Do you find yourself confused about the various descriptions used to define terms in relation to the environment and recycling as a business?
There are many terms and tag lines used to define the various factors affecting our environment and how we treat it. In order to build an environmentally friendly space that practices recycling as a business, there are three terms every business should familiarize itself with.
Sustainability (derived from sustain and ability)
Sustainability is defined as the “property of biological systems that remain diverse and productive indefinitely”. Examples of a sustainable biological system are long-lived, healthy wetlands and forests.
Sustainability is essentially the endurance of systems or processes. For our purposes, these are systems and processes involving recycling. One such example is a process known as sustainable development, which includes the four interconnected domains: ecology, economics, politics and culture.
When businesses use the term “sustainability”, they are referring to a business model that has a minimal impact on the environment. This minimal impact can be accomplished through a number of methods, such as eliminating waste or decreasing energy consumption through efficiencies and best practices.
Zero Waste to Landfill
Zero Waste to Landfill is a term used by companies looking to reach their sustainability and recycling goals. By eliminating waste entering a landfill, they are actively attempting to minimize their environmental impact. This is typically achieved by waste minimization, reducing consumption, and recycling as a business.
Should a business generate material that cannot be reused or recycled, there is the option of waste-to-energy disposal. Waste-to-energy disposal facilities gather enough trash to generate power through combustion. This process also allows the extraction of metals for recycling, which would otherwise be dumped into a landfill.
Carbon Footprint
A carbon footprint is a commonly used term that refers to “the total set of greenhouse gas caused by an individual, event, organization, or product, expressed as CO2”.
Carbon footprint emissions for the average U.S. household can often be traced back to “indirect” sources, such as fuel burned to produce goods in a location that is a great distance from the where the final consumer obtains the product. Indirect sources are distinguished from emissions that are produced by burning fuel directly in one’s car or stove. These are known as direct sources of the consumer’s carbon footprint.
When considering your “carbon footprint” as a business, there is virtually no way to avoid its creation – no matter how minimal. From the clothes we wear to the food we eat, all products relate back to a source that generates carbon. The solution is to reduce your business’s carbon footprint as much as possible, through recycling and eco-friendly tactics.
Miller Recycling can provide additional information on how to incorporate recycling into your business model. Please contact us to discuss any questions or concerns you may have about recycling as a business.