"By reducing their carbon footprint in our communities, these workplaces are showing the community they care about the city's future."

SAN DIEGO, CA — San Diego is recognizing 10 local businesses and organizations that implemented or expanded waste reduction and recycling programs with an award for their efforts, it was announced Wednesday. From establishing a cigarette butt collection and recycling program, to creating a system to track solid waste tonnage to identifying diversion opportunities, the 2020 Business Waste Reduction and Recycling Award winners displayed "forward thinking" in their programs, city leaders said. "By reducing their carbon footprint in our communities, these workplaces are showing the community they care about the city's future," Environmental Services Interim Director Gene Matter said. "We applaud these businesses and organizations for leading the way to a greener environment and exhibiting a strong determination to make a difference for generations to come." According to Matter, these businesses and organizations are helping the city reach its Climate Action Plan goal of achieving "Zero Waste" by 2040. Zero Waste is a principle that focuses on waste prevention, recycling, composting and other technologies to extend the life of the Miramar Landfill. Award winners have also shown their waste reduction programs lead to greater efficiency and contribute to their bottom line. The list of winners, recognized for work completed in 2019, includes: Subscribe -- LJ Crafted Wines. Wine membership utilizes reusable bottles with swing tops that are returned and exchanged for a sanitized bottle where customers choose which wines they want, directly from the barrel. This avoids single-use bottles, foils, corks and cartons. -- San Diego County Regional Airport Authority. Established a cigarette butt collection and recycling program. The butts are collected and shipped to TerraCycle which composts the cigarette paper and tobacco. The plastic filters are recycled and turned into outdoor benches and tables. A total of 17 pounds were collected in 2019. -- San Diego Mesa College. Composted 16.34 tons of pre-consumer food scraps from campus cafeterias and coffee shops for use in the on-campus garden. -- UC San Diego. All construction and demolition projects are required to divert 75% of debris from the landfill. -- San Diego State University. Implemented the SkySpark solid waste tracking system, an online, interactive waste dashboard that tracks tonnages specific to buildings on campus to help analyze and identify diversion opportunities. -- Jansen R&D. Efforts taken to become a paperless facility, such as a switch to digital signage to reduce the number of posters and flyers, and canceled subscriptions to scientific paper publications encouraging use of the centralized library with online journals. -- Hazard Center. Hosted annual Recycle/Spring Clean Up event for tenants to properly dispose of items that do not belong in the recycling container. -- San Diego Zoo. Recycles electricity via a one-megawatt energy battery that stores and discharges energy during peak hours to assist with park operations. -- Sharp Healthcare. Diverted 4.2 million pounds of material from the landfill. This included composting 500,000 pounds of food waste and reprocessing 106,000 pounds of surgical instruments. Expired, unusable medical equipment was donated to the nonprofit Ssubi is Hope. -- San Diego Food Bank. "Turbo Separator" takes unopened but damaged and inedible cans, boxes, and jars of food, and separates the food from the packaging for compost and recycling.

In an effort to encourage a more sustainable future for all, the City of San Diego is recognizing 10 local businesses and organizations that implemented or expanded innovative waste reduction and recycling programs. From establishing a cigarette butt collection and recycling program to creating a system to track solid waste tonnage to identify diversion opportunities, the 2020 Business Waste Reduction and Recycling Award winners displayed forward-thinking in their programs. “By reducing their carbon footprint in our communities, these workplaces are showing the community they care about the City’s future,” said Environmental Services Interim Director Gene Matter. “We applaud these businesses and organizations for leading the way to a greener environment and exhibiting a strong determination to make a difference for generations to come.” These businesses and organizations are helping the City reach its Climate Action Plan goal of achieving Zero Waste by the year 2040. Zero Waste is a principle that focuses on waste prevention, recycling, composting and other technologies to extend the life of the Miramar Landfill. Award winners have also shown their waste reduction programs lead to greater efficiency and contribute to their bottom line. The list of winners, recognized for work completed in 2019, includes:

• LJ Crafted Wines - Wine membership utilizes reusable bottles with swing tops that are returned and exchanged for a sanitized bottle where customers choose which wines they want, directly from the barrel. This avoids single-use bottles, foils, corks and cartons.
• San Diego County Regional Airport Authority - Established a cigarette butt collection and recycling program. The butts are collected and shipped to TerraCycle, which composts the cigarette paper and tobacco. The plastic filters are recycled and turned into outdoor benches and tables. A total of 17 pounds were collected in 2019.
• San Diego Mesa College - Composted 16.34 tons of pre-consumer food scraps from campus cafeterias and coffee shops for use in the on-campus garden.
• University of California San Diego - All construction and demolition projects are required to divert 75% of debris from the landfill.
• San Diego State University - Implemented the SkySpark solid waste tracking system: an online, interactive waste dashboard that tracks tonnages specific to buildings on campus to help analyze and identify diversion opportunities.
• Jansen R&D (Johnson & Johnson) - Efforts taken to become a paperless facility, such as a switch to digital signage to reduce the number of posters and flyers, and canceled subscriptions to scientific paper publications encouraging use of the centralized library with online journals.
• Hazard Center – Hosted annual Recycle/Spring Clean Up event for tenants to properly dispose of items that do not belong in the recycling container.
• San Diego Zoo - “Recycles” electricity via a one-megawatt energy battery that stores and discharges energy during peak hours to assist with park operations.
• Sharp Healthcare - Diverted 4.2 million pounds of material from the landfill. This included composting 500,000 pounds of food waste and reprocessing 106,000 pounds of surgical instruments. Expired, unusable medical equipment was donated to the nonprofit Ssubi is Hope.
• San Diego Food Bank - "Turbo Separator” takes unopened but damaged and inedible cans, boxes, and jars of food and separate the food from the packaging for compost and recycling, respectively.

To read more about how these businesses and organizations contributed to waste reduction and recycling, visit the Recycling Award webpage.

In an effort to encourage a more sustainable future for all, the City of San Diego is recognizing 10 local businesses and organizations that implemented or expanded innovative waste reduction and recycling programs. From establishing a cigarette butt collection and recycling program to creating a system to track solid waste tonnage to identify diversion opportunities, the 2020 Business Waste Reduction and Recycling Award winners displayed forward-thinking in their programs. “By reducing their carbon footprint in our communities, these workplaces are showing the community they care about the City’s future,” said Environmental Services Interim Director Gene Matter. “We applaud these businesses and organizations for leading the way to a greener environment and exhibiting a strong determination to make a difference for generations to come.” These businesses and organizations are helping the City reach its Climate Action Plan goal of achieving Zero Waste by the year 2040. Zero Waste is a principle that focuses on waste prevention, recycling, composting and other technologies to extend the life of the Miramar Landfill. Award winners have also shown their waste reduction programs lead to greater efficiency and contribute to their bottom line. The list of winners, recognized for work completed in 2019, includes:

• LJ Crafted Wines - Wine membership utilizes reusable bottles with swing tops that are returned and exchanged for a sanitized bottle where customers choose which wines they want, directly from the barrel. This avoids single-use bottles, foils, corks and cartons.
• San Diego County Regional Airport Authority - Established a cigarette butt collection and recycling program. The butts are collected and shipped to TerraCycle, which composts the cigarette paper and tobacco. The plastic filters are recycled and turned into outdoor benches and tables. A total of 17 pounds were collected in 2019.
• San Diego Mesa College - Composted 16.34 tons of pre-consumer food scraps from campus cafeterias and coffee shops for use in the on-campus garden.
• University of California San Diego - All construction and demolition projects are required to divert 75% of debris from the landfill.
• San Diego State University - Implemented the SkySpark solid waste tracking system: an online, interactive waste dashboard that tracks tonnages specific to buildings on campus to help analyze and identify diversion opportunities.
• Jansen R&D (Johnson & Johnson) - Efforts taken to become a paperless facility, such as a switch to digital signage to reduce the number of posters and flyers, and canceled subscriptions to scientific paper publications encouraging use of the centralized library with online journals.
• Hazard Center – Hosted annual Recycle/Spring Clean Up event for tenants to properly dispose of items that do not belong in the recycling container.
• San Diego Zoo - “Recycles” electricity via a one-megawatt energy battery that stores and discharges energy during peak hours to assist with park operations.
• Sharp Healthcare - Diverted 4.2 million pounds of material from the landfill. This included composting 500,000 pounds of food waste and reprocessing 106,000 pounds of surgical instruments. Expired, unusable medical equipment was donated to the nonprofit Ssubi is Hope.
• San Diego Food Bank - "Turbo Separator” takes unopened but damaged and inedible cans, boxes, and jars of food and separate the food from the packaging for compost and recycling, respectively.

To read more about how these businesses and organizations contributed to waste reduction and recycling, visit the Recycling Award webpage.

  San Diego is honoring 10 local businesses and organizations — including three schools — that put into effect or expanded waste reduction and recycling programs, it was announced Wednesday. From establishing a cigarette butt collection and recycling program to creating a system to track solid waste tonnage to identifying diversion opportunities, the 2020 Business Waste Reduction and Recycling Award winners displayed “forward thinking” in their programs, city leaders said. “By reducing their carbon footprint in our communities, these workplaces are showing the community they care about the city’s future,” said Environmental Services Interim Director Gene Matter. “We applaud these businesses and organizations for leading the way to a greener environment and exhibiting a strong determination to make a difference for generations to come.” According to Matter, these businesses and organizations are helping the city reach its Climate Action Plan goal of achieving “Zero Waste” by 2040. Zero Waste is a principle that focuses on waste prevention, recycling, composting and other technologies to extend the life of the Miramar Landfill. Award winners have also shown their waste reduction programs lead to greater efficiency and contribute to their bottom line. The list of winners, recognized for work completed in 2019:

• LJ Crafted Wines. Wine membership utilizes reusable bottles with swing tops that are returned and exchanged for a sanitized bottle where customers choose which wines they want, directly from the barrel. This avoids single-use bottles, foils, corks and cartons.
• San Diego County Regional Airport Authority. Established a cigarette butt collection and recycling program. The butts are collected and shipped to TerraCycle which composts the cigarette paper and tobacco. The plastic filters are recycled and turned into outdoor benches and tables. A total of 17 pounds were collected in 2019.
• San Diego Mesa College. Composted 16.34 tons of pre-consumer food scraps from campus cafeterias and coffee shops for use in the on-campus garden.
• UC San Diego. All construction and demolition projects are required to divert 75% of debris from the landfill.
• San Diego State University. Implemented the SkySpark solid waste tracking system, an online, interactive waste dashboard that tracks tonnages specific to buildings on campus to help analyze and identify diversion opportunities.
• Jansen R&D. Efforts taken to become a paperless facility, such as a switch to digital signage to reduce the number of posters and flyers, and canceled subscriptions to scientific paper publications encouraging use of the centralized library with online journals.
• Hazard Center. Hosted annual Recycle/Spring Clean Up event for tenants to properly dispose of items that do not belong in the recycling container.
• San Diego Zoo. Recycles electricity via a one-megawatt energy battery that stores and discharges energy during peak hours to assist with park operations.
• Sharp Healthcare. Diverted 4.2 million pounds of material from the landfill. This included composting 500,000 pounds of food waste and reprocessing 106,000 pounds of surgical instruments. Expired, unusable medical equipment was donated to the nonprofit Ssubi is Hope.
• And San Diego Food Bank. “Turbo Separator” takes unopened but damaged and inedible cans, boxes, and jars of food, and separates the food from the packaging for compost and recycling.

Choosing not to litter is so important for the health and appearance of our community, cigarette butts included. As of now, around 32% of all litter that is collected are cigarette butts, making it the most littered item in the country.   One reason cigarette butts are littered is the misconception that they are not litter. However, cigarettes do not biodegrade. Cigarette filters contain cellulose acetate, a plastic substance that breaks down very slowly. Not only are piles of cigarette butts in our public areas, parks and roadsides unsightly, but they can end up in our waterways, affect wildlife and attract even more litter to the area.   Another reason for cigarette litter is the lack of cigarette receptacles. Most cigarette litter happens in “transition zones.” These zones are where a smoker might be forced to put out their cigarette like restaurants, businesses or bus stops. By installing ash receptacles at transition points, cigarette litter can be drastically reduced.   Keep America Beautiful’s Cigarette Litter Prevention Program has reduced cigarette butt litter in participating areas by 50% every year since it’s been implemented since 2002. KBB is a 2020 recipient of Keep America Beautiful’s Cigarette Litter Prevention Program grant that aims to reduce cigarette litter by increasing the availability of cigarette receptacles and portable ashtrays as well as educating the public on the impacts of cigarette litter.   Working with the City of Maryville, Blount County, and local businesses, KBB is placing cigarette receptacles at transition points entering downtown restaurants and bars, county government buildings and local businesses. Cigarette receptacles have been placed in downtown Maryville at Sullivans, Bluetick Tavern, Two Doors Down and Brakins Blues Club; in Blount County at the Blount County Public Library, Blount County Justice Center, Blount County Animal Center and Blount County Probation Court; as well as local businesses Mama’s Kountry Kitchen and Cally’s Pet Grooming. The cigarette waste is being sent to Terracycle for recycling. The tobacco and paper are composted, and filters are turned into plastic pellets that can be used in new plastic products.   KBB also has free pocket ash receptacles available to the public for use when there is not a cigarette receptacle around. For more information on cigarette receptacles in Blount County or how to obtain a pocket receptacle, contact KBB at 865-681-4809 or keepblount@gmail.com. For more information on the Cigarette Litter Prevention Program, visit https://kab.org/pro grams/cigarette-litter/.  

The Public Marina now has two cigarette recycling bins to keep cigarettes from ending up in the bay. Eco Eureka’s environmental program and PacOut Green teamed up to get funding from the Storm Water Division. In effort, to reduce the water waste and help improve storm quality. The City of Eureka’s Program Coordinator, Robin Praszker says the cigarette bud receptacles are a trial to see if modifications will be needed in the future.

Did you know cigarettes are the most littered item in the world? The Public Marina now has two cigarette recycling bins to keep cigarettes from ending up in the bay. Eco Eureka’s environmental program and PacOut Green teamed up to get funding from the Storm Water Division. In effort, to reduce the water waste and help improve storm quality.

The Public Marina now has two cigarette recycling bins to keep cigarettes from ending up in the bay. Eco Eureka’s environmental program and PacOut Green teamed up to get funding from the Storm Water Division. In effort, to reduce the water waste and help improve storm quality. The City of Eureka’s Program Coordinator, Robin Praszker says the cigarette bud receptacles are a trial to see if modifications will be needed in the future.