The Waste-Not Whale
After seeing a sign about reducing plastic use to protect the ocean in a coffee shop in Argentina, I was inspired to create signs for grab-and-go stations of coffee shops in Athens, Georgia.
I was interested in influencing consumers’ perceptions about the long-term environmental effects of their actions. The placement of many PSAs about ocean pollution is far from the area where consumers are making the decision to consume plastic. However, these coffee shops signs are paired with the grab-and-go stations, so they reach the consumer at the exact point of decision-making.
After doing research on the grab-and-go stations of coffee shops in Athens, Georgia, I designed and created wooden signs that said, “Protect me, take Less Plastic.” However, just before a meeting with my first coffee shop, I realized the signs have the potential to do much more than steer customers in the right direction and save businesses money on plastic supplies.
I created a template document divided into two sections: “current waste management techniques” and “opportunities for the future.” Using the hand-made sign as a conversation starter, I consulted with seven coffee shops in the Athens community on their waste management processes and opened opportunities for future projects such as starting to recycle, compost, or even switching from disposable cups to reusable mugs.
After I synthesized my notes from each meeting with the shop owners and managers, I realized many concrete projects had bubbled to the surface. Nearly all of the coffee shops were interested in starting the waste management initiatives I mentioned, but most shop employees did not have the time or resources to kickstart the projects.
These projects will be driven by graduating Certificate of Sustainability students like myself who are looking for a capstone project. I took conversation notes on the initiatives each coffee shop is interested in, and I will pass these along to future students.
In the end, I packaged eight projects for future capstone students. The identified projects range from designing reusable mugs to connecting used coffee grounds to farms that need compost to teaching shop employees how to recycle properly.
I was happy to forge a connection between the seven local coffee shops and the resources at Sustainable UGA as the university community and the greater Athens community have the same landfill waste reduction goal, and I believe both communities must work together to reach that goal.
I also realized the Athens business community could benefit from a positive partnership with Sustainable UGA for branding purposes while also leveraging student resources to increase profitability and improve our planet.
I am thrilled that a simple idea about a Waste–Not Whale sign expanded into a broader consulting project where I was able to serve as the catalyst for a partnership between the Athens community and Sustainable UGA in which each community helps the other community reach its goals.
