brag brag Brentford Recycling Brentford Recycling

Action GroupAction Group

Local business and the Local business and the environmentenvironment

what can be achieved, how to what can be achieved, how to do itdo it

OverviewOverview

• Background and objectivesBackground and objectives

• brag brag and local businessand local business

• 3 great reasons to green your office3 great reasons to green your office

• Best practice case studyBest practice case study

• brag brag Workplace ToolkitWorkplace Toolkit

• SummarySummary

““To raise awareness/advance To raise awareness/advance education in the reduction, reuse and education in the reduction, reuse and

recycling of waste materials of all recycling of waste materials of all kinds and to promote, and assist on kinds and to promote, and assist on promoting, activities and facilities promoting, activities and facilities which seek to improve the local which seek to improve the local environment (Brentford) for the environment (Brentford) for the

benefit of the local people.”benefit of the local people.”

Brentford Recycling Action Brentford Recycling Action GroupGroup Established 1999Established 1999

Early DaysEarly Days

• Christmas leaflet Christmas leaflet dropdrop

• AGM in 2000 AGM in 2000 formed committeeformed committee

• Local school kids Local school kids produce logoproduce logo

A-Z Recycling DirectoryA-Z Recycling Directory

• Given to large Given to large number of number of Brentford Brentford Residents to show Residents to show them what they them what they can do with their can do with their rubbishrubbish

Eco-DayEco-Day

New Homeowners’ PackNew Homeowners’ Pack

brag brag and local businessand local business

• Until now Until now brag brag have focused mainly have focused mainly on residential households on residential households

• Today we would like to help local Today we would like to help local businesses reduce their wastebusinesses reduce their waste

• brag brag intend to focus on office waste intend to focus on office waste not not industrial wasteindustrial waste

3 great reasons to green your 3 great reasons to green your officeoffice• All businesses have to pay for waste to be All businesses have to pay for waste to be

removed removed – cost per container is typically £100/ tonnecost per container is typically £100/ tonne– £15/tonne is landfill tax£15/tonne is landfill tax– When materials, treatment, energy and wasted When materials, treatment, energy and wasted

labour considered cost often 5-20 times cost of labour considered cost often 5-20 times cost of disposaldisposal

• It can be cheaper to have your recyclable It can be cheaper to have your recyclable waste collected waste collected

……some companies collect for freesome companies collect for free• A greener office is a better place to workA greener office is a better place to work

Individuals’ responsibilityIndividuals’ responsibility

• Its not the workplace that needs to be Its not the workplace that needs to be ‘green’, but the people in it‘green’, but the people in it

• Each person needs to reduce their own Each person needs to reduce their own environmental impacts by taking small environmental impacts by taking small stepssteps

• Companies need help to do this:Companies need help to do this:– Environmental Best Practice Programme give Environmental Best Practice Programme give

free audits to small companiesfree audits to small companies– brag brag are considering putting together a are considering putting together a

‘Workplace Toolkit’ full of helpful ideas and ‘Workplace Toolkit’ full of helpful ideas and contactscontacts

brag brag Workplace ToolkitWorkplace ToolkitOur concept is: Our concept is: • Internet-based information serviceInternet-based information service• Case studies for downloadCase studies for download• Comprehensive list of London-based waste Comprehensive list of London-based waste

services services • How to get started guidance How to get started guidance

– E.g. Recycling Ambassadors – a senior member E.g. Recycling Ambassadors – a senior member of staff to champion the cause and of staff to champion the cause and ambassadors to help promote and monitor its ambassadors to help promote and monitor its successsuccess

• Access to expert advice via e-mailAccess to expert advice via e-mail

Greening the office at Greening the office at Hounslow Borough CouncilHounslow Borough Council

• Took everyone’s normal bins away and Took everyone’s normal bins away and introduced ‘dual desk bin system’:introduced ‘dual desk bin system’:– Small black bins for rubbishSmall black bins for rubbish– Small green tub for recyclables: white and Small green tub for recyclables: white and

coloured paper, envelopes, newspapers, coloured paper, envelopes, newspapers, magazines, cans and foilmagazines, cans and foil

• Staff then had to start emptying their own Staff then had to start emptying their own bins at centralised collection points once a bins at centralised collection points once a dayday– If they didn’t do it, waste simply piled up!!If they didn’t do it, waste simply piled up!!

BEST PRACTICECASE STUDY

Greening the office at Greening the office at Hounslow Borough CouncilHounslow Borough Council

• Recycling champions in each area to inform Recycling champions in each area to inform othersothers

• Scheme includes bins for toner cartridges – Scheme includes bins for toner cartridges – want to expand in futurewant to expand in future

• Positive impact:Positive impact: – Encourage people to sort rubbish Encourage people to sort rubbish – Take responsibility for own rubbish and Take responsibility for own rubbish and

minimiseminimise– LBH have had to change paper collection from LBH have had to change paper collection from

once to twice a weekonce to twice a week

BEST PRACTICECASE STUDY

GREENING THE WORKPLACE

Going Green1. Plants2. Green Information

SAVE ENERGY & WATER3. Computers4. Kettles

TRANSPORT8. Bikes & Buses9. Meetings & Location

WASTE10. Printers11. E-mail13. Reuse14. Recycle15. Purchasing Guide16. Use a Mug

BEST PRACTICECASE STUDY

GREENING THE WORKPLACE cont…

Going Green1. Plants2. Green Information

SAVE ENERGY & WATER5. Taps6. Toilets

TRANSPORT7. Cars8. Bikes & Buses

WASTE10. Printers12. Photocopiers13. Reuse14. Recycle15. Use a Mug

What What brag brag can docan do

• If you agree that the amount of waste your If you agree that the amount of waste your office is creating is a problem let us show office is creating is a problem let us show you and your colleagues how to solve ityou and your colleagues how to solve it

• We’ve made a start on the toolkit:We’ve made a start on the toolkit:– Troubleshooting guidanceTroubleshooting guidance– List of companies that can help youList of companies that can help you– Initial case studyInitial case study– First steps in greening your officeFirst steps in greening your office

• Now your input would be really usefulNow your input would be really useful

First steps…First steps…If you want to get started today, If you want to get started today,

consider:consider:1) Audit1) Audit• A good place to start is to have an audit A good place to start is to have an audit

from the Environmental Best Practice from the Environmental Best Practice Programme. FREE to small companies.Programme. FREE to small companies.

• Or join the Waste Watch Business NetworkOr join the Waste Watch Business Network2) Develop an Environmental policy for 2) Develop an Environmental policy for

your businessyour business3) Communicate your environmental 3) Communicate your environmental

improvementimprovement• Publicise your policyPublicise your policy• Promote cost savings achievedPromote cost savings achieved

SummarySummary

• Promote simple measures everyone can Promote simple measures everyone can take, without compromising organisational take, without compromising organisational requirements or job performancerequirements or job performance

• Use the principle of: Reduce, Reuse, Use the principle of: Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Recycle, Rubbish ResponsiblyRepair, Recycle, Rubbish Responsibly

• These simple measures will bring the These simple measures will bring the greatest returns which will be good for greatest returns which will be good for morale. What’s more the benefits can be morale. What’s more the benefits can be quantified.quantified.

Backup slidesBackup slides

Example Environment PolicyExample Environment Policy• Although Jim & Son Ltd is not part of an industry Although Jim & Son Ltd is not part of an industry

which directly impacts on the environment it is which directly impacts on the environment it is committed, where possible, to take responsibility committed, where possible, to take responsibility to reduce harmful effects by:to reduce harmful effects by:– Meeting or exceeding any EEC/government regulations Meeting or exceeding any EEC/government regulations

applicable to Jim & Son Ltd’s situationapplicable to Jim & Son Ltd’s situation– Establishing standards of it’s own where regulations do Establishing standards of it’s own where regulations do

not existnot exist– Continuously reviewing purchase practices and internal Continuously reviewing purchase practices and internal

operationsoperations– Ensuring, where practical, that goods and services Ensuring, where practical, that goods and services

provided by suppliers are of reduced environmental provided by suppliers are of reduced environmental impactimpact

– Taking all reasonable care to ensure the health and Taking all reasonable care to ensure the health and safety of employees and visitors to our organisationsafety of employees and visitors to our organisation

– Jim & Son Ltd will ensure that all employees and other Jim & Son Ltd will ensure that all employees and other relevant/organisations understand and are accountable relevant/organisations understand and are accountable to these policy considerations and put in place systems to these policy considerations and put in place systems to implement and review the policyto implement and review the policy

Project HighlightsProject Highlights

EventsEvents• Brentford CarnivalBrentford Carnival• Eco-day – Green Dragon SchoolEco-day – Green Dragon School• Group involvement in local clean-upsGroup involvement in local clean-ups

PublicationsPublications• New Home Owners Pack New Home Owners Pack • A-Z Recycling DirectoryA-Z Recycling Directory• Email discussion group / www.bragonline.org.ukEmail discussion group / www.bragonline.org.uk• brag brag MagMag

Advocacy/ lobbyingAdvocacy/ lobbying• Invited to Mayor’s Waste Strategy ConsultationInvited to Mayor’s Waste Strategy Consultation• Invited to speak at Recycling Consortium EventsInvited to speak at Recycling Consortium Events

1999-1999-20042004