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23 Sep 02 - green offices; cups; Ikea; green building; grocery bags ** WASTE PREVENTION FORUM ** -- A project of the National Waste Prevention Coalition -------- Forum archive: http://www.reuses.com/nwpcarchive -------------------- From Laine Phillips, Target Zero resource efficiency and waste minimisation initiative, Christchurch City Council, Christchurch, New Zealand: I am developing a Green Office Programme that assists tenants of existing commercial buildings to reduce their energy use, reduce waste creation and increase recycling of what wastes are created. I am trying to find similar programmes to see how they approach businesses, what services they provide, etc., to see if there are any synergies with what I am developing. The programme is very hands-on in that we go in and assist with programme planning, provide trays for paper and mixed recyclables recycling, pay for an energy audit to be completed, etc. If anyone knows of any similar programmes I would be interested to know what approach and process they use for each building, or to see their programme template. Most programmes I have found on the web are building audit/rating schemes, or only focus on energy. E-mail: Laine ( DOT ) Phillips ( AT ) ccc ( DOT ) govt ( DOT ) nz Note: The website for the Christchurch City Council's Target Zero initiative is: http://www.ccc.govt.nz/targetzero -------------------- From Donald Van Dyke, California Integrated Waste Management Board, Sacramento, CA, responding to the 9/20/02 query from the City of Fremont, CA, about vending machine cups: My response is not going to help the City of Fremont, which is looking for environmentally preferable disposable cups for a vending machine, but has anyone ever thought of adding an option to these vending machines to allow people to provide their own reusable cup? It would be easy to do, just press a button that would prevent the machine from dropping a cup before the liquid pours down. The customer could put in their own cup before inserting their coins. It would save the vendor money, and it would reduce disposal costs for the building manager by generating less trash. You could even program a five cent discount into the machine for people who provide their own cup. And who has not seen or heard of malfunctions where a machine did not drop a cup before dispensing the liquid, making the customer wish they had their own cup as the machine poured their hot coffee down the drain. Perhaps the City of Fremont could make this feature a requirement in their contract bid specifications, if not for their current contract, then for the next one. Or perhaps they could make it a requirement for all vending machines in all buildings owned or rented by the city. If some city the size of Fremont did this, and stuck to their guns, I'll bet a vending machine manufacturer somewhere would scramble to make such a machine. E-mail: DVanDyke [A T] CIWMB [D O T] ca [D O T] gov -------------------- From Steve Long, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, recycling markets program, Boston, MA, responding to the recent postings about the new ad campaign by the retailer Ikea, which celebrates disposability: On Ikea's new marketing angle: IKEA = Icky, yea. E-mail: Stephen [D O T] Long [A T] state [D O T] ma [D O T] us -------------------- Excerpted from a message from Stephanie Davis, Waste Reduction Remedies, Berkeley, CA: OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON GREEN BUILDING FOR HEALTH CARE FACILITIES The 2005 Guidelines for Design and Construction of Hospital and Health Care Facilities revision process begins with a period of public submission of proposed changes to the 2001 document. The public proposal period is from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31, 2002. All proposals must be made on the official proposal form, a copy of which can be accessed at the American Institute of Architects (AIA) web site: http://www.aia.org The required form should be on the website by Oct. 1. Comments should preferably be done electronically. These Guidelines are referenced by architects, engineers, and health care professionals throughout the U.S. and in other countries who are planning new or renovated health care construction. Authorities in 42 states, the Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, and several federal agencies use the Guidelines as a reference code or standard when reviewing construction designs and plans and completed health care facilities. Currently there is nothing in the 2001 Guidelines regarding green building, reuse, recycling, grey wastewater reuse, design space for waste technologies and disposal containers and service on loading docks, or issues inside a facility as they relate to space for recycling materials or waste exchange programs. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of public comment regarding the need - and specific suggestions - on these issues for the 2005 Guidelines. Short of a regulatory requirement, the Guidelines are very seriously used and applied in the U.S. The process is very much by consensus; a critical mass of comments are needed to even begin to get these issues discussed in the healthcare design arena, with a goal of inclusion. Tips for comments: Please comment either as an expert, experienced individual on these issues, or collectively as an organization. Please be very specific with your comments; the more implementable examples - with case studies either in healthcare or from other industries - the better. Remember to state the obvious: Why does green matter?, particularly when it currently costs more to include in construction, and healthcare is a very up-front costs industry, with many, many other competing needs and very limited and diminishing resources to meet any needs. Please also try and make a connection to indoor air quality issues; these directly relate to infection control, which is an important aspect of the Guidelines. Clearly state your expertise/experience/affiliation; the more reputable the responders, the better the case. Send me a copy of your comments. I'm on the revision committee and am working with the few other revision committee members who want green issues added to the Guidelines. It will be easier for us to figure out a consensus strategy (and our individual comments) if we have a copy of your comments. Send your copy to: ScD18 [A T] WasteReductionRemedies [D O T] com Note that the revision process is an 18-month process, so it will be some time before I can report on an outcome. Thanks! E-mail: ScD18 ( A T ) WasteReductionRemedies ( D O T ) com ---------------------- From Susan Kinsella, Conservatree, San Francisco, CA: I received this inquiry last week. I don't have the statistical info he's looking for, but I suspect that Waste Prevention Forum readers could help him make a good case. Thanks. From: Rome Lingenfelter I'm looking for a study or information leading to clear statistics on the cost of a traditional brown paper bag, what it costs to recycle that bag, and how much money is saved if the consumer is convinced to reuse that bag at the store of purchase. I am putting together a presentation to encourage the grocery store I work at to return 5 cents for every bag that is returned and reused. Thank you. Rome Lingenfelter's e-mail: gypsywind71 [AT] yahoo [DOT] com - end -