Evaluate Your Agency's Waste Generation
Waste is anything that we no longer need or want. According to the latest data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the average American generates approximately 4.5 pounds of waste each day. With many people spending just as much time at work as they do at home, evaluating the waste generated at your agency can help determine what types of waste and how much of each are present in the waste stream. Learning about agency waste generation can help agencies make accurate assessments, set sustainability goals, and take the appropriate steps to reduce waste in order to help the environment and improve overall building operations. Building managers, office tenants, and sustainability coordinators learn more about how to evaluate your agency's waste generation:
Reduce Your Agency's Office Waste
Waste reduction is one of the most effective ways for agencies to improve environmental sustainability efforts, help prevent pollution, reduce greenhouse gas emissions from landfills, and save money. Waste reduction is the highest priority in the waste management hierarchy, followed by reuse, recycling and composting, energy recovery, and landfilling. Building managers, office tenants, and sustainability coordinators learn more about how to reduce office waste:
Increase Recycling in Your Office
One way to help reduce waste generation is through improving your office recycling program. Office recycling programs can be improved in a variety of ways and provide a significant opportunity to divert recyclable and compostable materials from the waste stream. From finding out what recyclable materials are accepted by your waste hauler to organizing your recycling bins and enhancing your office outreach strategy, this information will give you steps and ideas to increase your office's recycling goals. Building managers, office tenants, and sustainability coordinators learn more about how to increase office recycling:
Composting and Organics Diversion
Organics primarily includes yard trimmings (leaves, grass, and brush) and indoor plant materials, soiled paper, excess food, and food scraps. When disposed of in a landfill these materials degrade without air, producing methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. Diverting organics from disposal has many potential benefits, such as reducing greenhouse gases, and creating valuable and useful soil amendment. Introducing composting and organics diversion at your agency can help to further these environmental and community benefits. Building managers, office tenants, and sustainability coordinators learn more about how to compost in the office: