Initial Contact with Companies

This past week, I contacted IDEM to ask if they have any ideas on how I can not only get the restaurant I work for to recycle, but how to make it so it is prevelant in other restaurants. Here is my email sent on Monday, April 14, 2008:

I work for a local restaurant as a server. I have been there now for over a year. I honestly believe that as a strong company, they can make a huge difference and impact among other restaurants by taking a stand and recycling. Everyday, we throw away plastic, paper, glass, cardboard, styrofoam, and aluminum. Instead of throwing it all into the dumpsters and causing a larger waste impact on the dumps, I am trying to get them to set up a recycling program with each of the local recycling companies in the areas where every restaurant is located in the United States and begin to do our part to protect the environment. Every evening I work, I leave with empty ketchup bottles, paper, and cardboard. I take what I can gather because I feel that even the smallest part is doing something to help the environment. I found and informed them of companies who sells recycled and environmentally-friendly to-go containers. What a difference it would make (AND WHAT AN IMAGE) if our restaurant took a stand and went green! Please help me in my quest to make this happen. I know the company can model the way to better the environment.

On Wednesday, April 16, 2008, Kristin Wiley from IDEM replied:

Ms. Wilson:

Thank you for your April 14 e-mail regarding recycling. The Hamilton County Solid Waste Management District (SWMD) may be able to help you. You can contact Steve Wood at 317-776-4005. You can also contact Al Melvin in IDEM’s Recycling branch at 317-233-5623 or via e-mail at amelvin@idem.in.gov for some helpful information and ideas on what you can do. Thank you for using IDEM Online and for your interest in recycling!

So, I went onto the Hamilton County Solid Waste Management District website (http://www.hcdoes.org/sw/sba.htm) to look for more answers and to find Mr. Steve Wood so I could contact him directly. I also sent my same initial email to Al Melvin at IDEM's Recycling Branch to see what answers he could provide. I couldn't locate his name. But, I did find an email for Susan Schumacher and sent her the same email I sent the previous two people.

I am hoping this research will lead me somewhere to mandate that restaurants recycle.