TOWARD ZERO WASTE CAMPAIGN HOW-TO KIT

600+ local businesses taking action for a healthy community.

Table of Contents:
Toward Zero Waste Overview.............................................................................................................2
Introduction
Background
The Need and Opportunity for a Toward Zero Waste Campaign

Planning a Toward Zero Waste Campaign..........................................................................................4

Develop a Steering Committee
Determine Program Partners
Marketing and Communication Planning
Develop a Toward Zero Waste Toolkit
Determine Evaluation Methods

Implementing a Toward Zero Waste Campaign................................................................................13

Funding Your Campaign
Launching Your Campaign
Adding to Your Already Established Marketing Toolkit
Building Case Studies
On-going Toward Zero Waste Events and Education
Media Communication
Survey Your Participants
Reporting
Lessons Learned

Appendix (See Attached)

Executive Summary of Toward Zero Waste 3yr Survey Data……….......…………………………….1
Toward Zero Waste Introduction Packet Materials………………….......…………………………......3
Toward Zero Waste Posters and Stickers………………………………...……………………….........6
Sponsorship Letter and Benefits Grid..............…………………………....…………………………..13
Participating Business Benefits Matrix………...…………………………....………………………….15
Sample Press Releases…………………………………………………….....………………………….18
Sample Waste Audits………………………………………………………...……………………........26
Toward Zero Waste Workshop Program and Survey…………………......………………………......30
Pioneer Participant Survey………………………………………………..........………………………34
Sample Annual Surveys………………………………………………………..……………………….40
Construction Waste ToolKit……………………...……………………………...……………………...47
12 Case Studies…………………………………………………………………...……………………..56
Toward Zero Waste Recycling Handbook……………………………………………………….........68
Toward Zero Waste Event Planning Guide…………………………………………………………...79
Coupon Book Proof to Illustrate the Toward Zero Waste Glyph……………………………….91

Written by Mariah Ross, Sustainable Business Development Manager, Sustainable Connections, 2011
Edited by Alie Walker

Toward Zero Waste is a campaign of Sustainable Connections, www.sustainableconnections.org

Contact Mariah at mariah@sconnect.org or 360 647-7093.
1. Toward Zero Waste Overview
Introduction

This How-to Kit is intended as a resource and reference for those interested in developing and
implementing a Toward Zero Waste campaign in the small business sector. It details the Toward Zero
Waste program developed by Sustainable Connections that provides waste reduction guidance and
support to small businesses in Whatcom County, Washington, and how much of its success relies
on a strong partnership with our local waste hauler Sanitary Service Company. This kit provides the
information needed to build on our experience and develop similar programs in other communities.

Toward Zero Waste was carefully chosen as the title for Sustainable Connections waste reduction
campaign as it clearly illustrates the journey or process needed for waste reduction, and is an achievable
goal for all. By moving toward zero waste we can easily make a sizable reduction in the amount of
waste produced and then recycled or disposed of. In our community we have found that recycling up to
80 percent is obtainable and in most instances quite easy and even profitable. We have found that the
profitability story is much larger than simply a smaller garbage bill. A business joining the Toward Zero
Waste campaign is making commitments and actions to reduce waste significantly. This speaks to the
community values of that business and helps to build tremendous employee and customer loyalty, thus
creating a very compelling business case for TZW.

Background

Sustainable Connections (SC) is a not-for-profit network of more

than 600 businesses in Northwest Washington. SC works with
local, independently owned businesses that have the autonomy
to make any transformational change in their business that they
can imagine, including reexamining where goods and services are sourced, how energy is consumed,
how food is grown and distributed, how homes are built, how they handle their waste, and even how
success in business is defined. Sustainable Connections is supporting a community of innovators in
green building, sustainable agriculture and renewable energy, supporting independent businesses in
town centers, and mentoring a new breed of entrepreneurs that have designed their business with a
sustainable vision.

In 2007, Sustainable Connections asked one of their Sustaining

Members to present at the Future of Business Conference about
their tremendous success in reducing waste from their business. The
presenting business, an electronics manufacturer, had removed all
but one garbage can from their 360-employee operation. Sustainable
Connections was approached by many conference attendees that
wanted to implement the same recycling plan into their business, but
had no idea how to get started. The Toward Zero Waste campaign idea
was hatched.

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The Need and Opportunity for a Toward Zero Waste Campaign

Initially, recycling in a community can be complex for many reasons, but once a community is aware of
the available resources waste reduction becomes a reality. A Toward Zero Waste campaign is a great way
to gather up all the available recycling resources in your community for a central hub of information.

• Different Service Options: There are usually several businesses offering recycling services in an area
and recycling options can vary greatly from hauler to hauler.

• Marketing of Services: How those businesses market their available services can also vary greatly as
waste management companies don’t typically have large marketing budgets devoted to explanation of
recycling services and education. For example, a curbside hauler might offer compost services, but only
advertise the ability to recycle yard waste.

• Reduction in Waste Costs: Recycling is often more cost effective than just sending waste to the
landfill, but there are usually some steps involved for a small business to actualize those savings. Initially,
setting up recycling may be more expensive as waste has not decreased and there are additional costs
in adding recycling bins. But as recycling increases and garbage decreases, if the business is coached to
reduce their garbage pick up and frequency, recycling will become more cost effective.

• Promotion of Recycling Education: Decreasing waste in a business is usually consistent by similar

business type and the ability for businesses to learn from each other about recycling and waste reduction
strategies is absolutely crucial. This process speeds up the spread of best practices among businesses.
“Hearing other businesses’ ideas and thoughts on the program was the most important resource to
significantly reduce our waste in our business.” - A TZW Participating Business

• Knowledge Share from Experts: It is much more effective for recycling experts in the community to
share their knowledge with a group rather than business by business. Your campaign can gather together
all these experts in your community to help businesses most effectively reduce, reuse, and recycle.
These industry experts will also be able to share knowledge for best practices on reducing waste, best
containers for organic items, and how to reduce items like bags for waste.

“Probably the most important technique we utilized was just making recycling so easy for our employees.
We've followed through on suggestions from Sustainable Connections in how to push closer to our zero
waste goal, so the follow up from SC has been vital to our continued success.“ - A TZW Participating
Business

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2. Planning a Toward Zero Waste Campaign
Good upfront planning will be critical to the success of your Toward Zero Waste campaign. Core
components of the planning phase include a steering committee, determining critical partners, and
developing your marketing plan and budget.

Develop a Steering Committee

A steering committee can be responsible for a variety of activities from strategic planning to fundraising
for your campaign. Your steering committee would ideally be primarily composed of leaders of the
most successful recyclers including manufacturers, builders and architects, retailers and restaurants,
farmers markets and neighborhood coffee shops. Local business people trust other local business people
and when you start to recruit businesses to the campaign everyone else will want to know who else is
involved. Plus, this steering committee will be best positioned to know which ideas will be well received
by participating businesses.

Determine Program Partners

Recycling can be complicated and establishing partners early on will be tremendously helpful for a
successful campaign. A big part of the success of the Sustainable Connection’s Toward Zero Waste
campaign is a close partnership with a local hauler that also provides recycling services. Other partners
may include haulers and recyclers of all types (organic waste, construction and demolition waste, etc.)
local government, large event directors, large institutions, a business that has implemented recycling
successfully, and any other local programs that are also working to reduce waste in your community.
Partners will help with tours of their facility for other community members to illustrate successful
recycling and best practices. Partners will be willing to participate in a host of events to help educate
business leaders and community members about Toward Zero Waste specific to your community.

The right partners can ensure much more rapid adoption and greater success for the campaign. Partners
can help with financing, provide in-kind campaign services, help you reach your audience(s), and can give
the campaign credibility.

Other good partners may be able to trade campaign sponsorship benefits for services you need. These
could include independent media (offering ad space) or a printer or graphic designer. Many of these firms
target their services at the same business owners that benefit from the campaign.

Sanitary Service
+ Company =

4
Marketing and Communications Planning

With your steering committee in place and your partners

established you are off to a great start. The next steps for you
and your committee are to develop the communications and
fundraising plans for the campaign.

1. Campaign Goals:
The first set of questions to ask is related to your goals:

• What are you trying to accomplish through your

communications? Example: This is an extremely easy program to
sign up for and participate in.

• Who does this issue affect? Example: Business of all industries

including home-based businesses, residents, employees, large
events, and institutions

• Who do you want to reach out to? Example: All businesses, independent businesses, specific industry
businesses, etc.

• What are the tangible outcomes you would like to achieve through a communications process?
Example: Our goal is for businesses to reduce their waste by at least 50 percent, which can be relatively
easy and even profitable. These businesses are in turn marketing their waste reduction success to their
employees and supply chain creating a waste reduction ripple effect in our community.

2. Pre-Campaign Research:
Before determining the specifics of your campaign, it is important to talk to businesses in your
community. You may think you know why businesses make the waste choices they do and what is
realistically possible in your community. However, without local research you could be significantly off
base. A founding group of businesses that excel at waste reduction will most likely be your best resource
here. These businesses should be from a variety of industries as waste produced can vary dramatically
from business to business.

3. Establish Founding Partners:

Before beginning your campaign, you will want to reach out to your membership to recruit a list of
members who would be good candidates to help kick start your Toward Zero Waste campaign. These
Founding Partners will likely have progressive waste reduction strategies already in place that you can
glean good ideas on what is possible for other businesses to implement. These Founding Partners will
receive the benefit of exposure in the community as a leading business in waste reduction while at the
same time providing leadership to other businesses who choose to participate in the Toward Zero Waste
campaign. This encourages other businesses to sign up as they see other businesses already reducing
waste successfully, and participating businesses have access to best practices in your community.

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600+ local businesses taking action for a healthy community

Thank you for signing up as a Founding Partner PIONEER of the Toward Zero Waste
community campaign!

You’ve just taken the first step helping other businesses capitalize on the reductions you’ve already made and learn
from what you’ve done – keeping more waste out of local landfills, increasing what is reused and recycled in our
community, rewarding those creators of waste-free products and technologies, decrease costs associated with
hauling garbage, boosting employee and customer loyalty! Hundreds of businesses are now saying “we’re all doing
THIS!” to inspire our whole community to move Toward Zero Waste – in large part THANKS TO YOU!

We will officially kick things off April 1st, with marketing and promotional materials made available to your
business in soon to help build visibility and momentum for the campaign.

HOW YOU PARTICIPATE AS A PIONEER:

1. Take the TZW Pioneer survey when I email it to you in the coming days. This helps us document the
changes you’ve made and helps increase our institutional knowledge and share it with others.
2. Communicate your involvement. Talk to your managers and staff about the campaign and brainstorm
ways to share your learning and accomplishments with participating businesses AND your customers. Use
materials including decals, posters, logos through customer newsletters, window displays, email and other
communications with those who interact with your business. We could use your help to increase residential
participation too! You’ll hear more about how residences are encouraged to participate soon.
3. Brainstorm what your business can do to capitalize on the campaign visibility during Toward Zero Waste
Week, April 13th-19th. The week will include extra advertising and visibility of the campaign and its partners,
and we want to see a whole host of special marketing and promotions, fun events, open houses, media
releases from participants, and other activities your business can use to showcase waste-reducing products
you sell or produce, the changes you’ve implemented, etc. for customers and employees alike to see.
Inserts in the Weekly and Herald will direct shoppers to visit businesses with special promotions and/or
events during this time – much like Buy Local Week every year. Festivities will culminate that weekend,
Earth Day Weekend, with Toward Zero Waste Day at the Bellingham Farmers Market on the 19th.

Please feel free to contact me with ANY questions, large or small, as we move this community Toward Zero Waste!
And thank you SO much for being an innovator, and continuing to take steps that increase the sustainability of your
business. Your actions keep this community an incredible place to live, work and play, and make it a model of what’s
possible in the world.

Strong Community • Healthy Environment • Meaningful Employment • Buying Local First

www.SustainableConnections.org • 360 647-7093 • 119 N. Commercial #350 Bellingham, WA 98225
100% post consumer paper, made with 100% renewable energy
600+ local businesses taking action for a healthy community

Thank you for signing up as a Founding Partner of the Toward Zero Waste
community campaign!

You’ve just taken the first step helping your business keep waste out of local landfills, increase what is reused and
recycled, reward pioneers of waste-free products and technologies, decrease costs associated with hauling garbage,
boost employee and customer loyalty, AND capitalize on the energy of hundreds of businesses saying “we’re all
doing THIS!” to inspire our whole community to move Toward Zero Waste!

We will officially kick things off April 1st, with marketing and promotional materials made available to your
business in mid-March to help build visibility and momentum for the campaign. In the meantime, here’s what you …

SHOULD BE DOING NOW:

1. Contact Rodd Pemble, Recycling Manager at Sanitary Service Company, to schedule your baseline
assessment and free waste audit to help track your progress; rodd@ssc-inc.com or 360-734-3490. Call
now as Rodd’s schedule books up early!
2. Commit to at least a 50% reduction in waste by January ’09. We’ve asked the hard questions of industry
and business leaders in waste reduction, and according to local experts, an 80% reduction in waste from your
business can be relatively easy and even profitable. We encourage you to aim even higher than 50%!
3. Email me, cathy@sconnect.org, your target goal for reduction – before the campaign kickoff April 1st.
This helps us track your success and promote your achievements.
4. Communicate your goals. Talk to your managers and staff about the campaign, your efforts to reduce
waste, how you plan to achieve it, ways to share those goals with customers – and MOST IMPORTANTLY –
do they want to help? Enlisting your employees in this process is key to success, and can give them a way
to align their values with their work. Also, laying the groundwork with staff early on will make for more
success down the road. If they’re REALLY excited about the campaign, you could direct them to me and
they can volunteer to help in a number of meaningful ways here at SC.
5. Plan to attend at least one Sustainable Connections Toward Zero Waste workshop, if you didn’t go to
the kickoff workshop in January (and even if you did). Next Up: a Green Building Conference breakout
session on April 10th, a Spring Business Conference breakout session in May, and 2nd TZW workshop this
fall. That’s 4 chances to attend an educational training in waste reduction, and we need all Founding
Partners to attend at least 1. Breakout attendance at a conference does require purchasing an all-day ticket.
6. Brainstorm what your business can do to capitalize on the campaign visibility during Toward Zero Waste
Week, April 13th-19th. The week will include extra advertising and visibility of the campaign and its partners,
and we want to see a whole host of special marketing and promotions, fun events, open houses, media
releases from participants, and other activities your business can use to showcase waste-reducing products
you sell or produce, the changes you’re implementing, etc. for customers and employees alike to see.
Inserts in the Weekly and Herald will direct shoppers to visit businesses with special promotions and/or
events during this time – much like Buy Local Week every year. Festivities will culminate that weekend,
Earth Day Weekend, with Toward Zero Waste Day at the Bellingham Farmers Market on the 19th.

AND CAN EXPECT TO HAPPEN SOON:

7. Receive educational, marketing and promotional materials to use in your business, including a best
practices tip sheet, waste audit from SSC, sample how-to and policy manuals, case studies of local TZW
pioneers, a poster, window decal and/or sticker (we’re looking for waste-friendly alternatives), digital image
of the TZW logo, and an optional TZW Zone template package to produce as much of as you’d like. We’re

Strong Community • Healthy Environment • Meaningful Employment • Buying Local First

www.SustainableConnections.org • 360 647-7093 • 119 N. Commercial #350 Bellingham, WA 98225
100% post consumer paper, made with 100% renewable energy
 going to TRY to keep is simple as the whole idea is to reduce waste! And of course you’ll also receive TONS
of community recognition and excitement for the good work you’re doing.
8. Hear from us monthly by email and quarterly by phone to give you tips and inspiration, briefly check in
on how its going, and ask about barriers you’re encountering, success you’ve achieved, and if we have
resources for you that can help.
9. Get ideas from us about how to capitalize on campaign momentum through in store displays, customer
newsletters, email and other communications with those who interact with your business. We could use your
help to increase residential participation too! You’ll hear more about how residences are encouraged to
participate soon.
10. Be asked to submit your TZW Week/Day special event or promotion. Remember, inserts in the Weekly
and Herald will direct shoppers to visit businesses with special promotions and/or events during April 13th-
19th, and festivities will culminate that weekend, Earth Day Weekend, with Toward Zero Waste Day at the
Bellingham Farmers Market on the 19th. We’ll promote any special TZW-related event or activity your
business comes up with that week!
Please feel free to contact me with ANY questions, large or small, to let me help you on this journey Toward Zero
Waste. And thank you SO much for being an innovator, and continuing to take steps that increase the sustainability
of your business. Your actions keep this community an incredible place to live, work and play, and make it a model
of what’s possible in the world.
 Special Thanks to our Founding Partner Businesses!
Founding Partner Businesses have made a commitment to at least a 50% reduction in waste by 2009.
Pioneers are businesses that are already achieving extreme rates of waste reduction (i.e. 80%+).

PARTNERS
2020 ENGINEERING, Inc.
Adventures NW magazine
Allied HR Consulting
Applied Research Northwest, LLC
Bay City Supply
PIONEERS Bayport Financial Advisors
A-1 Builders, Inc. Bellingham Public Market
A-1 Shredding, Inc. Bellingham Roller Betties
Aiki Homes Bellingham Technical College
Apollo Geophysics Corporation Brenthaven
Appliance Depot Brown & Cole Stores: Cost Cutter, Food
Bellingham Farmers Market Pavilion, Everson Red Apple
Boccemon Chuckanut Brewery & Kitchen
Cascade Cuts Ciaò Thyme
Cascadia Mushrooms LLC City of Bellingham
City Organics Classic Health Apparel
Colophon Café Common Ground Construction, LLC
Common Threads Farm David Evans & Associates
Community Food Co-op Downtown Emporium
Computer Source of NW WA, Inc. Dream On Futon
Dandelion Organic Delivery Esteem, Inc.
Ease Around Problems Fairhaven Mortgage
Fiamma Burger Fairhaven Runners & Walkers
La Fiamma Wood Fire Pizza Flow Products Inc.
Mallard Ice Cream Greg Aanes Furniture
Meucci Consulting Louws Truss, Inc.
Meucciworks, Inc. Moka Joe Inc.
Myna IT Consulting Nimbus Restaurant
NW Recycling Oasis Physical Therapy and Pilates
Pastázza Pioneer Ford
Quicksilver Photo Lab Plantas Nativa, LLC
Reclaim Your Time RMC Architects
Ryzex texture clothing
Samuel's Furniture The Cascade Joinery
Sanitary Service Company The Daisy Cafe
Sound Shredding & Recycling Urban Design Group LLC
T&T Recovery Vacationland RV
The RE Store, a Project of RE Sources Village Books
WFA/Pickford Cinema Whatcom Community Foundation
Zervas Group Architects Whatcom County – County Courthouse
4. Crafting Your Key Messages:
What are you trying to tell people?

Key messages make up the information you want your target audience to take in. If your messages are
effective, sometime in the future your target audiences will be repeating your key messages on their own,
creating a wonderful ripple effect.

Messages are simple, general themes, but differ from slogans.

Example:

• Nearly everything that goes to landfills has an alternative and better destination. Let’s find it!

• An 80 percent reduction in waste from your business can be relatively easy and even profitable!

Slogans are short, catchy phrases that help your audience understand and remember your message.
We have built our Toward Zero Waste slogans on the success of the Think Local First campaign.

Example: Think Local – Be Local – Be Waste Free

5. Reaching Your Audience:

Now comes the fun part! Quite often people want to skip right to this step but it’s important to have
first determined whom your target audience is and what you want to say to them! Now you can
creatively, and most effectively, think about how to reach them.

When considering different communications venues consider the following:

• Prominent Locations: Where or from whom does your audience get its information? Whom do
they find credible? Where do they spend most of their time? Where are they most likely to give you
their attention? Example: Local bookstore or coffee shop, company newsletter, other businesses in your
community, local paper or radio station, etc.

• Promotional Materials: After selecting different venues, identify more specific activities. Example:
Posters and window clings at store entrances and signs for recycle and garbage bins.

• Initial Campaign Participants: Encouraging your entire membership to join the Toward Zero Waste
campaign is a great way to spread the campaign and a great starting point to engage your members in
sustainable practices for their business. Promoting those participating businesses in your membership will
encourage other members to sign up.

• Venues to Promote your Campaign: Example methods to reach your audience:

You could target media with a variety of different activities.
o Write a press release or have a live news conference.
10
 o Ask your local radio and television stations to be campaign sponsors in return for running free
public service announcements or ads.
o Participating businesses could run a story or include information about their Toward Zero Waste
campaign in their internal and external newsletters and/or publications.
o Offer promotional materials like posters and stickers for all Toward Zero Waste campaign
participants.
o Participating businesses can add your campaign slogan/logo to their website and newsletters.
o Promote participating businesses through your membership by adding a Toward Zero Waste
icon next to business names in all your membership publications.
o Events and workshops to promote your campaign and educate members on best practices.

6. Establishing a Timeline and Project Plan:

Once you have decided on your core activities, you will want to create an action plan for implementation.
Start by listing all the activities you have decided to pursue. Under each activity outline the steps, in order,
that will lead to its completion, assign a budget estimate, and assign a point person.

7. Creating a Budget:
Depending on the size of your Toward Zero Waste campaign expect to budget for a quarter- to full-
time employee for about three months to explore feasibility and develop the program – a rough cost of
$8,000. This role includes time to research models/best practices, local barrier identification, partnership
development, establishing pioneers and best practices, planning key activities and budget development
for campaign. Once you have an action plan, you will easily budget out what is needed for your
campaign including:

• Materials: logos, printing, postage, ads and inserts, banners, table top displays for conferences,
brochures, promotional give-aways, etc.

• Staff/services: personal, graphic design, website development and maintenance, phone, etc.
Sample budget from Sustainable Connection’s TZW campaign is shown below:

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 8. Develop a Toward Zero Waste Toolkit:

There are many great resources included in the appendix to build up your Toward Zero Waste Toolkit.
You will likely find many local resources to properly adapt to your community. Local waste haulers and
city government have provided much input on recycle signage in our community. Many cities have now
developed recycle signage that is available to anyone. Make sure to look before you create from scratch.
Please contact us for our permission if you would like to use our materials.

Offering businesses a ready-to-use marketing campaign for their waste reduction is crucial to their
success. This allows businesses to easily promote waste reduction to their employees, customers, and
maybe even suppliers. Consider the following components for your toolkit:

• Website: A Toward Zero Waste webpage outlining how to sign up and participate in the campaign
with links to great resources. Campaign sponsors and participating businesses can also be listed.
Example: http://sustainableconnections.org/bizdev/tzw

• Instruction Document: A clearly defined set of instructions on what is needed to sign up is very
helpful for businesses interested in the Toward Zero Waste campaign this can be posted on your website
and created into a stand alone flyer to use when introducing the campaign – see appendix.

• Sign Up Sheet: Display Toward Zero Waste sign up sheets to use at all your events.

• Flyer: Create a simple list of ways you can reduce waste in your community and offer this information
as a tool in your toolkit and hand out at events – see appendix.

• Signage: Professionally designed recycle signage that businesses can use to help mark their recycle
bins– see appendix.

• Welcome Letter: A welcome letter about joining the campaign and what you might expect as a
participant– see appendix.

• Promotional Materials: Offer Toward Zero Waste posters and stickers for participating businesses to
proudly display in the entrance of their business– see appendix.

• Logos: Offer Toward Zero Waste logos for participating businesses to proudly display on their website,
business cards, print ads, etc. – see appendix.

• Press Release: A sample press release for participants to use to promote their waste reduction
successes – see appendix.

Set Evaluation Milestones

As you proceed you need to take stock of your progress. It can be helpful to set evaluation methods with
a regular schedule of gathering that data from your participants. You will want to ask your participants
what’s going well, and where the campaign could use improvements. Use those opportunities to collect
anecdotal evidence of your campaign’s effectiveness as well.

Change your plans based on what you learn in your evaluations. If you have learned that some activities
are less well adopted than others, redesign or cut your losses. If you are have unexpected successes,
incorporate the causes into your plans.
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3. Implementing a Toward Zero Waste Campaign
Funding Your Campaign

There are many options for funding your Toward Zero Waste campaign. The best is self-financing the
campaign from a combination of business, local and state government sponsorship. Luckily, if you
have put together a well thought out and professional looking campaign plan with good partners and
support, this combination should not be hard to come by.

The amount of funding required is obviously related to what you plan to do. Additionally, the percentage
of volunteer and in-kind support you have will greatly influence what you can do at any given budget.
Sustainable Connections has created many Toward Zero Waste tools over the past three years that could
save you thousands and greatly reduce some of your biggest potential expenses. Please see the appendix
for these examples.

• Sponsorship Fees: It is likely that your earliest campaign sponsors could be either members of your
steering committee or pioneers in the campaign.

• Participation Fees: You will be signing up local, independently owned businesses to participate in
your campaign and providing them with materials. Pricing these materials and services is likely to be
a balancing act. Sustainable Connections has never charged a participation fee for the Toward Zero
Campaign even though participating businesses receive promotional opportunities, excellent resources,
and the ability to network with other participants. We have always included the Toward Zero Waste
campaign and promotion of their participation as a benefit of membership. Although we only promote
member businesses, we also extend the Toward Zero Waste campaign and campaign materials to non-
members as the goal of the campaign is to get as many businesses reducing waste as possible.

• In-kind and Volunteer Support: Many people are highly interested in reducing waste in their
community and will want to help.

Launching Your Campaign

Launching your campaign with a Toward Zero Waste Week or Day, or lining up a workshop can be a
great way to start your campaign for several reasons. Businesses typically like visiting other businesses
to learn and network. Consider a first event at the site of a pioneering Toward Zero Waste participant
business with refreshments and networking. See the appendix for program outlines and marketing
resources.

• Event Creates a Deadline: A tangible date in time with activities and publicity is a great incentive for
new businesses to sign up and participate in the campaign. Without a deadline, even important activities
in which we want to participate can slip to the bottom of an inbox and remain there indefinitely.

• Media Coverage: A date in time also provides a great media focal point. Most media publications
will want to write a story about a Toward Zero Waste Day, Week or an event like a workshop. Without
this focal point, some media may never get to writing about the campaign and others will certainly
feel less urgency to get out a story. This could also include a print deadline to promote your event for
publications like a newspaper insert. Once those deadlines pass the exposure opportunity is lost.

13
 • Build Excitement: A workshop provides a great forum to bring together a number of experts in
reducing waste with many businesses who are interested in getting started. This is a great way to give
your campaign an initial burst of energy as businesses will walk away with tools on how to implement
their waste reduction campaign right away. Businesses will also gain marketing tools to promote their
campaign thereby promoting the Toward Zero Waste campaign throughout the community.

Adding to Your Already Established Marketing Toolkit

You have already built up your basic marketing toolkit. As you are implementing your campaign, you will
want to modify or add to your toolkit materials specific to the business you are sending information to.

• Service Provider Sheet: Some businesses will find it helpful to have a complete listing of recycling
options available. This information might already be available through your county solid waste
department. If not, consider creating a list. See appendix for sample.

• Construction Waste Toolkit: A resource specific to builders to help reduce construction and
demolition waste. See appendix for sample.

• Case Studies: Success stories of Toward Zero Waste participants on how they have reduced waste
and saved money.

• Relevant Media Pieces: Choose a relevant magazine or article on waste reduction.

• Including Tools your Participants have Developed: You might find as your participants initiate
their Toward Zero Waste campaigns within their respective businesses that they might develop tools
you will want to share with other members. One of our members developed a great document to
implementing Toward Zero Waste and was happy to share with every other Toward Zero Waste
participant.

Building Case Studies

Sharing case studies as businesses sign up for your campaign or look to your website for additional
information can be inspiring. Showing a retail business a case study on how to reduce waste can
empower another retail business to say “I can do that too.” Success stories can be important to share
with potential funders to illustrate the success of your campaign. Businesses will be happy to share
their stories as they will most likely be proud of their accomplishments and thankful for the promotion.
Showing one or two statistics about waste reduction or its impact with a concise list of how the business
achieved their waste reduction is a powerful message. See appendix for samples.
Aiki Homes, Inc. BELLINGHAM ROLLER BETTIES Boundary Bay Brewery & Bistro Samson
Bellingham, Washington “Waste Not, Want Not” Roller Derby TOWARDS ZERO WASTE PROFILE Bellingham, Washington TOWARDS ZERO WASTE PROFILE Ferndale, Washington TOWARDS ZERO WASTE PROFILE
TOWARDS ZERO WASTE PROFILE
$20,000
{ 70% 1,400
{ 56,000
{
in reduced waste costs per year

{
pounds of waste composted in one year

150
jobsite recycling rate attendees
47,316 100 employees dedicated to zero waste practices employees dedicated to toward zero waste practices
lbs of waste recycled in one year
Aiki Homes is a green building firm dedicated to reducing their
environmental impact and moving toward zero waste. In every facet of
75% waste reduction 70% waste diversion from landfill 50% waste reduction in first TWO months
For well over 100 years, Samson has been recognized as a worldwide leader
the company, waste reduction is a primary goal. In the office, garbage Boundary Bay Brewery and Bistro opened in 1995 and has strived to provide hearty food
in the development and manufacture of high-performance ropes. Samson
has been reduced to 7 gallons a month and only recycled paper made On April 12, 2008, the Bellingham Roller Betties (a local non- and award-winning beer. As a 100+ employee business, they have made strides towards
had a vision to expand their recycling in their manufacturing business of
from post-consumer waste is used. Out in the field, subcontractors profit organization based in Whatcom County) held a “Waste water and energy efficiency and are a leading participant of the Towards Zero Waste
150 employees. Samson’s initial goal was to reduce the amount of solid
are contractually required to reduce, reuse, and recycle. Commingled campaign. Spent grains from the brewing process go to local farms for livestock and
Not, Want Not” bout at the Sportsplex Arena. Event promotion chicken feed and the oil from their Beer Garden fryer is converted to biodiesel by a local waste by 50% in the first year of the program. This goal was achieved in the
construction recycling bins have replaced garbage bins and over 70%
included the Toward Zero Waste logo throughout. The bout was vendor. Over 70% of Boundary Bay’s waste has been diverted from the landfill. first two months! Their next step will be to implement FoodPlus!, further
of jobsite waste is recycled or reused. Waste is also reduced through
their lean manufacturing processes, participate in the Community Energy
construction efficiency, eliminating waste, saving trees, and money. a success, and the overall waste was reduced by roughly 75%!
Challenge and continue their Toward Zero Waste journey!
TZW Actions
TZW Actions
Aiki Homes, Inc.
TZW Actions Boundary Bay Brewery & Bistro
www.bbaybrewery.com
TZW Actions
Bellingham Roller Betties
www.aikihomes.com
Business Waste Recycling Efforts - 2009 Samson
www.samsonrope.com
Business Waste Recycling Efforts - 2009 “Waste Not Want Not” - April 12, 2008
Oil from fryer is reused and converted Business Waste Recycling Efforts - 2010
Comingled recycling bins replaced online ticket purchases and will call vs. to biodiesel
garbage bins on-site printed tickets Use compostable straws and to-go One year recycling goal met in 2 months
Jobsite recycling plans are posted on-site hand stamps for entry vs. plastic containers, and 100% compostable
service ware in the beer garden Removed equivalent weight of 12.5 cars
ensuring the proper sorting of all wristbands out of the landfill in first 2 months
construction materials Spent grain from brewing is sent to a
food vendors used all compostable and
Prioritization of recyclable and recycled neighboring flock of chickens and local Support from Management and Kaizen
recyclable materials
products and supplies dairy farms to feed livestock Governing Committee and employees
Sustainable Connections’ Toward Zero Waste (TZW) campaign has food waste and recycling toters rented Sustainable Connections’ Toward Zero Waste (TZW) campaign has
from SSC and placed plentifully Sustainable Connections’ Toward Zero Waste (TZW) campaign has Recycled cardboard, bottles, cans and Sustainable Connections’ Toward Zero Waste (TZW) campaign has Created a recycling committee &
Track recycling stream chain of custody
enlisted the partnership of local governments and over 135 local enlisted the partnership of local governments and over 100 local plastic wrap used for keg packaging enlisted the partnership of local governments and over 165 local developing an official recycling policy enlisted the partnership of local governments and over 200 local
to ensure downstream compliance throughout the event
businesses that have made significant commitments to reduce businesses that have made significant commitments to reduce businesses that have made significant commitments to reduce businesses that have made significant commitments to reduce
Participate in workshops and events to programs printed on recycled paper let 100% of kegs purchased are recycled
waste. With these businesses’ leadership, we aim to reduce the attendees know they were in a Towards waste. With these businesses’ leadership, we aim to reduce the waste. With these businesses’ leadership, we aim to reduce the Created metrics to monitor recycling waste. With these businesses’ leadership, we aim to reduce the
educate other builders and community progress
members on construction waste stream amount of waste going to the landfill, increase reuse and recycling Zero Waste Zone amount of waste going to local landfills, increase reuse and amount of waste going to the landfill, increase reuse and recycling amount of waste going to the landfill, increase reuse and recycling
Excess beer in brewing lines is used by a
management of existing resources, and increase purchasing of recycled and skaters brought reuseable water bottles recycling of existing resources, and increase purchasing of recycled local bakery for beer bread of existing resources, and increase purchasing of recycled and of existing resources, and increase purchasing of recycled and
Recycle ALL metal, cardboard, electronics,
environmentally preferable products. Together, we are moving this vs. using multiple plastic bottles and environmentally preferable products. Together we are moving environmentally preferable products. Together, we are moving this batteries, toner catridges, clean poly & environmentally preferable products. Together, we are moving this
Developed a waste management plan Dining tables milled from salvaged
including waste management goals, waste community Toward Zero Waste! For more details about how your created a new mascot: “Johnny Trash”, this community Toward Zero Waste! For more details about how your community Toward Zero Waste! For more details about how your nylon fibers, stretch film, wood, and all community Toward Zero Waste! For more details about how your
flooring
prevention planning, communication and business can participate, visit www.sconnect.org/bizdev/tzw who spreads support of sustainability business can participate, visit www.sconnect.org/zerowaste. business can participate, visit www.sconnect.org/bizdev/tzw
bottles and cans business can participate, visit www.sconnect.org/bizdev/tzw
education, motivation plan and methods and recycling Employees encouraged to bring reusable
for evaluation Promotes the use of reusable cups and
bottles for water - no plastic water
online bout announcements linked to implemented paper reduction strategies
bottles on or off-site
Use advanced framing techniques www.sconnect.org/zerowaste showing
to reduce waste others how to join the campaign

QUESTIONS? Call the Whatcom County Recycling Hotline at 360-676-5723. QUESTIONS? Call the Whatcom County Recycling Hotline at 360-676-5723. QUESTIONS? Call the Whatcom County Recycling Hotline at 360-676-5723. QUESTIONS? Call the Whatcom County Recycling Hotline at 360-676-5723.
www.sustainableconnections.org/bizdev/tzw | 360.647.7093 | 1701 Ellis St Ste 221, Bellingham, WA 98225 www.SConnect.org/zerowaste | 360.647.7093 | 1701 Ellis St Ste 221, Bellingham, WA 98225 www.sustainableconnections.org/bizdev/tzw | 360.647.7093 | 1701 Ellis St Ste 221, Bellingham, WA 98225
www.sustainableconnections.org/bizdev/tzw | 360.647.7093 | 1701 Ellis St Ste 221, Bellingham, WA 98225

14
On-going Toward Zero Waste Events and Education

Consistent and regular workshops and events offer an opportunity to promote the successes of your
participating businesses and an opportunity for interested businesses to gain knowledge about what
is working for those businesses. Regular workshops also offer the opportunity for experts in reducing
waste to offer their knowledge to numerous businesses at once.

Sustainable Connections has offered the following Toward Zero Waste workshops and events
opportunities over the past three years.

• Member Directory and Coupon Book: We send out notification to members about updating the
business directory. Promote this as a great time to sign up for the Toward Zero Waste Campaign and
ensure businesses have a logo next to their name in the directory.

• Member Lunches: Each month, Sustainable Connections members have the opportunity to attend
a lunch meeting focusing on an aspect of sustainable business practices. We offer a member lunch with
a Toward Zero Waste focus bringing in experts and participating businesses to talk about their successes
and best practices. We run this in parallel with our member directory and coupon book updates.
Participants are required to attend a workshop when they sign up for the campaign. Member Lunches
are also a great time for members to connect with each other in general. Businesses that are not aware
of the campaign might also attend the Member Lunch and consequently sign up and participate.

• Future of Business Conference: This annual business conference attracts about 250 attendees
every year. Sustainable Connections ensures that the conference is a model Toward Zero Waste event. The
conference includes a business expo where there is a Toward Zero Waste table with information about
the campaign and a sign up sheet for interested businesses. The conference has included a “Parade of
Toward Zero Waste Heroes” for the past couple of years where several businesses promote their successes
to all conference attendees.

• Other Events: Sustainable Connections ensures that all their events throughout the year are model
Toward Zero Waste events and offer the opportunity for businesses and community members to learn
about the Toward Zero Waste Campaign. This may include how to sign up for the campaign, waste
reduction strategies, networking with other businesses who are already reducing waste, tours of model
Toward Zero Waste participants and access to experts in the field. We promote the Toward Zero Waste
campaign every chance we get.

Media Communication

An important part of your Toward Zero Waste campaign will be regular informative reports in your local
media. See appendix for samples.

Survey Your Participants

Once you have launched and implemented your campaign, you will want to survey your participants on a
regular basis. They will be able to give you great information about best practices, provide an opportunity
to gather potential case study candidates, tell you what they would like to see in the campaign, give you
feedback on marketing materials, and if there is anything missing in your campaign. See appendix for
survey examples.

15
 Reporting

Surveys are a great source of data on how your campaign is progressing. Partnering with your
local waste haulers could be another great resource in gathering waste data about your campaign
participants. Ensure that all participants agree to release their waste data to you when they sign up for
the program. Decide what waste indicators work best for your community and then measure those items
through reporting. For example, you can measure the amount of garbage a business creates, types
of recycling a business has implemented, waste reduction measures businesses have in such as duplex
printing, etc.

Lessons Learned

• Getting the Data: Measuring overall waste reduction can be very tricky. In many communities waste
is paid for and measured by volume. Businesses that are actively reducing waste may not be able to
measure their success and those networks supporting a Toward Zero Waste campaign may also have a
tough time measuring depending on how waste haulers are set up in your area. Waste haulers most likely
have the most accurate waste and recycling numbers in your area, but getting a hold of this information
can be challenging. Waste haulers may provide data for those businesses participating in your campaign
as they have agreed to release their data when signing up for the campaign, but they will not release
data of all businesses in your community as that is confidential information.

• Right Size Your Service: We have found that following up with businesses to remind them to “right
size” their service after beginning the Toward Zero Waste campaign is crucial. This means businesses
need to take a look at their dumpsters the day before pick up and see how much room is still available.
If there is significant room, they need to reduce their dumpster size and hopefully reduce to a bin. Once
they have reduced to a bin, they should go through the same process and see if they can reduce their
frequency of pick up. This will allow the businesses waste reduction to be more accurately measured and
the business will also save money by decreasing their service levels. This will also ensure the business does
not experience “garbage creep.”

• Garbage Creep: Toward Zero Waste requires an ongoing commitment and training with each
business otherwise they may notice an increase of garbage or garbage creep. As new employees are
hired hopefully the participating business has been able to work waste reduction strategies into the fabric
of the company so newbies can see how it is done. If the employee engagement is strong, an ongoing
Toward Zero Waste campaign will be no problem. For businesses with higher turnover or seasonal
employees, keeping a Toward Zero Waste campaign going may require more ongoing work and training.

4. Appendix

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