WASTEREDUCTIONSTRATEGY2010

ELEANORROTHMAN

1





WASTEREDUCTIONSTRATEGY2010

FortheLosAngelesarchitecturefirm

ByEleanorRothmanFrederickFisherandPartnersArchitectsJuly2010

WASTEREDUCTIONSTRATEGY2010

ELEANORROTHMAN

2

WASTEREDUCTIONSTRATEGY

ByEleanorRothman

Betweensamplingproducts,makingmodels,printingplots,studyingmagazines,andusingelectronicsoftware,architecturefirmsareconstantlyindemandofmaterials.Yetnomaterialshaveapermanenthomeinouroffices.Consequently,weendupproducingahugeamountofwaste.Witheverymis-measuredfoamroofingmodeloroutdatedsample,wesendacomplicatedandvaluablematerialtobethrownaway.Yet“away”nolongerexists,andyoucan’t“throw”anythingthere.Theactionisobsolete.Ourworldisspinningtowardsthedaywhendisposalbecomesimpossibleandallwastemustbeaccountedfor.Infact,thatdayisalmostuponus.Thusitisimperativethatindividualsandcompanyleadersimplementsustainablepracticesintheirlivesandbusinesses.Belowisaguideforthefirststepsinwastereductionandresponsibility.Takeamomenttoreviewtheseguidelinesanddoyourpart,howeverinsignificantitmayfeel.RememberthatAmerica’smentalityisshifting.Ouryouthisnolongerlearningaboutgarbagefacilitiesorevenrecycling:theyarelearningthat

thereisnosuchthingaswaste.



REDUCE

Usetheinternet.

Manycompaniesareswitchingtotheinternettodisplaytheirproductinformation.Trytoavoidorderingsamplesandproductbindersbyusingonlinesourceswheneverpossible.Thiswillalsoopenupspaceinyouroffice.

Knowyoursources.

Alwaysoptfortheeco-mindedbrand.

Whenthatisn’tpossible,orderLOCALLY.ForaLosAngelesbasedfirm,samplesfromCaliforniaareinherentlymoresustainablethansamplesfromItaly.

Orderefficiently.

Inordertominimizedriving/shippingemissions,limityoursampleorderstowhatyouactuallyneedandordertheminoneshipment.

REUSE

Contacttherepresentative.

Often,companiesproducingmaterialsampleswillreclaimthemforreuseorrecycleintheirownfacilities.SuchorganizationsincludeShawCarpetandHeathCeramics.Someoftheserepsacceptproductsfromothercompanies,sogivethemacall.

Emailtheoffice.

Manyofoursampleshavegreatartisticpossibilities.Oddsaresomeoneintheofficeisinterestedinthematerialsyouarelookingtodiscard.Sendoutafriendlyemailtoyourcoworkersandyoumaygetsomehits.

Postanad.

InametropolitanMeccalikeLosAngeles,peoplearealwayslookingforsomething,especiallysomethingfree.PostanadforyourmaterialsononeofSouthernCalifornia’smanysellingandtradingsites,andyou’resuretogetplentyofhitsanddiscoverexcitingprojects.StartwithCraigslist(www.craigslist.com

)andFreecycle(www.freecycle.org

),thenmoveontogovernment

WASTEREDUCTIONSTRATEGY2010

ELEANORROTHMAN

3

sponsoredtradingcitessuchasLACoMax(http://dpw.lacounty.gov/epd/lacomax/

)andCalMax(http://www.calrecycle.ca.gov/calmax/).



Createacontactlist.

Asyoureceiveresponsestoyourposting,inquireastowhethertheresponderswouldliketobenotifiedduringfuturecleanouts.Addanyreliablepersonstoacontactlist(atmyoffice,wecallitour“TrashtoTreasure”list).Then,duringfuturecleanouts,youwillhaveasolidbasetostartwith.

RECYCLE

Getwiththeprogram.

ThereareplentyofavailablerecyclingprogramsforbusinessesinLosAngeles,CA.

Usethem.

Doyourresearch.

Knowwhichmaterialsarerecyclableandwhicharen’t.

Usethecansaccordingly.

Don’tbelazy.

Thoughtheremaybeatrashcanconvenientlylocatedunderyourdesk,getsomeexerciseandwalktheextratenfeettotherecyclingbin.Itwon’ttakeasignificantchunkoutofyourday.



RESOURCES

G

reenproducts:



Carpet:ShawContractGroup

Dalton,GAwww.shawcontractgroup.com(800)257-7429

•

CradletoCradleSilver,NSF140,CRIGreenLabelPlus,GoodEnvironmentalChoicecertification.

•

100%recyclablewithrecyclingservicesincluded.

Ceiling/wall:PhonstopAcousticCeilingandWallTiles