| Recycling in the office does not need to stop at | | | | include composting. Think of all of the food waste |
| the desk or printer. The office break room is a | | | | that goes into office trashcans. Scraps and |
| treasure trove of opportunity to improve your | | | | leftovers could be easily diverted into a |
| company's carbon footprint. The amount of trash | | | | composting bin. This can be turned into mulch, for |
| that can accumulate, even from an office of | | | | office landscaping and gardening. |
| twenty people, can make a big impact on | | | | Recycling waste from office break rooms could |
| resources. | | | | have a considerable impact on our environment. |
| There are a variety of materials that can be | | | | One office of twenty people could potentially |
| recycled. Start with drinking containers. Think | | | | divert over 5000 leftover lunches, cans of soda, |
| about how many cans of soda are purchased | | | | plastic containers, and so on. We only need to |
| from the break room vending machine. It is | | | | imagine how much waste large companies could |
| reasonable to imagine that at least a small sized | | | | recycle. |
| box of aluminum cans could be collected, on a | | | | Using a rating system of 1 to 5, with 5 being the |
| daily basis. At the end of a week, you would have | | | | most beneficial and 1 being the least, lunchroom |
| a considerable amount of aluminum that could be | | | | recycling can be rated on the following levels: |
| diverted. Then there are the plastic bottles and | | | | 4 - Cost - The cost of lunchroom recycling would |
| paper milk cartons. All of these items need to be | | | | be fairly minimal. It is foreseeable that there |
| separated and recycled. A separate bin for all of | | | | would be some cost involved, including purchasing |
| these materials can easily be placed in the | | | | recycling bins, and possibly buying plates, |
| lunchroom. The containers cost very little to | | | | silverware and cups, to avoid using throwaways. |
| purchase; and a couple of large signs, posted in | | | | Buying an office dishwasher is not really |
| the lunchroom, would cost very little, as well. If | | | | necessary, unless it is a large company. |
| your company does not already have a recycler | | | | 2 - Cost Savings - The cost savings of lunchroom |
| to haul the items away, rates are very | | | | recycling would also be minimal. This type of |
| competitive. The municipality may already offer | | | | recycling would be undertaken, mostly for the |
| recycling bins, for an additional fee. | | | | sake of the environment. The only potential |
| There is another way to divert waste, in the | | | | money saved, would be the reduction in the |
| lunchroom. Employees should be encouraged to | | | | purchase of paper plates and plastic cups. |
| buy or bring waste-free lunches. Reusable | | | | 3 - Ease of implementation - A rating of 3 would |
| containers can be used, instead of throwaways. | | | | seem logical. It would not be extremely difficult to |
| Many companies keep paper plates in their | | | | get employees to comply with such a recycling |
| lunchrooms. But, if there is a sink, reusable dishes | | | | program. But, it would take some time to get |
| can be used, and washed by the individual | | | | used to, and to get rid of old habits. It may take |
| employees. Some companies even have | | | | a few reminders and memos. |
| dishwashers, in their lunchroom. This should also | | | | 5 - Impact on our environment - This type of |
| include cups, coffee mugs and silverware. These | | | | recycling program encompasses several different |
| items can be easily washed and stored; and a | | | | types of recycling materials. Essentially, the |
| tremendous amount of waste would be diverted | | | | potential for having a very positive impact on our |
| from garbage bins, landfills, and ultimately, our soil | | | | environment is infinite. |
| and water resources. | | | | Average = 3. |
| Another means of lunchroom recycling could | | | | |