Looking at the stock market’s valuation of some of the world’s top brands- (see the below graphic from visualcapitalist.com) already, there is a distinct valuation difference between those brands that are promoting dematerialized (virtual) products and services vis a vis those with physical products. Even for the latter category we believe (and hope) that there will ultimately be a premium for those who curb their propensity for populating the planet with overmuch packaging and waste generation. Those brands that know the true meaning of sustainability and are able to add true value at a price that the consumer can afford, while still accurately reflecting the price of their production (and waste generation), will be the winners of tomorrow. As the world wakes up to the true cost of the industrial model- knowing that you can throw away but there is no ‘away’.

Buildings are designed for comfort, productivity, entertaining and living. Buildings have historically not been designed to support low waste goals. However, that is changing as architects and developers have come to realize the importance of design in supporting low waste goals. A few years ago, the Zero Waste Design guidelines were developed and have been a catalyst for thinking about design and waste.

A simple example of the importance of design is the problem of collecting recyclable and organic materials (aka compost) in older office buildings. The pantries can be small and may not have a sink. There is no way to rinse recyclables and no room to put in a third bin for composting. If companies can solve the question of where to collect organic materials in their office space, the problem of where to store the compost bin in the loading dock area arises. If organic materials are not collected every day (and it may not be feasible economically), then a cold storage room is usually required to manage odors.

Without effective storage, tenants and property managers may be reluctant to embark on a composting program. The same issues arise in residential buildings where the refuse room is generally small and often does not have any room for compost bins, let alone recycle bins or any other specialty recycle bins.