As a company we are always looking for ways to improve our service, our efficiency and even our global footprint. In recent months ARS made the transition away from purchasing single-use items such as plastic utensils, coffee cups, paper cups, paper plates and bowls. We’ve opted to invest in traditional silverware, plates, bowls and cups for staff to use and reuse as needed.
We are also beginning a drop off program for employees to bring in ink cartridges and batteries. ARS will make sure these items are brought to the appropriate locations to dispose or recycle. Batteries contain toxic and corrosive materials that can pose threats to health and the environment if not properly disposed. The heavy metals present in ink cartridges will pollute the soil and water when they reach landfills. Thankfully there are retailers who will collect your items and take care of the rest. For example, your local Best Buy or Target may have a drop-off bin near their entrance or guest services area.
You too can take small steps towards having a positive impact on the environment:
- Though it may not currently be available due to the pandemic. Opt for reusable instead of single-use when you can.
- Approximately 75% of plastic generated ends up in landfills and only 9% is actually recycled. This is often due to an item being recycled incorrectly and not to mention that of the 7 types of plastic only 3 are widely accepted in local programs. There are certain recycling rules to glass and paper waste as well. No one recycling program is the same. Review your city recycling program to best understand how it works and what is accepted. Do you need to remove labels? Do you need to clean the container?
- Invest in products with an environmentally conscious mission.
- Stasher Bags: Silicone, reusable bags. Dishwasher, oven, stove, microwave, freezer safe. Offering 25% off site-wide.
- Pela Case: Solution based company providing compostable phone cases, phone accessories and sunglasses. Currently offering buy one, get one on phone cases as part of their Wear One, Wash One campaign to encourage phone sanitizing during pandemic. Also offering buy one, get one on sunglasses.
- Package Free Shop: Provides a large catalog of package free and material conscious products for kitchen, beauty, hygiene, kids and more. Offering 25% off site-wide, 40% off subscriptions.
- Everlane: Clothing brand offering sustainable alternative to clothing production and transparency with manufacturing and pricing model. Invested in eliminating all virgin plastic from supply chain, moving all cotton to organic cotton, developing new up-cycled materials, zero waste to landfill distribution and so much more.
- Girlfriend Collective: Closed loop and up-cycling active wear brand. Uses recycled plastic in production. You can send brand products back to the company once it’s run its course to be repurposed. Donating 20% of Earth Day net proceeds to One Tree Planted.
- And so many more.
Remember that it’s not about being perfect but trying to make little changes that add up to greater change. Happy Earth Day!
