COP27, or the 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference, was this year’s annual event in which global experts and scientists, along with more than 90 heads of state and representatives from 190 countries, gathered to discuss important and urgent topics regarding climate change. This edition of the event was held in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. A key focus of COP27 was an emphasis on implementation and action as a way for humans to adapt to the impacts of climate change, given the gradual rise in droughts, storms, and floods globally. In 2022, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers directed the state's Department of Administration to establish the Office of Environmental Justice to develop a framework and strategy for environmental justice work in communities where pollution, industry shifts, and extreme weather are most prominent.

COP27 also made headlines for releasing a warning of "climate chaos." Today, we'll go over COP27's climate chaos warning and its implications for the state of Wisconsin.

The provisional State of the Global Climate Report 2022 produced by the UN's World Meteorological Organization was described as "a chronicle of climate chaos," according to UN Secretary-General António Guterres. True to its ominous description, the report details how rising global temperatures will make 2022 the fifth or sixth hottest year on record.

Man-made greenhouse gas emissions are also predicted to rise after record highs in 2021 as well. Another record-breaker comes from sea levels growing at approximately 10% of the sea-level rise recorded since the first satellite measurements in 1993.

Meanwhile, Wisconsin has seen heavier and more frequent rains in recent years, resulting in floods, soil erosion, and changes to the coastline — affecting sewage and wastewater treatment. Moreover, these poor conditions also affect individuals intensely, triggering chronic illnesses and cardiovascular diseases, particularly in vulnerable populations.

The UN has long planned to find solutions against climate change, working with scientists, global experts, and world leaders to identify proper action. This is what the annual Conference of the Parties is for — starting with the first international treaty in 1992. This led to more global platforms being created to deal with climate change. Maryville University outlined how the UN's Global Humanitarian Overview began in December 2019, identifying climate change as one of the several emerging risks.

Rising temperatures are a threat to people's health, as well as water and food supplies, leading to humanitarian crises. For that reason, the UN has long advocated for climate action that can halve greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. One of their Sustainable Development Goals, precisely #12, focuses its targets on the environmentally sound management of all waste through prevention, reduction, recycling, and reuse, specifically to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Since 1996, WasteCap has been helping businesses transform waste into resources, hitting a 72.2% national waste diversion rate. This has saved our clients more than $36 million, helping create full-time jobs and boosting cost savings of reuse and recycling. Organizations should look into better waste management, not only for the benefits they can reap but also do their part in the fight against climate change.

To prevent the climate chaos from worsening, we must do what we can while making our voices — and the experts and scientists' — heard by those in power to make significant changes and policies.

From saving water to using energy-efficient appliances and even rethinking the impact of travel by planes, trains, and automobiles, making small but necessary changes in our daily life can help. The classic "reduce, reuse, and recycle" campaign similarly comes to mind.

Getting a better handle on waste management can also help curb the speed of climate change. Striving for a waste-free environment doesn't just reduce waste; it also cuts down your carbon footprint. When you recycle waste, the energy you generate can further reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Why should companies be working to reduce waste?

The obvious answer is that it’s the right thing to do for our environment, but the extent of benefits is far more reaching. We’ve improved production methods by increasing our yield and reducing our raw material consumption, which reduced our overall cost. Another benefit was the level of employee engagement. Our employees WANT to be involved and contribute to waste diversion.

Inpro has established an Environmental Management Team to help further its goals. How are you working to sustain zero waste operations, and what’s next for 2023?

Achieving zero waste to landfill is not a one-and-done exercise.  The EMS team has established tracking methods and monthly reporting which allows our company to take action and remain current with the goal. Additional initiatives have also been identified and prioritized as we continue our efforts.

Now that we’ve reached a compliant level, we will pursue the GBCI TRUE certification.

In addition to this major milestone, Inpro is proud to celebrate their commitment to sustainability in business through many other accomplishments and initiatives.

• They received the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) “Recycling Excellence Award” for their commitment to diverting waste from the landfills. 
• Last year, they were also the first organization in the state of Wisconsin to achieve Fitwel Certification, demonstrating their commitment to the health and well-being of all employees. 
• They are ISO 9001: 2015 and ISO 14001:2015 certified to provide the best products possible, while also being mindful of the environmental impacts of our manufacturing processes.
• They are a “Tier 2” Wisconsin Green Tier Company via the Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council, as well as active Members of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), Green Building Initiative (GBI), and Health Product Declaration Collaborative (HPDC). 
  
  

Join the conversation on your journey to zero waste, and become a WasteCap member today!

WasteCap has been busy since 1996, helping businesses find ways to transform waste into resources through reduction, reuse, recycling and composting.  In 2005 we started recording that impact, which passed some major new milestones last year!

Waste is more than trash in a landfill, or litter in our parks and waters.  Waste is the acres of habitat leveled to obtain material, the energy and water consumed to make and move products, the jobs created in recycling and remanufacture, and the cost savings of reuse and recycling.

WE SUNSETED WASTECAP TRACE ON SEPTEMBER 17, 2021!
For 16 years WasteCap hosted an online tool to manage your waste diversion operation and gauge it's performance.  It focused on building a waste management plan that was effective and delineated clear responsibilities, tracking each waste material stream and providing insightful reporting for any time frame on multiple projects.  It was supported by the community for many years, and we'd like to thank everyone who contributed to making it a success.

See below: the impact of TRACE and information on transitioning your data.
​
THE IMPACT OF TRACE
Since 2005, TRACE has helped companies and individuals, in Wisconsin and beyond, to divert over 1 million tons of material from landfills and incinerators.

• Projects in Wisconsin averaged an 85.3% diversion rate! 
• Nationwide users averaged 73.1%.

Enough material was kept out of landfills to fill Lambeau Field to the top of the stadium 1.8 times, about 42% of an average Wisconsin landfill.  Finding better uses for that material effectively added a month and a half of life to each of Wisconsin's 53 landfills.  More importantly, getting this material back into the economy has saved:

• 961 thousand metric tons of CO2, the equivalent of keeping 12 thousand cars off the road every year since 2005.
• 20 thousand acres of habitat, including 1.8 million trees.
• A year's worth of drinking water for 800 thousand people.
• $35 million through reduced waste hauling fees.

On behalf of WasteCap I would like to personally thank those companies that supported TRACE over the years.  We could not have continued this long without your help.

TRANSITIONING YOUR DATA
​You will be able to access your data and run reports until September 17, 2021.  Before then, please choose the next step that best suits your needs:

• If you are using TRACE for a Wisconsin DFD project, you should have transitioned to WasteCap's new program hosted under ReTRAC Connect. If you haven't done so, please contact us at projects@wastecap.org, subject "DFD Transfer".
• If you are using Recycle 360, contact Stephan Berry at Stephen.Berry@wasteconnections.com for instructions, subject "Recycle360 Transfer".
• If you are an American Family Insurance user, contact Halie Tenor at htenor@amfam.com for instructions, subject "AmFam Transfer".
• If you use TRACE for any other purpose, and are interested in maintaining your data or transitioning to another program, you have options:
  • (a) Run reports on your projects prior to September 17th, 2021, and continue to track your waste data on your own.
  • (b) Work with WasteCap to transition your project history to ReTRAC Connect, taking advantage of new features and improved accessibility.
  • (c) Work with WasteCap to transfer your project history to a different third-party waste management program.
  • Contact us at projects@wastecap.org with the subject "TRACE Transfer" if you would like a quote for (b) or (c).

In Wisconsin, mountains of trash are cheap and easy to build.  Waste doesn't have to go far to find one.  Except for a few materials, there is little cost difference between landfilling and recycling. 

Efforts to divert waste from the landfill can be hard to justify based on disposal cost alone, so reduction is a key strategy for many.  Savings are almost always hundreds of times higher if a material isn't purchased in the first place.

Beyond direct costs, understanding the broader impact of wasteful practices can help a business or institution value the effects of its actions on its customers, community and supply chain.  There are tools and rules of thumb that can be used to estimate the greater economic and environmental impacts of your waste.  The EPA's WARM model estimates atmospheric impacts, energy savings and job creation trends.  At WasteCap we also like to note any water and habitat savings estimates that can be made as well.

Most of the companies that reach out to WasteCap already have a commitment to do better, be it for their shareholders, their employees, their community or their customers.  Sometimes they are just starting their journey to improve their diversion rate, others are seeking help with zero waste certification.  They all believe they are doing an great job, and it took them a leap of faith to ask for an outside opinion.  For that they were always rewarded.

Zero waste professionals like those at WasteCap are able to quickly cover basic principles and common sources of errors.  These initial cursory audits can reveal a lot in a short amount of time.  Once the gaps are identified, you can build up an appropriate response that delivers the best returns for your particular values.

Reducing waste isn't a quick or easy journey, but there are plenty of us here who can help.

On your own, every purchase you make and every piece of material you throw away makes a small impact on the resources wasted locally and around the world.

By working together we can move markets, create jobs, keep our communities healthy, and preserve the beauty of Wisconsin.

​Please consider WasteCap in ways large and small this season, and beyond, with these simple options.

All interested candidates should send a (1) cover letter and (2) resume by email or mail to:

​Rob Schaefer (Business Manager)
business@wastecap.org

WasteCap Resource Solutions, Inc.
2123 W. Michigan St. Suite 100
​Milwaukee, WI 53233