Our Journey to Zero Waste & Tips We Learned Along the Way

At Second Harvest, we always strive to operate as sustainably as we can by ensuring that as much food as possible reaches those in need. But we wanted to go even further by achieving Zero Waste certification, which required us to update our protocols and practices to be as eco-friendly as possible.

For two and a half years, we undertook a long, complex process to become a designated zero-waste organization. This was no small endeavor. It required our team to go through an intensive training process and address specific parameters through the world’s leading sustainability and health certification organization, Green Business Certification Inc., under the TRUE (Total Resource Use and Efficiency) rating system.

 To achieve TRUE zero waste certification, Second Harvest completed more than the 31 required credits during the application process. Second Harvest’s efforts included:

• Creating an environmental purchasing program to focus on buying recycled and eco-friendly products such as paper and janitorial supplies, and training employees on how to find and buy sustainable goods
• Using reusable and multi-use items including hot beverage mugs and utensils in place of disposable items for operational purposes
• Providing partners and pantries with reusable plastic bins to replace cardboard bins that had previously been used to collect and store food
• Utilizing a nearby compost company for any food that is unable to be distributed, thereby reducing the food bank’s carbon footprint
• Switching to 30 percent recycled paper and printing in black and white ink, rather than color
• Swapping from paper to electronic where possible – one switch made in the logistics department led to saving 20,000 sheets of paper.

The result of these efforts was an increase in Second Harvest’s waste diversion rate from 60 percent to 95.2 percent. Less than five percent of what Second Harvest’s operations produce, in terms of unused materials, go to a landfill. Instead, these materials are reused, recycled, and reduced.

During this journey to zero waste certification, we learned a handful of tips and tricks that we’d like to share so that you can reduce your own carbon footprint:

1. Reduce plastic use. One easy way to reduce plastic use is to purchase reusable utensils to keep in your car or at work to avoid using disposable cutlery. Plastic pollution (the accumulation of plastic in the Earth’s environment) can alter habitats and natural processes, reducing ecosystems’ ability to adapt to climate change, affecting livelihoods, food production capabilities and social well-being.

2. Switch to recycled paper. Paper production can lead to deforestation, uses massive amounts of energy and water and contributes to air pollution and waste problems. That’s why we switched our paper to 30% recycled paper – this is an easy switch for us all to make. Recycled paper reduces greenhouse gas emissions, conserves landfill space and reduces energy and water consumption.

3. Replace single-use items with multi-use items. This approach can be as easy as keeping reusable grocery bags in the car rather than purchasing paper or plastic bags to carry groceries home. Try replacing paper towels with old towels or rags for cleaning countertops – it can take some time to make a new habit, but doing so keeps the environment and your wallet healthy in the long run!