Waste Assessment
Business Guide for Reducing Solid Waste provides an overview for developing and implementing a waste reduction program. It includes a series of worksheets designed to help you conduct a waste assessment and devise a program tailored for your company's specific goals. Part of this involves doing a waste assessment that is instrumental in gathering detailed information about your company’s waste. The waste assessment serves two basic purposes:

• To establish a baseline of data by collecting background information on a facility and its current purchasing, waste generation, and management practices.

• To identify potential waste reduction options for further evaluation.

The data you collect in the waste assessment can be used to identify and evaluate potential waste reduction options, including alternative purchasing practices, reuse, material exchanges, recycling, and composting.

Learn more at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Kitchen
Office kitchens are often a major source of waste. Easy ways to reduce kitchen waste in your office include:

• Ask your office management to purchase a set of reusable coffee mugs, glasses, plates, and silverware or bring in your own. You might also consider purchasing compostable kitchen items, which are available wholesale through a number of online retailers.
• Save money and reduce emissions by replacing bottled water with a tap filter, such as Pur or Brita.
• Provide organic, Fair Trade coffee, tea, and cocoa and try to use only paper towels and napkins with high post-consumer waste content.  
• When purchasing new appliances for the office kitchen, look for the ENERGY STAR label to ensure you are purchasing an energy-efficient product. 

Learn more at the New American Dream