HOW RESTAURANTS CAN LOWER WASTE & INCREASE PROFIT: MIDCITY RESTAURANTS CASE STUDY
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How Restaurants
Can Lower Waste &
Increase Profit:
MidCity Restaurants
Case Study
June 2012 | Washington D.C.
© 2012 Eco-Coach Inc All rights reserved. Reproduction is prohibited without written consent or citation.
00
Appendix
Table of Contents !
02 Executive Summary
04 Background
06 Implementation & Results
10 Conclusion
13 Appendix A
14 Appendix B
© 2012 Eco-Coach Inc All rights reserved. Reproduction is prohibited without written consent or citation.
ABOUT Eco-Coach Eco-Coach, Inc. (www.eco-coach.com) is a leading sustainability advisory firm based in Washington DC and founded in 2006. Eco-Coach provides organizations with the tools and training for long-term organizational success and positive environmental and social impact. Eco-Coach is a woman-owned, certified business enterprise (CBE) that works with clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to small businesses and start-ups. Knowledgeable individuals Eco-Coach has a team of over 70 sustainability professionals and partners who can be readily accessed to meet our clients’ needs. Project teams are hand-picked from this talent pool for the experience, knowledge, and efficiency the team members can bring to each project. A proven methodology Eco-Coach's business methodology is comprehensive, yet modular, enabling customized and dynamic approaches to fit the scale and scope of our clients’ priorities. Engagements can start small and focus progressively and incrementally on the issues that are most important to clients. Sector experience Eco-Coach recognizes the distinctive features of clients' businesses and avoids formulaic responses. Since 2006, Eco-Coach has served various sectors including: financial services, real estate, telecommunications, hospitality, training, higher education, food processing, and management consulting. We have worked with for-profit and non-profit organizations and associations; our clients range from Fortune 500 companies to start-ups. Seeing the forest and the trees Eco-Coach provides clients with short-term actionable guidance towards sustainable policies and practices as well as recommendations for promoting quality growth and creating and preserving value over the long-term. Eco-Coach works with clients to help analyze costs, benefits, and returns on sustainability investments, so that they can measure their results and align their dedication of resources for sustainability with their organizational mission and strategy. A focus on behavior as well as business operations Eco-Coach focuses on the human dimension of sustainability by: helping clients discern the alignment between their strategy and their operations; promoting engaged participation of stakeholders in evaluating, designing, and implementing sustainable policies and practices; and helping organizations to manage change in behaviors as well as modifications to business infrastructure and strategy. Often asked for answers by the media, Eco-Coach has been covered in the Washington Post, SmartCEO, in Style Chicago, Washington Business Journal, Washington Life Magazine, on CBS and the Weather Channel, among many others. © 2012 Eco-Coach Inc All rights reserved. Reproduction is prohibited without written consent or citation.
Executive Summary
2
Eco-Coach’s “How Restaurants can Numerous restaurants today still feel
Lower Waste & Increase Profit: the larger financial constraints,
MidCity Restaurants Case Study” whether in higher commodity costs,
found that incorporating operational restrictions or reduced
sustainability into daily operations earnings.
often times results in an increase to
the bottom line. Waste, in particular, • 83 percent of restaurants
does not have to be a fixed cost, surveyed were fined for non-
although it takes some effort and compliance with recycling
laws.
education to implement a recycling
• Only 17 percent measure the
and composting program. waste they generate.
These findings are based on
interviews and interactions with select Results from this study show that
restaurants from a specific restaurant managers and chefs have
Washington DC neighborhood, the much to gain by increasing their
14th & U St. corridor, also known as sustainability efforts and, specifically,
MidCity, conducted in the summer of by improving their recycling and
2010. The responses speak to composting rates so that they are not
regulations, and changing attitudes fined for not recycling but, rather,
towards sustainability, including an benefit from better waste
“I’m definitely increased interest in taking action,
willing to give They are taking action for three main
specifically as this relates to resource
up some of my reasons:
management. While this survey
profits in order
represents a small sample size, the 1. Financial: Savings from lower
to do the right
thing.”
results are reflective of the Greater waste (including materials, energy
Washington DC restaurant industry and water) comes straight off the
and of the mindset then as well as bottom line. Unlike cutting staff,
today. decreasing waste improves rather
than detracts from restaurants’
In Washington DC, 2010 was a pivotal
ability to deliver value to
year for those managing restaurants.
customers. The true cost of waste
Customers were increasingly asking
includes :
for organic, local, and sustainable
food and business practices. Some • Excess ordering (discrepancy
restaurants struggled with ways to between amount ordered and
offer competitive, value-added eco- amount used);
friendly items on their menus while • Tipping and hauling fees;
keeping costs in line. The solution was • Waste compliance fines;
found in smart, sustainable • Labor costs for extra clean-up;
procurement and cost reduction in and
select areas, such as waste.
© 2012 Eco-Coach Inc All rights reserved. Reproduction is prohibited without written consent or citation.
• Lagging community relations • More motivated employees,
due to: smell, rodents, messy and decreased turnover;
containers, noisy haulers. • A decreased risk of prosecution,
and fines; and
2. Compliance: Waste regulation • Less time wasted addressing
costs are rising. In Washington DC, issues with state or federal
fines were previously based on authorities.
square footage but are now the
same regardless of the size of the Successful restaurants continue to
building. When a restaurant mixes invest in green capabilities,
garbage with recycling, it faces a sustainable management, and green
fine of $200 on the first offense vendor relationships. Evolving client
and up to $1,500 on expectations require restaurants to
3
subsequent offenses. 1 provide elevated levels of strategic
and operational competencies,
3. Competition The competition is including efforts to increase
taking action. Eco-Coach found sustainability.
that 70 percent of the restaurants
surveyed had taken at least one
practical step to improve their
sustainability performance. Many
of the surveyed restaurants see
this as a serious part of
maintaining a competitive
advantage over their rivals. If a
restaurant has a better
“As an owner, environmental performance than
to save money its competitors, it will enjoy:
all we do is look • Lower operating costs and
in the either a higher profit margin or
trashcan.” a more competitive pricing
structure;
• Greater responsiveness to
future change, new legislation,
and customer demand;
• Better PR and marketing
opportunities;
1
“D.C. to enforce recycling laws” The GW
Hatchet, 2009;
http://media.www.gwhatchet.com/media/stora
ge/
paper332/news/2011/01/18/News/D.c-
To.Enforce.Recycling.Laws-3968926.shtml
© 2012 Eco-Coach Inc All rights reserved. Reproduction is prohibited without written consent or citation.
Background
4
Columbia Department of Public four days per week were spent with
Works (DPW), Howard University, some of the other program partners
the Walter E. Washington Convention on other projects throughout the city.
Center, the Alice Ferguson
Competition is a Foundation, Keep America Beautiful, The original purpose of the project
strong motivator was to educate restaurants and help
for the move and the Mid-City Business
Association, supported a program to them raise their recycling rates and
towards
sustainability. help educate young adults about decrease fines. This was spurred by an
recycling and waste management increased focus from the District of
practices in the District of Columbia. Columbia government on compliance
Six Howard University students with recycling laws, which resulted in
participated in the program. The goals higher restaurant costs due to
were as follows: noncompliance.
• Equip young adults with relevant By law, recycling is required in all
skills and understanding of commercial establishments in the
resource management issues; District. Violations of the District’s
• Work with local businesses and recycling laws are subject to tickets
educational institutions to elevate and fines ranging from $200 to
sustainable practices within the $1,500. Since 1989, the District of
community;
Columbia has regulated the recycling
• Increase diversity of voices in
resource management; of bottles, cans and paper in all
• Develop skills to increase civic businesses within its borders. Glass,
participation and community metal and paper products must be
organizing; separated and containerized
• Add capacity to local school independently of other solid waste; a
recycling efforts; and bi-annual, official Recycling Plan
• Use this as a pilot and, when
must be submitted; and businesses
successful, apply the model to
other neighborhoods in the must pass a recycling inspection.2
District.
Commercial recycling in the District
Eco-Coach supported the students by has been on a steady increase in
developing a project to help them recent years. The District Department
educate restaurants in the 14th & U of the Environment’s (DEP) public
Street area about recycling and report on recycling for fiscal year
resource management. This included 2009 recorded an increase and all-
creating training materials and time high of recycled material at 1,792
conducting the actual training of the tons. Commercial establishments
During July and interns so they would have the
August of 2010, knowledge to speak to restaurants.
Eco-Coach, in Interns trained and worked on the
partnership with 2District of Columbia Department of Public
project in 14th and U Street area one Works;
the District of day a week for six weeks. The other http://dpw.dc.gov/DC/DPW/Services+on+Your
+Block/Recycling/Commercial+Recycling
© 2012 Eco-Coach Inc All rights reserved. Reproduction is prohibited without written consent or citation.
5
reported collection of more than recycling and resource management
112,444 tons of recyclable materials. knowledge that existed within each
However, compliance continues to be venue, identify current practices, and
a challenge and is therefore a top begin educating staff about recycling
priority at DEP. In 2009, DPW and composting.
conducted 3,114 commercial
inspections and issued 1,409 To address this new focus, Eco-Coach
violations to ensure compliance with developed of a survey, with follow-up
recycling laws.3 interviews at each restaurant. This
was a first step to putting together a
While recycling fines and the resulting restaurant resource management
costs were a concern, Eco-Coach, in training program for both back of the
working with the interns to support house (i.e. kitchen) and front of the
the project, determined that the house (i.e. client-facing) staff.
restaurants were not yet ready to
focus on increasing their recycling The team met with nine local
rates. Instead, the team found varying restaurant managers and conducted
levels of education around recycling the survey and follow-up interviews.
and resource management, and Below is the list of the restaurants
determined that the program focus that were interviewed and surveyed as
should shift to information-gathering. part of this outreach and education
The new purpose of the project effort.
Contact
Restaurant Location Website
Surveyed
1833 14th Street
Bar Pilar www.barpilar.com Chef
Northwest
1211 U Street
Ben's Next Door www.bensnextdoor.com Owner
Northwest
1847 14th Street
Cafe Saint-Ex www.saint-ex.com Owner
Northwest
2019 11th Street
Chix www.chixdc.com Owner
Northwest
1410 U Street
DC Noodles www.dcnoodles.com Owner
Northwest
1423 P Street
Logan Tavern www.logantavern.com Owner
Northwest
Oohh’s and 1005 U Street
www.oohhsnaahhs.com Owner
Aahh’s Northwest
1904 14th Street
Policy www.policydc.com Chef
Northwest
1608 14th Street
Rice www.ricerestaurant.com Owner
Northwest
became to determine the degree of
© 2012 Eco-Coach Inc All rights reserved. Reproduction is prohibited without written consent or citation.
Implementation & Results
6
Implementation Results
The surveys were developed to The survey results provided
identify the issues restaurants were substantial evidence showing that
facing, to collect information on the managers and chefs have much to
sustainability tools and services gain by improving the sustainability
needed, and to determine what
measures will work for each particular performance of their restaurants and
venue. A total of nine restaurants in specifically, their recycling and
the 14th & U Street area participated. composting efforts. The findings have
The surveys were provided to the been summarized into ten points,
owner or general manager as well as listed below. Detailed survey
to the chef. Each survey had responses can be found in Appendix B.
approximately 50 questions, including
some questions with multiple parts. 1. Restaurants are wasting
Sample questions included: money by not addressing waste.
- What are your current waste
Savings from cutting waste (including
reduction efforts?
- Have you been fined by the materials, energy and water) comes
Waste is picked straight off the bottom line. If a
up six days a
District? If so, please describe an
week for 25 incident and include waste type restaurant’s profit margin is 5 percent,
percent of those and type of citation. What is the every $1 saved in this way is
surveyed. impact of fines on staff time equivalent to $20 worth of new sales.
annually? And unlike cutting staff, cutting waste
- Are there any seasonal
fluctuations in waste generation? improves rather than detracts from
- Do you receive reports about the their ability to deliver value to their
volume of waste your haulers customers.
collect from you?
- Are you purchasing recycled goods? 2. The true cost of waste can be
- What incentives or practices do immense. Most restaurants
you have in place to reduce loss of realize the high cost of waste
china, glass and flatware? disposal, but the true cost is
- What is your biggest waste actually higher. This is because
management difficulty? waste disposal also includes:
- Excess ordering (discrepancy
Appendix B provides a list of the between amount ordered and
questions and answers provided. amount used);
- Tipping and hauling fees
The managers and chefs were then - Waste compliance fines;
interviewed for follow-up and - Labor costs for extra clean-up;
- Lagging community relations due
clarification purposes. Each interview to: smell, rodents, messy
lasted approximately 30 minutes. containers, noisy dump
trucks/haulers; and
- Opportunity costs of not being
able to sell extra food.
© 2012 Eco-Coach Inc All rights reserved. Reproduction is prohibited without written consent or citation.
7
7
3. Energy, waste and water costs same regardless of the size of the
are rising. The cost of energy for building. If a restaurant mixes
commercial businesses in the D.C. garbage with recycling, it faces a fine
area rose over 75 percent from 2000 of $200 on the first offense and up to
to 2009.4 Waste costs continue to rise $1,500 on subsequent offenses.6
as landfill costs escalate and the types
of materials that can be landfilled 5. Prosecution risks increase
become more restricted. Hauling with increased enforcement.
costs also contribute to a restaurant’s Shifting incrementally to keep ahead
carbon footprint. Clean water of the law is both expensive and time
resources are becoming scarcer and consuming, whereas eradicating
increasingly expensive. Groundwater potential problems ahead of time is
resources, which provide half of the cheaper in the long run and keeps a
country’s drinking water as well as restaurant ahead of the competition.
A business irrigation for crops and water for Regulators are increasingly taking a
that ignores industrial use, are diminishing, fine-and-risk-based approach to
environmental according to the U.S. Geological enforcement. If a restaurant routinely
performance is Survey’s (USGS) Groundwater stores its waste bins on public land,
actually
Resources Program. Due to these
5 stores hazardous materials or has
moving frequent hauling, they face a much
cost pressures, a business that ignores
backward – higher risk of fines and penalties
not standing
its environmental performance is
actually moving backward – not related to breaking the law. Additional
still.
standing still. consequences include potential
prosecution and negative impacts on
4. Compliance costs are rising. In community relations.
2011, District officials began enforcing
new recycling laws that require all D.C. 6. Restaurants are missing great
residents, apartment buildings and PR opportunities. With increased
companies to recycle their trash. The media attention on “green” issues,
biggest changes to the recycling law sustainability provides a great
regard amendments to the fine opportunity to promote positive news
structure – previous fines were based stories in the media and with
on square footage but are now the advertising. Positive green public
relations will impress a wide range of
audiences, including customers, the
4 Commercial Sector Energy Price and Expendit
ure Estimates, 1970-2009, District of Columbia,
government and the general public.
U.S. Energy Information Administration;
http://www.eia.gov/state/seds/hf.jsp?incfile=s
ep_prices/com/pr_com_DC.html&mstate=Dist
rict%20of%20Columbia
6 “D.C. to enforce recycling laws” The GW
5“America’s Water Supply: Scarcity Becoming Hatchet, 2009;
Endemic”, Circle of Blue, October 12, 2009; http://media.www.gwhatchet.com/media/stora
http://www.circleofblue.org/waternews/2009/ ge/
world/america%E2%80%99s-water-supply- paper332/news/2011/01/18/News/D.c-
scarcity-becoming-endemic/ To.Enforce.Recycling.Laws-3968926.shtml
© 2012 Eco-Coach Inc All rights reserved. Reproduction is prohibited without written consent or citation.
8
7. Pressure from community and 9. Staff members are demanding
local environmental groups. A changes. Green initiatives are a
high-profile restaurant can be at significant factor in staff retention
direct risk from community, and new hires. In the United States, a
environmental and human rights survey of over 4,400 MonsterTRAK
groups if it does not take steps to members found that 80 percent of
address sustainability and community recent graduates and young
stewardship issues. professionals are interested in
securing a job that has a positive
8. Customers are demanding impact on the environment. Over 90
changes. Restaurants sell to the percent of those surveyed claimed
public and certain customers are they would prefer to work for an
going solidly green. The proportion of environmentally-friendly employer8.
Restaurants are
local and organic food sold in the
increasingly
aware of the need United States is growing daily. If a 10. The competition is making
to apply business demonstrates its green changes. The survey found that 70
sustainable initiatives, it will likely increase its percent of the restaurants had taken
business
practices to their
customer base. According to a at least one practical step to improve
operations. National Restaurant Association their sustainability performance.
survey conducted in 20097, around 40 Many of the surveyed restaurants see
percent of restaurant patrons said sustainability as a serious part of
they are likely to make a restaurant maintaining a competitive advantage
choice based on an operation’s over their rivals. If a restaurant’s
practices in the areas of energy and environmental performance is better
water conservation. Those numbers than its competitors’, it will enjoy:
are continuing to rise.
- Lower operating costs and either a
If an establishment sells to other higher profit margin or a more
businesses, then that establishment’s competitive pricing structure;
- Greater responsiveness to future
environmental performance also
change, new legislation, and
influences their customers’ customer demand;
environmental footprint. Increasingly, - Better PR and marketing
larger organizations are demanding opportunities;
information on the performance of - More motivated employees and
their suppliers. Additionally, the attract top talent; and
public sector is using “green
procurement” to meet sustainability
goals. Not improving environmental
performance could mean forfeiting 8 “MonsterTRAK Joins Forces with ecoAmerica
business. to Launch GreenCareers by MonsterTRAK.”
AllBusiness.com, 2007;
http://www.allbusiness.com/labor-
7 “Restaurants Going Green” Wheaterville, 2009; employment/human-resources-personnel-
http://www.wheaterville.com/ViewStory.aspx?g management/5284565-1.html
=38986634-6b87-4031-a2b9-d67cc9f1df46
© 2012 Eco-Coach Inc All rights reserved. Reproduction is prohibited without written consent or citation. 9
- A decreased risk of prosecution, of
attracting negative campaigns and
encountering issues with state or
federal authorities.
Select Comments
Notable comments from the survey
included:
• “As an owner, to save money all we
do is look in the trashcan.”
• “I didn’t know that many other
options were available to me.”
• “The biggest difficulty of waste
management is the sheer volume
of it – it’s bothersome.”
Not improving
environmental
• “Why aren’t all of the other D.C.
performance restaurants composting?”
could mean • “All of our food is utilized, so that
forfeiting none goes in the trash – that’s the
business.
chef’s job.”
• “We try not to have much waste,
and we prefer to run out of stuff.”
• “Knowing how to discard it is the
biggest barrier to composting.”
• “It’s hard to change attitudes.”
• “We try to be conscientious
because it’s the right thing.”
• “Ultimately, we’re all in this
together.”
• “Economics should help people do
the right thing.”
See Appendix A for additional quotes.
© 2012 Eco-Coach Inc All rights reserved. Reproduction is prohibited without written consent or citation.Conclusion
10
0
Conclusion Public and Private Partnerships
Facilitate the Process
Implementing sustainable business
practices has become a top priority for Many restaurant owners would like to
many restaurateurs. The conclusions see more government support in their
drawn from this relatively small efforts to reduce garbage and increase
sample of restaurants hold true for a recycling.
majority of restaurants in the United
States that are working to improve While a proportion of owners feel
their resource management, some motivation to implement these
efforts already, they believe that the
Only 14 percent of the restaurants District can play a critical role by
surveyed had trained their offering more incentives to entice
employees on waste and recycling. more substantive changes.
specifically to increase recycling and Only 20 percent of the restaurants
composting and decrease waste to surveyed knew where their recycling
landfill. went. The current enforcement based
approach does not necessarily
Education is Key encourage operators to do the right
83 percent of
thing. Some telling comments include:
the surveyed Based on these conversations with
restaurants had restaurant owners and chefs, and “Enforcement leads to tension
been fined for many other informal discussions, between the venue and government
noncompliance there is a clear need for more officials.” and “Economics should help
with the local education and training around people do the right thing.” In fact,
recycling law.
recycling and composting. some operators built the cost of fines
into their business plans, because they
While all agreed that training the staff
felt the fines were inevitable.
from the beginning of their
employment is a good idea, few were Further, many restaurants stated they
doing it. Many also stated that
education cannot be a one-time effort, were blamed and fined for dumping
but must be on-going. Some problems they are not responsible for.
managers suggested that a training They felt that the District simply fined
primer should be developed for the restaurants instead of working to
restaurants to help with these efforts, find illegal dumping or violators.
and that on-line tools, hand-outs and However, some restaurants
information that can be read in short
commented that their waste was not a
time periods would be the best
approach, given the limited time that significant problem because, “All of
most back of house and front of house our food is utilized, so that none goes
staff have to spend on training.
© 2012 Eco-Coach Inc All rights reserved. Reproduction is prohibited without written consent or citation. 11
in the trash – that’s the chef’s job.” 83 percent of the restaurants do
not measure their waste. On the
Another issue that emerged was the other hand, 40 percent of the
need to work with neighborhood restaurants surveyed are
groups. Unfortunately, public composting.
relations around waste issues can
goals (based on weight or number of
become a problem and restaurants are
bags/containers) enables the business
sensitive to their neighbors: “We don’t
to track and manage what is going out
want to anger the neighbors.”
of the building.
Resource Management is a Team
Metrics give timely feedback and
Effort
goals create successes, thus increasing
Framing recycling, composting and the likelihood of employee buy-in.
waste reduction as a team effort
Learn from Others’ Experiences
results in a higher recycling rate
though, as one respondent stated: Restaurant owners can learn from
“It’s hard to change attitudes.” each other when it comes to
sustainability by sharing successes
Integrating waste reduction and
and lessons learned.
recycling procedures into routine
employee training is key to making All restaurants stated they were
these practices into a team effort and willing to share innovative
motivating employees to participate. successes with the community.
However, before moving forward, it is
important to begin with an
Composting is Increasing in
assessment of current practices and
Popularity
current attitudes. This is to ensure
that the messaging and training is in Forty percent of the restaurants were
line with the culture of the restaurant already composting. Another 20
and addresses the cultural language, percent stated they were composting
personalities and learning styles of some materials. All were willing to try
the staff. to overcome any barriers to
composting.
Metrics are a Must
Working Together Can Create
Conducting a waste audit and setting
Economies of Scale
waste reduction goals is another
important step. Once the waste is There is also potential for combining
quantified, it can be managed, tracked buying power for more costly items
and decreased. like compostable tableware, or
sharing waste costs: “Ultimately,
Setting solid waste reduction goals
and increased recycling/composting
© 2012 Eco-Coach Inc All rights reserved. Reproduction is prohibited without written consent or citation. 12
we’re all in this together.” But: “The
biggest hurdle is for people to realize
that they want to get together.”
63 percent stated they would be
willing or ‘possibly’ willing to get
into a cooperative waste/recycling .
Market without Greenwashing
Restaurants can also take advantage
of their new, greener practices by
publicizing their progress and
participation in recycling/composting
programs. Sixty percent of those
surveyed are already serving as
industry leaders. Restaurants can
take advantage of their new, greener
practices by publicizing their progress
and participation in
recycling/composting programs.
Many customers want to know that
their favorite eateries are being less
wasteful and more environmentally
conscious. This may even prompt the
customers to think more about
improving their own food waste,
recycling and composting practices at
home or at work.
© 2012 Eco-Coach Inc All rights reserved. Reproduction is prohibited without written consent or citation.Appendix A
13
Appendix A: Comments from • “People should do the right thing,
Survey Respondents and we try to direct them.”
• “I’m definitely willing to give up
Waste management: some of my profits in order to do
• “The trash company doesn’t collect the right thing.”
on time.” Sustainability:
• “The haulers aren’t always reliable.”
• “I didn’t know that many other • “It’s hard to change attitudes.”
options were available to me.” • “We try to be conscientious
• “As an owner, to save money all we because it’s the right thing.”
do is look in the trashcan.” • “We work with other people based
• “The biggest difficulty of waste on their practices.”
management is the sheer volume • “I don’t doubt that other
of it – it’s bothersome.” businesses would like to save
money.”
Composting: • “Ultimately, we’re all in this
• “Why aren’t all of the other D.C. together.”
restaurants composting?” • “The biggest hurdle is for people to
• “All of our food is utilized, so that realize that they want to get
none goes in the trash – that’s the together.”
chef’s job.” • “Economics should help people do
• “We try not to have much waste, the right thing.”
and we prefer to run out of stuff.” Management:
• “Knowing how to discard it is the
biggest barrier to composting.” • “It would be helpful to create
manuals for property managers
Regulation: and landlords.”
• “The dumpster is never • “Specific checklists would be good
overflowing, but it’s always full.” for owners, dishwashers,
• “There isn’t any more space for bartenders, chefs, etc.”
trash in the alley.” • “Provide training materials and
• “The city needs to start thinking posted resources for staff, and
about where the trash will go, and translate into other languages so
they have to give us some options.” that good practices are better
• “They have pictures of illegally integrated into everyday routine.”
dumped trash – the fact is that it’s
there.”
Public relations:
• “We don’t want to anger the
neighbors.”
© 2012 Eco-Coach Inc All rights reserved. Reproduction is prohibited without written consent or citation. Appendix B
Appendix B: Survey Results Question 4: Do you have
different hauling contractors for
Question 1: Have you been fined different materials types?
by the District?
No
17%
No
17%
Yes
Yes
83%
83%
Question 5: Is the dumpster full
Question 2: Have you filled out a
at the time it is emptied by your
DC recycling management plan?
hauler?
Some4m
Yes
es
33%
17%
No
Yes
67%
83%
Question 3: Do you know if you Question 6: What is your general
have dumpsters on public space? satisfaction with your haulers?
Very
Okay
Not
Good
20%
Sure
20%
17%
Yes
33%
Good
60%
No
50%
14
© 2012 Eco-Coach Inc All rights reserved. Reproduction is prohibited without written consent or citation. 15
Question 7: How often do your Question 10: How often do you
dumpster or bin overflow? have track pick-ups?
4x/ 6x/
week
week
OCen
Occasi 25%
25%
20%
onally
40%
Rarely
40%
1x/ 2x/
week
week
25%
25%
Question 11: How are waste pick-
Question 8: On Mondays that are
ups overseen by your
holidays, do you regularly have
organization?
pick-ups?
Not
Busers
overseen
25%
No
Some-‐
25%
50%
4mes
50%
General
Staff
Owner
25%
25%
Question 9: Does your hauler
pick up before 7am?
Question 12a: What equipment
do you have to facilitate your
Not
recycling program?
sure
20%
No
None
80%
25%
Recyclin
g
Bins
75%
© 2012 Eco-Coach Inc All rights reserved. Reproduction is prohibited without written consent or citation. 16
Question 12b: What types of Question 14: What is the bulk of
waste do you15
generate? your waste stream?
Napkins, glass/bottles, very little A lot of cardboard, some food
aluminum waste
Paper and plastic (i.e. paper cups, Food and food containers
straws, napkins) Food waste, paper, glass, plastic
Corrugated cardboard, paper bags, Glass
food containers, compostable Cardboard
organic waste, plastic gloves,
batteries, stretch wrap Question 15: Are there any
Corrugated cardboard, newsprint, seasonal fluctuations in your
office paper, aluminum, glass, waste generation?
food containers, compostable
organic waste, soiled and non-
recyclable paper (maybe a small
amount), used fryer oil (recycled),
grease (filtering system for drains) Yes
Corrugated cardboard, a little 100%
office paper, paper bags, tin,
aluminum, wine bottles and
broken glass, food containers, food
waste, grease , some stretch wrap, Question 16: What do you
light bulbs separate?
Question 13: What materials do Cardboard
you currently recycle? Recycling, grease
Recycling, grease, food waste
Cardboard (compost)
Cardboard (composted), glass, Toxins, food waste, cardboard,
plastic (some compostable), paper glass, plastic, and cans
(composted), batteries, soda cans Toxins, grease, cleaner, food waste,
Cardboard, glass, plastic cardboard, glass, plastic, and cans
(sometimes), aluminum cans, it is
single stream recycling
Cardboard, glass, plastic
(sometimes), aluminum cans, it is
single stream recycling
Cardboard, Styrofoam, glass,
plastic, paper, aluminum cans,
metal
Glass, plastic, aluminum cans,
halogen light bulbs
© 2012 Eco-Coach Inc All rights reserved. Reproduction is prohibited without written consent or citation.
Question 17: Do you donate food? Question 20: Have you surveyed
your employees on waste and
recycling?
Yes
Rarely
Yes
33%
34%
14%
Some4
mes
33%
No
86%
Question 18: Is the waste you Question 21: Do you have a
generate measured? waste coordinator?
Not
formally
Yes
14%
17%
No
14%
Yes
No
72%
83%
Question 19: Who collects waste Question 22: Do you have a
in your restaurant? maintenance contractor?
Busers/barbacks
Whomever is there at the time—
No
restaurant staff perform multiple 33%
functions
Dishwashers, busers Yes
67%
Dishwasher in the kitchen;
waitstaff in the front
17
© 2012 Eco-Coach Inc All rights reserved. Reproduction is prohibited without written consent or citation. 18
Question 23: What are your daily Question 25: Do you use grease
or weekly or monthly cleaning traps?
and maintenance programs for
equipment?
Things are cleaned daily, and once
a week filters for hood are changed.
Outside contractors clean the Yes
100%
rotisserie ovens once/month, big
oven once/month, exhaust filters
once/2 weeks.
Clean every Monday
Hood- 3 months, Fryer- weekly, Question 26: What company do
you use for grease management?
Stove- weekly, Refrigerators-
weekly Tardie
Hood- 3 months, Fryer- weekly, Biodie
sel
Valley
Stove- weekly, Refrigerators-
40%
Protei
weekly n
Hood – daily, Fryer - four 40%
Free
times/year, Stove- four times/year, with
Refrigerators - four times/year; China
20%
Have grease picked up
Hood – 2 months
Question 27: Do you get a check
Question 24: Do you have a every month for your oil or
cleaning contractor? grease?
To
At first the restaurant was paid for
some
their grease, then it was collected
extent
33%
Yes
for free, now the restaurant pays
34%
for pickup, but they do get small
No
rebate checks.
33%
Sometimes checks from Valley
Protein
Sort of- sometimes get checks
from Valley Protein
Yes, small amount
Yes, 2 or 3 months
© 2012 Eco-Coach Inc All rights reserved. Reproduction is prohibited without written consent or citation. 19
Question 28: What type of Question 31: Do they clean up
grease container do you use? spills?
Procin
Metal
25%
receptac Unsure
Yes
le
25%
25%
25%
Box
No
50%
50%
Question 29: Where do you store Question 32: How are goods
your oil/grease containers? delivered to your site?
Outside in the back- all In plastic bags on racks. Also
restaurants share some things come in cardboard.
Outside in the back- all Cardboard
restaurants share By truck, in cardboard mostly,
Outside others in Styrofoam for heat
Front door
Question 30: Does your hauling Truck to front or back
company provide cleaning info By truck, bag, alley or front
for spills?
Question 33: Do you receive
goods in permanent or reusable
systems?
No
The racks are reused
100%
No- containers get recycled or
thrown away
Not in reusable system
We ask for recyclable containers
and ask suppliers not to send
Styrofoam
Yes
© 2012 Eco-Coach Inc All rights reserved. Reproduction is prohibited without written consent or citation.
Question 34: Are you purchasing Question 37: Do you have a
recycled goods? vendor questionnaire?
Some4 Yes,
mes
Informa
20%
l
Yes
25%
40%
No
No
40%
75%
Question 35: Do you know where Question 38: What incentives do
your recycling goes? you have in place to reduce loss
of china, glass and flatware?
No good system for silverware.
Yes
Glass is collected in plastic buckets.
20%
Employees are fined if they break
No
glass- $2 a glass.
80%
Don’t have breakable dishes, etc.
because there is no space for
washing.
None
Question 36: Do you advertise in
There is not a lot of breakage,
newspapers?
some wine glasses, but not a major
expense. They have separate tubs
for glasses, for plates, and for
Yes
stemware. Yelling at them It is
20%
illegal to deduct money out of
employee paychecks for breakage,
No
80%
although they can be fired
Punishment, maybe a bonus from
baseline
20
© 2012 Eco-Coach Inc All rights reserved. Reproduction is prohibited without written consent or citation. 21
Question 39: What incentives do pushing that through repetition
you have for employees to and consistency
reduce waste? Kitchen design, knowledge of
composting, worries about vermin,
None (3 responses) cost, other challenges of
Lose job – waste down composting
Yell at them
Question 42: What are your
Question 40: Are you current waste reduction efforts?
composting?
Not really anything in place-
nothing new, just common sense
A
liXle
Training/working with staff to
20%
Yes
make sure they don’t waste
40%
Clean up around to keep rats down.
No
Others don’t think it is important
40%
to clean the alley every week; uncle
cleans every week to keep down
the rats. Nightclubs are a bigger
Question 41: If not, what are issue because they pile up the
your biggest barriers? trash
Composting, recycling. In the near
Not having much knowledge about future, will be replacing straws
it, and concerns about the smell with compostable straws. We also
Staying on top of the company for currently ask bartenders not to
pickups. Also with compostable give them unless asked by
products- they are much more customers
expensive, and while some are We buy compostable to-go
cheap, they are often of lower containers. Do not provide plastic
quality bags or cutlery. We are also in the
No space inside or outside. Can’t process of replacing regular plastic
do it on public space. It’s too much straws with compostable ones.
effort to gather in a clean in Bartenders/servers only give
efficient manner. Not sure how straws out when requested
much it would cost City enforces 5 cents for plastic
In the beginning there was a “fear bags. Recycle. Recycle dirty
of change” amongst the employees. aluminum foil
We tried to go the parks &
recreation route and partner with
community gardens for compost,
but it did not work out. Also,
getting employees to do it, bumps
up against a fear of change. Keeps
© 2012 Eco-Coach Inc All rights reserved. Reproduction is prohibited without written consent or citation. 22
Question 43: What is your make Spanish tortillas, fish soup
biggest waste management and smoked salmon is made from
difficulty? leftover salmon. In dealing with
getting employees to comply with
The volume of waste that is the waste reduction program,
generated on weekends and not repetition is key; and also, telling
having pickups for it them as a group, rather than
Working with smaller haulers singling out certain individuals.
(especially composters) Glass recycling also took some
City more trash opportunity to time to get bartenders to change
recycle more spots business grows their habits, also getting bar
– compactor - share deal with all patrons to recycle on the weekends
different people too hard to deal Suppliers - packaging smaller
with save money in longer run batches; bulk buying. Wholesaler
How can regulate it how much should help
does it call from outside – bar
pilar owns it and then other pay Question 45: How do you deal
them . let me know would it works with the public-community
-- barrier to six days pick up relations of waste?
willing to work with folks waste
issue easier to deal with. Mine is Haven’t had any issues with the
locked public/community regarding
City and residents; illegal dumping. waste
We call and report illegal dumping We once had problems with
to the city, but we still get fined for pickup too early in the morning,
it but that has been mitigated. One
Biggest waste management issue that is still ongoing at times
difficulty is people/staff. We talk is the noise associated with glass
to employees in groups, rather disposal at night.
than singling out people Deal directly with the neighbors
individually, and gives 4-5 talks Question 46: Is there anything
annually we can provide to assist you
Ensuring that all the staff know in your waste reduction
Question 44: Is there anything efforts?
else that you can tell us about More information about bottle
your waste management collection and composting, but
(reduction, recycling, especially bottles.
purchasing program)?
A lot of dishes on the menu are
made from “scraps”- 200 eggs
leftover from brunch are used to
© 2012 Eco-Coach Inc All rights reserved. Reproduction is prohibited without written consent or citation. 23
• More incentives for businesses to Work with DPW to manage fines –
reduce waste. For example, D.C. some may not be our fault
should have tax breaks for those Organize common area for odd
that are sustainable/more waste like old pipe compressor or
environmentally friendly steel recycling. Mid-City could
• Would like to reduce carbon provide a public space to recycle
footprint. City needs to give us these
options - we would be happy to Provide facility first inside at little
compost on public space but now cost near compost so it is easy to
there are too many cans manage cater to operation don’t
Would like help with incentives manage own trash
and city programs Property managers / landlord
Resources for wind, solar, provide a manual
remodeling ‘green’ Specific check list for line-cook,
Green marketing support dishwasher, bartender, waiter,
Address ways to bridge the kitchen staff, manager, chef
cultural language – training for Graphics for staff translate – Thai,
different personalities Spanish, Chinese, Korean
Train all employees from the Make easy lists with vetted
beginning. Need ongoing providers; procurement lists
education not just one-time.
Training manual should highlight Question 47a: Would you be
how people should do the right willing to serve as an industry
thing and stress that is it their job leader?
and the morally right thing to do,
not provide any carrots/incentives
Education - Examine what is No
coming back to the kitchen food- 20%
wise, and minimize that. Get away Maybe
Yes
from paper on tables and replace 20%
60%
with table cloth. Change to-go
products to compostable; do what
we can eliminate Styrofoam
Have farms provide their produce
in biodegradable containers
Green cleaning alternatives.
Provide examples of alternative
packaging for waste (trash liners,
etc…)
Neighborhood groups. Address
public community issues in alley,
such as mice and rats
© 2012 Eco-Coach Inc All rights reserved. Reproduction is prohibited without written consent or citation. 24
Question 47b: Would you be
willing to share innovative
successes?
Yes
100%
Question 47c: Would you be
willing to add your actions to a
case study?
Yes
100%
Question 48: Would you be
willing to get into a cooperative
waste/recycling arrangement
with other businesses?
Already
in
one
17%
Yes
33%
Possibly
50%
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