Atlanta's Rubicon Global performed an "Earth Day Makeover" at event space Upstairs Atlanta last week, helping the small business implement new processes and best practices to reduce their waste footprint and keep valuable materials out of landfills.
Located by Atlantic Station, Upstairs Atlanta was created for social gatherings-- company events, weddings, class reunions, etc.--and Founder Kyle Rubis simply wanted to do something better with the glass, aluminum and food waste that was left over from events.
“As an event space, we obviously produce a lot of trash and had gotten to the point where our bartenders were recycling the bottles, cans and cups at home, and we knew we had to do something,” said Kyle Rubis, co-owner, Upstairs Atlanta. “We always thought recycling would be expensive, and we couldn’t have been more wrong. The changes that Rubicon helped us make have actually saved us money, while reducing our environmental footprint.”
On site, Rubicon representatives implemented new recycling procedures for Upstairs Atlanta from its RUBICONMethod waste reduction process for businesses, including:
- Roll-out of new recycling and compost service for reduction in landfill/MSW service
- Placement of side-by-side bin stations with standardized labels to reduce contamination and increase recycling habits
- Implementation of different colored liners (i.e. bags) for landfill (black), recycling (clear), and organic (green) bins to ensure materials end up in the correct waste stream when collected by custodial staff
- Education on how to eliminate waste from the start such as food, disposable tableware, and individually packaged goods
“Upstairs Atlanta is a great example of a small business, already invested in Circular Economy practices that wanted to be sustainable but didn’t know how,” said
David Rachelson, VP, Sustainability, Rubicon Global. “The RUBICONMethod is a process that businesses, organizations and governments of all sizes can follow to increase recycling and help create a cultural mindset that reduces their environmental impact.”
