@starbucks.com — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 16:34:02 GMT

Thank you Stacey!

I was not aware that the process of recycling started with a call to FCC. In my case, that was the last thing I did after talking to the Smurfit broker and RockTenn. I will definitely print out your reply to share with the Green Leads in my district.

As for your question on best practices, first we ordered the blue recycle bins (SKU 11005874) and set up three in our store. The most important one is by the espresso bars and cold bev station. This allows easy diversion of milk jugs, frappucino syrup bottles, syrup bottles, apple juice bottles, and even soy and chai boxes (we found out that yes, our city recycles these!) We keep the lid off the bin and use a single liner (which also will reduce your store's use of liners by at least half). When this recycle bin is full, we put the full bag not in the rolling trash bin, but on a cart that we also ordered (SKU 178314, name "Rolling chemical cart"). So now whoever is doing a trash run is also expected to do a recycle run. Since the bags are so light, it's not even necessary to drag the cart out the back door (it's mainly so there's no bags on the floor). All the partner has to do is empty the liner into the recycle bin and discard the liner). It is super easy.

Some have expressed the extra time it takes to adopt these recycling practices, but since we have separated all grounds and compost material, doing trash runs is easier than ever on partners. No more super heavy, leaky bags. 60% of mass has been separated just by finding a community garden that comes to pick up our compost, espresso grounds, AND grounds from coffee urns (including filters which do not need to be separated because they're biodegradable). Now trash runs are light and easy. Yes, it takes time to learn what can be recycled and not, but those 60 or so gallons of milk jugs a day...that in itself is pretty incredible to think about in terms of making sure they can be recycled.

Oh, and lastly, ALWAYS make sure that a recycle bin is next to a trash bin. That way, it doesn't matter where it is, people will likely make the right decision of which bin to use if they see the two next to each other.

One question for you Stacey, as an official corporate representative...I've heard debate about whether or not it is acceptable to use steaming wands to clean and flatten out milk jugs before tossing into the recycle bin. We find it very useful, as it is important to compact the material and reduce volume in the dumpsters. The 2 second use of the steam wand also makes it a bit cleaner. One person said we weren't supposed to do that. Is that true? Thanks!

Re: YAY We are recycling!!

communityservice@starbucks.com — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 17:21:31 GMT

Hi my name is Jacquerie Vallejos. A partner and I have headed a Green Initiatives program at our store in Tempe, Arizona. In the past 6 months, we have conducted trash assessments and implemented practices of waste reduction, recycling, and compost. Since the start, we have been able to successfully divert 73% of all our waste! We also have calculated significant economic savings for our store in reducing use of trash liners and disposable cups. Our recycling services that we now have costs $35 less per month than what we were previously paying!

What did we do to get recycling? Met with landlord and got her approval. Called Smurfit and talked to brokers and agents to ask if we could get recycling. We previously had a 4- yard trash dumpster that could fit in our enclosure. We requested instead to get two smaller 2- yard dumpsters: one for trash and one for recycling. Once prices were decided by the brokers and they gave approval, I called Starbucks FCC and put in a request. A site visit was done within the next few days, and then they changed out our bins!

I wish it were this simple everywhere. In other stores in our district, recycling is just not feasible because of space limitations and because the waste service provider would actually charge more to recycle because their recycle pick up is on a different route, they say.

If you are interested in knowing more about how were were able to divert 73% of waste, feel free to contact me. At our store and very likely at all of your stores, the trash you throw out is only 15-28% waste. We are now trying to implement the same practices in all stores in our district and it's really exciting to see the change happening given the tools and instructions necessary to drive it.

Clarification of time and location

communityservice@starbucks.com — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 16:40:50 GMT

Hello everyone! This will be a morning volunteer event, from 8:30-12pm. Also, there are two Harvest for Humanity garden sites. It is most likely that this volunteer event will be at the Tempe site on Guadalupe and Rural. Thanks!