Have you been wanting to kick start some your green efforts but wondered where to start? Gaviña’s Director of Sustainability, Yu-Yue Yen, offers benefits and tips to get your green and sustainable efforts going.
What can being Green and Sustainable do for you?
- Save you money
- Improve your business operational efficiency
- Grow your business
- Be good to the environment
Flex your purchasing power
- Buy local-this reduces your carbon footprint.
- Buy products containing pre and post-consumer content, or made from renewable resources
Food Waste Management
- Work with your trash hauler to compost leftover and discarded food
- Partner with local school gardens to compost with coffee grounds that can be used as soil amendments or mulch
Water Conservation
- Fix all leaks from sinks to sprinklers – one drop /per second = 3,000 gallons / year
- Plant drought resistant plants to reduce water usage by ~ 50%
Energy Conservation
- Install Energy Star compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL) which reduce energy costs 75% / year, and last 10x longer
- Replace old equipment with “Energy Star” equipment. New refrigerators and freezers can be 30% more energy efficient, dishwashers can be 40% more energy efficient than the old ones.
Share and encourage Customers and your Community to go green
- Host green educational workshops with schools and organizations
- Sponsor green events with your local city
- Offer discounts to customers who purchase and use re-usable coffee cups
