Mixed Go Green-Choice Food, Great Service, Sustainability
Mixed is a fast casual restaurant that specializes in made-to-order Salads. Also serving Wrap, Soups, and Paninis too.
It all started from a conversation between a father and his son back in 2008, both who have a passion for bringing fun and unique ideas “to the table”. It was from this conversation that this idea of creating and starting a restaurant that specializes in made to order salads first came about. It was only a casual conversation that they both often had on business ideas and as it was further discussed that day the beginning of Mixed brand started to form; even though they both didn’t know it at that time.
After thinking and pondering on this concept for a few weeks the idea stuck and wouldn’t leave the mind of Mixedowner, creator, and Sioux Falls native Cole Shawd. Cole knew that this was something he was interested in and would love to open so he could offer these fast and fresh healthy salad options that are hard to find in most markets. Cole knew his area and city fairly well and thought what better of a place to start this concept then Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He knew he wanted salads to be the restaurants specialty, but offering other items like wraps, soups, and paninis would provide other great tasting varieties to the customers of Mixed.
The Green Business Bureau asked Cole to tell us 2-3 actual examples of things the team at Mixed are doing to be green?
“All of our cups/lids/straws/plates/silverware and compostable. All of our lighting and refrigeration equipment is energy efficient.”
Cole, what have been some of the biggest challenges to going green? ”One is finding items that are ‘green’ to have in the restaurant. There are still some items and technologies that aren’t available yet in the ‘green’ world. Another is pricing. Even though most items have came down in pricing for ‘green’ products and items it’s still a challenge to balance these expenses.
Please tell us more about the positive results have you seen around the restaurant by going green and about some of your favorite initiatives. ”I like the following GBB initiatives because it’s been fun to train the staff on these easy things that you don’t really think of until your more careful of your wasting:
· Reuse paper waste and have a scratch paper bin which people can use the back of unused printouts for drafts, scratch paper or internal memos, etc.
· Donate a portion of your profits to an environmental cause.
· Offer durable, reusable bags at checkout.”
Cole, have you noticed a cost savings since you’ve joined the GBB and used the certification portal? How? ”I’ve seen cost savings, positive feedback from customers, customer loyalty due to us being green, better/cleaner atmosphere in the restaurant, extra fun part of the business to have fun with and for our customers to enjoy.”
Finally, please tell us about your experience with the GBB. ”It’s been a good one. I’ve learned a lot from the GBB on how to help my business be more green and to maintain our green restaurant. I continue to improve our green operation and the GBB is a nice guidance piece to help along the way and a useful resource.”
Can there ever be Tree-Less Paper
Over twenty-nine million; that is the number of trees estimated by the United Nations to be cut down in a single day on the Earth. In the United States, about half of the lumber cut down is used to produce paper. Of all the paper produced in the United States, only about one percent is made of materials other than tree pulp. Processing trees into paper takes an enormous amount of energy, water, and chemicals. It is a wonder that this is called the electronic age when a third of the waste in our landfills is still paper. Recycling measures are helping to save the trees, but the processes still use high amounts of energy, water, and bleach. Reforestation efforts are helping to save the tree population, but still take 10 to 20 years to replace a tree that has been cut down. Now, new processes are being tried to replace tree pulp paper with other substances and production methods; let’s look at a few.
Bamboo, More Than Just Panda Food
Bamboo is tree-like grass that takes only three to five years to reach maturity. This grass has been used for centuries to create wooden furniture, flooring, and now paper. One company, Smock, states that bamboo paper is better than even the finest cotton paper. With Bamboo having natural anti-fungal and anti-bacterial features, bamboo paper lends itself to being used for archival items. The bamboo plant collects more carbon dioxide than some trees and in turn releases more oxygen. Less water is used to produce bamboo paper than in the regular tree pulp process. Bamboo appears to be the most likely material to be able to produce printing paper on a large scale.
One Lump or Two
Sugar Cane is one of the most common alternatives to tree pulp from paper. When sugar cane is processed to produce sugar the remaining plant is turned into a byproduct called bagasse. By using bagasse in paper, this byproduct is recycled instead of wasted. The Sugar Cane Paper Company, Inc. says that they are able to produce paper by using an elemental chlorine free bleaching process. Sugar Cane products can replace many tree pulp made products including toilet paper, napkins, and lunch containers. However, this company’s website does not list printer paper as a product… yet.
Let’s Get Exotic Paper is normally made from trees smashed into pulp. So, if other items could be smashed into a pulp, pretty much anything could be used to make paper. That is exactly the line of thinking a company called Mr. Ellie Pooh has done by making use of elephant dung. The elephant has already done the hard process of taking vegetation and creating a pulp. The company then cleans the dung and removes the pulverized plants to create a very unique paper product. The paper is more coarse making it perfect for stationary, cards, and scrapbooking, though not a good printing paper. China has taken inspiration and word is that panda poo paper is now in the works.
Rock, Paper, Scissors
As children playing the old time favorite of rock, paper, scissors, it was unimaginable that one day rock paper would actually mean printable paper from stones. That is just what the brainchild company TerraSkin has produced. The company calls it “The New Stone Age, with a little help from technology.” What they have done is found a way to combine three quarters of ground stone dust with a quarter of a non-toxic resin to create a very usable paper. This paper is water resistant, and can be used for bags, product wrapping, posters, and printing paper. Since the paper is mostly stone, less ink is needed to print upon it. As long as the paper is stored indoors, out of ultraviolet light, it can last inevitably. If left exposed to the outdoor elements it can completely degrade back to dust in three to four months time. Since non-toxic glue is used to make the paper, absolutely no water is needed for the process. Rock paper is a new player to the green game and may take the lead as a superstar.
Keep the Trees Where They Belong There is hope that many of these alternative papers will take hold and catch on in the industry, but of course, there will be resistance from the lumber companies. Just as change for alternative fuel resources is taking hold, changing what is used to make paper has the potential to grow as well. Forests help remove millions of pounds of carbon dioxide from our atmosphere, and if the removal of these trees is not slowed down soon, global climate change will simply continue to accelerate. Saving a tree is not just a tree hugger’s job anymore, everyone needs to give a hand, and in this situation, to purchase a case of paper not made from trees.
Become a Certified Green Printing Company
Printer Ink: Virgin vs. Remanufactured
One item that people hate shopping for is the ink cartridge. Not only can it be complicated to find the right number/letter combination for your particular printer, but they are extremely expensive. Many people have stood in that dreaded ink cartridge aisle and wondered why a small amount of liquid has to cost so much. However, that conundrum is coming to an end now, and printer manufacturers are worried. A large portion of printer manufacture profit comes from the consumer purchasing more cartridges. However, an educated consumer can find ways to reuse their ink cartridges and avoid standing in that dreaded aisle.
Recycle and Be Green… or, Greener
There are several ways around purchasing new, or virgin, ink cartridges: remanufactured, commercially refilled and self-refilled. By reusing or recycling your ink cartridges, you keep the plastic casing out of landfills, making printing just a little bit more green. It is important to note, however, that the cartridge cannot be reused endlessly. On average, a cartridge can be refilled about four to six times before the printer head or electronic contacts are burnt out.
Buy Refurbished
When it comes to printing at home or business, you have little choice but to buy those pesky printer cartridges to get your materials printed. But by purchasing refurbished cartridges you can at least know that you rescued this cartridge from a trash bin, rather than requiring a totally new one to be manufactured. Usually a remanufactured cartridge is a completely repackaged product that uses returned cartridge bodies. The cartridge will have had maintenance performed including cleaning, chip replacement and more, then tested for proper functioning.
These refurbished cartridges will save you a few dollars, but they can still be costly. Additionally, care must be taken when purchasing cartridges labeled as remanufactured or refurbished. Some companies may use questionable techniques to refill the cartridge, such as drilling a hole and filling the cartridge or splitting it in half and then clipping it back together. Both of these methods will reduce the efficiency and reliability of the cartridge and should be avoided whenever possible. Be sure to research the companies that sell refurbished products and check on the methods used.
Ink Refills are Us
If you would rather not purchase remanufactured cartridges, having your own used cartridges refilled is another option; there are companies, such as Walgreens, that will refill them for you while you shop. You can have your cartridge refilled three to five times for the same prices as buying a new cartridge. Unfortunately, since cartridges do have a limited number of times that they can be recycled, you will still find yourself making that dreaded turn down the cartridge aisle eventually, but much less often. With a little research you can be assured that your refilled ink cartridge will work as well, or even better, than a more expensive virgin cartridge; spend some time reading reviews of ink refilling services and ensure that you choose a company who has left a trail of happy customers. One note of caution, for most printers refilling your ink cartridges will void your printer warranty, so buyer beware. From an environmental standpoint, however, refilling is a great way to get five times as much use out of a cartridge before you throw it into a landfill.
Fill ‘Em Up on Your Own
If you want to save even more money, then the best way is to refill your ink cartridges on your own. Refill kits are cheap and you can fill six cartridges for the price of a single refill at some other company; that makes refilling your own cartridges about a tenth the price of buying them new, so you save green money and the green environment.
Refilling ink or toner cartridges yourself can be done, and it is less expensive than having a company do it, but it requires a steady hand and patience. Be sure to research how to refill the particular cartridge you have because you cannot just grab any needle and squirt ink into it. Different cartridges also use different styles of needles to get into the fill holes. Just as with purchasing remanufactured cartridges, you want to be sure to research where you buy refill kits from. They should include the proper sized needles, high quality ink, and instructions. Also, ensure that you choose inks that are non-toxic and safe to work with, while also working in a well ventilated area.
#gbbbiz Twitter Chat: “Sustainable Business-Top Down or Bottom Up Approach?”
GBB invites you to participate in our #gbbbiz twitter chat on Wednesday October 12th from 12 to 1 PM CT where we will discuss best practices for incorporating sustainability in business practices. Here’s a list of questions we will be discussing during the chat:
1) How to incorporate sustainability in corporate culture?
2) How well does Top Down approach work? What should be the role of State and Local Government?
3) Is making a green team a more viable way of encouraging sustainability?
4) What are the benefits of Bottom Up approach? How can customers encourage businesses to go green?
Join #gbbbiz to share your insights. Looking forward to having a great conversation.
How City Officials can make Cities Green?
Paint Your Town Green
Paint your town green today; well, at least paint the city green ceremoniously. Just as families choose where to live on the performance of the local school district, environmentally conscious people are choosing to live in green cities. For this reason, municipalities are catching on to the fact that they too need to become environmentally conscious – and, they are realizing the benefits of doing such. Not only do the cities benefit from more citizens relocating to their area, but they have realized that going green can indeed save money and help continuing to tighten budgets. There are several ways to make your city green, starting with small changes to the enormous.
Change to CFLs
One of lowest cost and greatest energy saving options available to a municipality is to upgrade all their lighting to compact fluorescent lights (CFL). These lights will cost more than a regular light bulb but pack a punch in the energy savings arena. A city can cut energy costs for lightning nearly in half with properly installed CFL bulbs and can prevent tons of carbon emissions from being released into the atmosphere. As the change to CFL bulbs grows to completion a recycling program will need to be in place since CFL bulbs do contain a minute amount of mercury, but establishing this program will also help give citizens the confidence to have a place to dispose of their own bulbs, too. Changing to LEDs is becoming an even better option, though these bulbs are still in their infancy.
Put Recycling Bins Out
Instead of having simple trash cans placed throughout town, change these areas to mini recycling centers. Many companies produce attractive recycling bins that have a single unit with multiple openings to deposit cans, bottles, and plastics, along with regular waste. If given the opportunity, people would choose to recycle when possible instead of tossing them in the trash. There are waste management sites across the nation that will pay for recyclables turned in, and could help offset any cost of keeping the trash separated.
Encourage Composting
All cities have lawns that need to be maintained and flower beds or pots that need to be filled come spring time. Creating a composting system within the municipality’s parks department can offset the cost of new fertilizer and pesticides every year. By composting organic waste a municipality can take pride in producing their own fertilizer. Simply have directions in employee eating areas for the type of organic waste that can be composted and have a special bin for the waste to be collected in. Many universities have shown that composting does save money and provides an excellent fertilizer. Cities can reinforce the green aspect of composting by placing signs in gardens and on flower pots stating that city compost was used for this plant.
Upgrade Public Transportation and Vehicle Fleets
A huge portion of carbon emissions for a municipality comes from their fleet of vehicles, whether vehicles to transport personnel back and forth, dump trucks and loaders for road construction, or mass transit vehicles. The United States government has already implemented a policy where they plan to have all vehicles changed over to alternative fuel within the next few years. The benefits for alternative fuel vehicles includes lower fuel consumption and cost, less pollution placed into the air, and possible tax rebates from the government. A prominent alternative fuel vehicle placed on these vehicles will help bring attention to the public that the city is making the best use of their tax money.
Give Yourself a Pat on the Back
The most important and final step for a municipality is to make sure they let the public know that they are moving to, or have become a green city. Quietly recycling trash and upgrading buildings is nice, but sometimes you do need to simply stand on the soap box and scream at the top of your lungs.
Even with local newspapers printing articles on the green upgrades, word still spreads the fastest by word of mouth. Print on your billings what you’ve done to become green. Post big, clear, eye-catching signs in the area of recycling bins, or on buildings that have green attributes. Have pamphlets for your citizens to take at the city hall for ways they can match the city’s devotion to going green. Create ordinances and reward programs to help citizens and businesses achieve a certain environmental status. Large movements and trends are always started by a single person or small group; let your local government be the leader in a green movement, and not just a reactionary force.
Why Going Green works for Restaurants?
On our facebook page we asked, “Do you feel a lot of food is wasted in restaurants?”, the answer was obvious yes! Reducing portion sizes, composting left over food items, donating food, and using reusable to-go boxes are a few suggestions for restaurants to go green. In more broad terms, restaurants can save the planet and increase profits by focussing on waste reduction, water efficiency, food choice and energy use.
According to the Global Poverty Project, as much as 50% of food in the United States is wasted at some point in the production cycle, with some sources suggesting that as much as 20% of restaurant food is wasted. In fact, according to some sources restaurants in the United Kingdom waste as much as 600 thousand tons of food a year, while the United States is believed to be wasting as much as 48 million tons a year. Sadly, little of this food is composted, with as much as 98% of it ending up in landfills. By reducing waste, recycling and creating a sustainable business plan
