Turning Waste into Green - FOX E Team Reports

Golden Valley, Minn. - In this era of environmental consciousness, many businesses are looking to maximize profits by becoming good stewards.

"They are genuine partners in reducing waste in Minnesota," says Stan Mierzejewski. "They are true to their mission."

Mierzejewski, of the Tennant Company in Golden Valley, is singing the praises of Minnesota Waste Wise - a branch of the Minnesota Chamber Of Commerce whose mission is to provide environmental consulting to help businesses save money through waste reduction, resource conservation and energy efficiency.

"Obviously, if businesses save money, consumers are going to save money," says Kate Worley, manager of Minnesota Waste Wise.

And thats one of the benefits of corporate recycling and reuses programs.  Through on-site assessments Minnesota Waste wise points out opportunities for recycling and helps design plans for waste stream management. This keeps manufacturing and packaging materials out of landfills and can provide new income for the client companies.

"One thing Waste Wise has done is they've given me the vision to look for opportunities," says Mierzejewski. "I've probably walked by here hundreds of times and never thought of this and thats a waste - it's looking for waste."

Waste, which is now being recycled, or sorted and sold in bulk to other organizations - pumps up the Tennant Company's bottom line.
Another important function of Minnesota Waste Wise is to connect businesses to organizations that can help them manage their waste disposal, and to other businesses that can benefit from good examples.

"We also do a lot of recognition of our members not only to show what theyre doing and give them a pat on the back," Worley says. "But also to show other businesses what they can do because we find that the opportunity to connect businesses is a really valuable one."

'Today Sustainability' means thinking of the waste stream differently because as Waste Wise points out- less waste is smart business.
At Tennant, they're now recycling pallets, cardboard packaging and metal banding. They are even planning programs for the full-scale recycling of machinery that has come to the end of its useable life.

Looking ahead, Kate Worley believes more and more corporations are recognizing recycling programs for both the environment and their spreadsheets.

"It seems like this sustainability movement is going to last because companies see value in it," she says.

And this should keep Minnesota Waste Wise consultants busy pursuing their mission with satisfied clients like Stan Mierzejewski well into the future.