Stephanie Barger Executive Director Earth Resource Foundation www

Stephanie Barger, Executive Director Earth Resource Foundation www. earthresource. org

“Throwaway Society” Solid Waste = 4. 4 lbs/person/day Recycled = -1. 3 lbs/person/day Net Waste = 3. 1 lbs/person/day = 1, 132 lbs/person/yr www. storyofstuff. com USEPA 2001 2 Photo Credit: Peter Stackpole, Aug 1, 1955 (Getty Images)

(APC, 2004) We are generating a LOT of plastic!!! And recovering VERY little!!!

Ø Algalita Marine Research Foundation found some areas of the Pacific Ocean to have 6 times as much plastic debris as zooplankton Plastic vs. Plankton

Over 1, 000 seabirds and marine mammals die each year from plastic ingestion or entanglement John Cancalosi/Still Pictures

Global Markets Global Growth Global Regulations HAWAII Canada England, England UK England Sweden United States • Peak Oil • • Hawaii Japan Concerned Consumers China European Union Water and Air pollution China Philippines Litter left by tourists Venezuela Antarctica Floating plastic bag Tanzania Philippines New Zealand. Beach cleanup

Wasteberg Municipal Waste tip of the “wasteberg” Upstream manufacturing waste is 70 times greater Source; Kevin Drew, San Francisco

How much is polystyrene costing the state?

Reduce Reuse Recycle = Zero Waste GOING BEYOND RECYCLING

Definition of Zero Waste* Ø Zero Waste is a goal that is both pragmatic and visionary, to guide people to emulate sustainable natural cycles, where all discarded materials are resources for others to use. Ø Zero Waste means designing and managing products and processes to reduce the volume and toxicity of waste and materials, conserve and recover all resources, and not burn or bury them. Ø Implementing Zero Waste will eliminate all discharges to land, water or air that may be a threat to planetary, human, animal or plant health. * www. zwia. org/standards. html

The Zero Waste Economy Designing a Full-Cycle system – Upstream and Downstream Expand City Outreach & Technical Assistance and Lead by Example Provide Incentives Before Ban or Mandate Eliminate Waste by Designing Out of Products and Processes Jobs from Design & Discards Foster Sustainable and Green Businesses Resource Recovery Park Retailers Take Back Difficult to Recycle Materials Producer Responsibility Empowered Consumer © Copyright Eco-Cycle, 2004 with text modifications by permission. www. ecocycle. org/zerowaste/zwsystem

Is Zero Waste Attainable ? Ø Nature Is The Model Ø Zero Waste, Or Darn Close Ø Businesses Have Achieved Over 90% Waste Reduction Picture: Methane Earth; Credit: GISS, NASA

Pillars of Zero Waste Upstream Downstream Green Businesses and Jobs

Who Cares? They Do!! Earth Resource High School clubs

Pre - Zero Waste Laws Citywide Polystyrene Bans Ø Bay Area Ø Calabasas Ø Santa Monica Ø Malibu Ø Laguna Beach Ø Newport Harbor High School (Newport/Mesa School district) Ø Saddleback Valley School District Ø Pacific Grove Soon to be Ø Newport Beach Ø Burbank Ø UCI Ø Huntington Beach Ø Monterey County Ø San Diego and many more Polystyrene Bans – City and Special Events Ø Aliso Viejo Ø Huntington Beach Ø Newport Beach Ø Ventura Ø San Juan Capistrano Ø Many More Plastic Bag Bans (proposed also) Ø San Francisco Ø Oakland (pending) Ø Marin County Ø Burbank Ø Malibu Ø Santa Monica Ø County of Los Angeles ? ?

Leaders in Fees and Bans IKEA Ø Ø 5 cent charge on bags Large display showing how much oil was saved Large display showing how YOU have saved the environment Clerk does not touch bags – customer has to intentionally purchase Whole Foods Ø Ø Ø Worked with plastic industry for recycling bags – unsuccessful Understood the environmental impact Completely banned plastic bags Paper bags made from 100% recycled paper (close the loop) Priority is reusables Ireland Ø Ø Ø Motivation for fee was because of concerns about tourism and pollution emerald hills 15 cent charge on bags HUGE outreach and educational campaign to stores and consumers Law designed with sufficient funding structure Continual evaluation of the program – raise the price again

Purchasing for Zero Waste Ø Ø Ø Ø Ø Precautionary Principle Return to Vendor Lease, Rent and Share Equipment Reduce Packaging Reusable Shipping Containers Buy Recyclable, Recycled and Compostable Items Buy Remanufactured Equipment Purchase Durables Buy Less Toxic Products Source: Alicia Culver, Green Purchasing Institute

Downstream Ø Ensure the highest and best use of products and packaging at the end of their useful lives Ø Reuse products and packaging, retaining their original form and function Ø Recycle or compost materials that are not reduced or reused

SO WHO’s DOING ZERO WASTE? And WHY?

Zero Waste Businesses are Leading the Way (>90% Waste Diversion) Ø Ø Ø Ø Ø Anheuser-Busch, Fairfield, CA Apple Computer, Elk Grove, CA Del Mar Fairgrounds Fetzer Vineyards Frankie’s Bohemian Café, SF Greens Restaurant, SF Hewlett-Packard, Roseville, CA Mad River Brewery New Belgium Brewery, Fort Collins, CO Ø Ø Ø Ø Ø NUMMI, Fremont, CA Pillsbury Playa Vista, LA, CA Ricoh Electronics, Inc San Diego Wild Animal Park Scoma’s Restaurant, SF Vons-Safeway Xerox Corp Yost Printer, Monrovia, CA Presented at the Zero in on Zero Business Conference Source: www. grrn. org

Ricoh Electronics, Inc. Zero-Waste-to-Landfill – Achieved Feb ‘ 01 Tons 100% Resource Recovery

Leadership Ø Was & Is Essential Ø Began at highest level Ø President practices daily to honor his employees

Recipe for Success 7: Use of 5 R Concept Waste Profiling Identify Waste

Ricoh’s “Recipe for Success” • Objectives • Leadership • Benchmarking • Organization • Project plan • Training & Promotion • Use of 5 R Concept • Verification • Continuous Improvement = Total Participation

Promotion Everywhere Ø Every employee must participate Ø Everyone informed and educated Ø Everyone does their part Ø No one left behind

Recipe for Success 7: Use of 5 R Concept Partnership With Suppliers Green Procurement RESPECT REDESIGN REFUSE REDUCE RETURN REUSE RECYCLE Reduce total cost within Supply Chain

Supported by our Suppliers & Customers Packaging Optimization- Joint Effort Chemical came in many small cans… …now in drums = Reduction of: Ø Labor time for switching cans and cleaning leftover chemicals Ø Water usage Ø Packaging material cost 6 individual cases were put into a master carton… …no more master carton = Reduction of: Ø Packaging cost Ø Packaging time Ø Freight cost REDUCE Reduce Unnecessary Packaging Material

Supported by Our Supplier RECYCLE Before Styrofoam glued to the corrugated liner Optimized Packaging Style & Recycle waste Results After No glue used, but snaps on type 1. No glue to buy and store 2. No drying time 1. Much easier to separate Styrofoam from liner 2. No more use of a knife to cut the glued joint

Plus-Plus Program Education practiced internally and externally Ø Ricoh requires vendors to have zero waste Ø Ricoh works with communities world wide to achieve its goal of sustainability Ø “The best thing is not what we planted in the ground, but what we planted in the children’s minds. ” – Ricoh’s President

Kean Coffee (founder of Dietrichs) Ø Ø Ø Ø Ø Coffee grounds given to customers for plants Bioplastic or paper cups made from recycled paper Reusables in the coffee house Burlap bags given out for reuse Partnered with grocery store for recycling milk jugs ALL coffee is fairtrade and organic Owner takes full responsibility for Zero Waste implementation Community Supporter Recycling Bins

Recycling for Re-Use and Donation Hilton San Francisco

What can be recycled or donated? Ø Food ¨ Prepared and Packaged ¨ Bread and Pastries ¨ Mini-Bar Snacks ¨ Banquet Overages § a pallet or a carton

What can be recycled or donated? Ø Conference Give-Aways ¨ Mugs ¨ Tee-shirts ¨ Tote Bags Ø Conference Display ¨ Foamcore ¨ Decor ¨ Sets and Scrim

What can be recycled or donated? Ø Hotel Supplies and Equipment ¨ Renovation and Remodeling § all furnishings, accessories and carpeting ¨ De-construction, building & plumbing supplies ¨ Outdated amenities, china & glassware ¨ Linen and Mattresses ¨ Uniforms ¨ Office supplies

The Straus Difference Healthy Farm & Production Practices These are other practices of ours, though they are not necessarily required by organic regulations we have always operated this way Pasture-based Feeding Balanced Diet Milking 3 x A Day (vs. 2 x) Pasteurized, Not Raw Not Homogenized Kosher Returnable Glass & Recyclable Plastic

Next Steps Ø Ø Ø Adopt Zero Waste as a Goal and Plan for it Educate Community on Zero Waste Identify local Zero Waste Businesses as models Attend the 4 th Annual “Zero in on Zero Waste” Business Conference June 2010 Become a Zero Waste Leader at your work, play and live!!

If you’re not for Zero Waste, how much waste are you for?

Stephanie Barger, Executive Director Earth Resource Foundation www. earthresource. org Stephanie. barger@earthresource. org 949 -645 -5163