January 2015
Recycle Tip:
Start the new year off with a more strategic approach to creating a more sustainable environment.  

1. Start Small

To make a difference, you don't have to start big. Remember, every effort counts, small or big.

 

2. Reduce & Reuse First

To make a difference to the environment, you should reduce consumption. 

When consumption is necessary, reuse as much as possible before recycling materials.

 

3. Know What to Recycle

Before you can get started the basic knowledge you need is to know what to recycle and where to recycle.


 

4. Recycling at Work

At the office, materials are used and discarded at an alarming rate. It's easy to incorporate these tips for recycling at work. 

 Read more from www.all-recycling-facts.com. 

 
Comprehensive & Customized Solutions

  

DC Environmental helps you realize the benefits of aligning responsible recycling and waste management solutions with the success of your building.    

 

Let's Get Started! 

Contact us for a complimentary waste inspection.

LEED Waste Audit


DC Environmental offers comprehensive LEED compliant waste audits as an added service to help you achieve the numerous prerequisites and credits related to waste management and diversion. 
E-waste &
Data Security 


Understanding the Risk of Data Theft

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DC Environmental's preferred e-waste recycling vendor understands the risk of data theft and undertakes a wide range of data erasing, sanitation and destruction services.  
 
California Recognizes Environmental Stewardship from Businesses  
As California works toward its goal of 75 percent recycling, composting or source reduction of solid waste by 2020, it has implemented some impressive awards programs to recognize the hard work of businesses to incorporate sustainability into everyday activities. 

Cool California Small Business Award

The CoolCalifornia Small Business Awards Program recognizes leadership and innov

 

Governor's Environmental and Economic Leadership Awards

The program recognizes individuals, organizations, and businesses that have demonstrated exceptional leadership and made notable, voluntary contributions in conserving California's precious resources, protecting and enhancing our environment, building public-private partnerships and strengthening the State's economy.

 
California Environmental Protection Agency Awards
The California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) and its boards, departments, and offices recognize agencies, local governments, small businesses, and individuals for their outstanding achievements in environmental protection.

 

US EPA Region 9 Environmental Awards

Each year U.S. EPA's Pacific Southwest office encourages citizens in California, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii, and the Pacific Islands to nominate individuals or organizations for Environmental Awards. This program offers a great opportunity for us to recognize individuals and groups outside of EPA who are working to protect public health and the environment.    

 

 

 

Information provided by CalRecycle.gov. 

Packaging Industry: Finding Innovative Solutions To Do More with Less


 

According to AMERIPEN, the American Institute for Packaging and the Environment, U.S. retail e-commerce sales were set to exceed $300 billion in 2014. There is no doubt that e-commerce has grown exponentially in the past decade and growth of e-commerce packaging has stayed in pace to ensure that all shipped items arrive safely, with low economic and environmental impact. 


 

AMERIPEN has published Packaging: At the Forefront of E-Commerce Growth & Sustainability, a brochure that outlines the role of e-commerce packaging; strategies that pac

kaging manufacturers, product  marketers, and retailers use to minimize product damage and ways that the packaging industry strives to use less material.
 

According to Donna Dempsey, executive director of AMERIPEN, "Packaging ensures that the ease, convenience, and cost s

avings that have fueled the e-commerce revolution will continue and that products arrive in perfect condition. We also want people to know how easy it is to reduce, reuse, and recycle that packaging." 

 
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What is a Sustainable E-Commerce Packaging System?

Sustainable packaging delivers products in the condition expected by consumers, and does so with minimum economic, environmental, and social costs.


Strategies that Promote Sustble Packaging
 

 

1. Primary and Secondary Packaging

One of the key strategies available to marketers is to look for potential savings related to reduced complexity in packaging materials for products sold through e-commerce versus traditional in-store channels.
 

2. Outer Packaging

From an economic and environmental standpoint, the most important role of packaging is damage protection. Tied to damage prevention is "cube optimization," which ensures that packaging stacks for maximum efficiency during transport, handling, and warehousing. 
 

What Consumers Can Do

Given that e-commerce typically bypasses purchasing at traditional stores and puts more packaging in the hands of consumers, doing a few simple things can ensure that these materials do not end up in landfills:
  • Reduce and Consolidate Orders
  • Reuse Packaging at Home
  • Return Packaging to Local Shipping Stores
  • Recycle Corrugated and Other Materials
Learn more about sustainable packaging from AMERIPEN.