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Plastic cups and spoons
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BahamaMama



Joined: 21 Sep 2006
Posts: 2315
Location: Away with the fairies
PostPosted: Thu May 12, 11 4:36 pm    Post subject: Plastic cups and spoons Reply with quote
    

A little toot toot from my own trumpet here.

I work for a very large multi-national corporation, we have a number of very nicely appointed offices around the country and they have a very active 'contribute to society' policy. However, every single office provides only plastic cups and spoons, there are 5 buildings on my campus, with 3 floors on each, each floor is divided into at least two main areas (some of the larger buildings have more) and each area has a dishwasher which is run every evening

I have long complained about the waste (as I see it) of using plastic instead of reusable cups and spoons and the associated waste of running almost empty dishwashers nightly.

I signed up for an 'Eco Project' with a view to try to change this. In order to build the business case for change I did some research to establish the actual numbers and costs of purchasing 'consumables' for the organisation - we use 250,000 plastic spoons and almost 500,000 plastic cups annually, which costs the organisation almost £16,000 and generates 1 ton of CO2.

There will of course be costs associated in changing to reusable mugs and spoons but initial investigations suggest that this will pay for itself in 1 year.

Armed with this infomation, I found a sponsor to support me and we presented the information to the change board and they approved it this week.

We are now starting the change over to remove all the plastic consumables and replace them with proper cups and spoons in the office areas.

I am so happy (little happy dance) and really feel that I have achieved something.

Putting my trumpet away now

tahir



Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45389
Location: Essex
PostPosted: Thu May 12, 11 4:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Excellent, really well done!

Duckhead



Joined: 24 Oct 2009
Posts: 2069
Location: Up the hill, Italy
PostPosted: Thu May 12, 11 4:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Well done indeed.

The bars here drive me mad. You buy a coffee and it comes in a lovely little cup that they wash in a machine. With coffee you get a little glass of water, 9 times out of ten a plastic glass which they bin.

Madness.

sally_in_wales
Downsizer Moderator


Joined: 06 Mar 2005
Posts: 20809
Location: sunny wales
PostPosted: Thu May 12, 11 4:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

excellent news, thats a brilliant thing to have sorted out

jamanda
Downsizer Moderator


Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 35056
Location: Devon
PostPosted: Thu May 12, 11 4:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Darn - I saw a webthingy once with a cartoony picture of all the stages involved in making a plastic spoon from drilling for the oil to transporting it to the user and asking how it could be viable to do all that and then just throw it away.

I'll try and find it again.

mochyn



Joined: 21 Dec 2004
Posts: 24585
Location: mid-Wales
PostPosted: Thu May 12, 11 4:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Taht's wonderful. I've been feeling very down about my own 'footprint' but you've cheered me up ne end! Wish I could do somethhing comparable.

BahamaMama



Joined: 21 Sep 2006
Posts: 2315
Location: Away with the fairies
PostPosted: Thu May 12, 11 4:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Thanks everyone - it is a real sense of achievement. What has been very encouraging is the number of people that have supported me and contributed to the project - they all feel equally strongly.

In the absence of cake, a glass of wine to celebrate I think

gil
Downsizer Moderator


Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 18409

PostPosted: Thu May 12, 11 5:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

That's really good ! Well done.

Jo S



Joined: 13 Jan 2009
Posts: 5174
Location: Somerset
PostPosted: Thu May 12, 11 5:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    


darkbrowneggs



Joined: 14 Jul 2010
Posts: 663
Location: Worcestershire
PostPosted: Thu May 12, 11 6:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Well done you

kirstyfern



Joined: 03 Jan 2010
Posts: 1574
Location: Great Dunmow, Essex
PostPosted: Thu May 12, 11 8:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

well done

nats



Joined: 12 Jun 2007
Posts: 2374
Location: Swindon but not a Swindonian
PostPosted: Thu May 12, 11 9:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

It drives me mad that we have people at my company who can bring in their own lunch in a box etc (that they presumably wash) but can't put in their own cutlery meaning they use the plastic stuff. Every day. ARRRGGGG I'd like to get rid of it too but we already have the non-disposable at the selling end of the canteens, this is just the packed lunch users. Well done you and can I have some of your magic please?!

jamanda
Downsizer Moderator


Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 35056
Location: Devon
PostPosted: Thu May 12, 11 9:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

My only caveats would be that some people won't be able to cope with the washing up - and you may get mug wars

onemanband



Joined: 26 Dec 2010
Posts: 1473
Location: NCA90
PostPosted: Fri May 13, 11 4:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

https://www.bmj.com/content/331/7531/1498.full?ehom

Australian scientists study the disappearance of teaspoons in the work place

perlogalism



Joined: 27 Nov 2009
Posts: 440
Location: Near Welshpool
PostPosted: Fri May 13, 11 8:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

onemanband wrote:
https://www.bmj.com/content/331/7531/1498.full?ehom

Australian scientists study the disappearance of teaspoons in the work place


The funniest thing I've read in a long time

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