ECOTAINER BROCHURE

The text below is from a product launch brochure and website I produced for the University of Washington in collaboration with Coca-Cola. 

Introducing Ecotainer, the world’s first ever compostable paper cold beverage drink cup made from renewable resources.

Through the collaborative efforts of four partners—the University of Washington, Coca-Cola, Cedar Grove Composting, and International Paper—we now have the industry’s first compostable cold paper cup, available here on the UW’s Seattle campus.

A Sustainable Culture

The Pacific Northwest’s unique mixture of green business practices, community organizing and environmental awareness places the University of Washington (UW) at the epicenter of a sustainable regional culture.

An Active Campus Community

The UW is one of the signatories of the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, agreeing to adopt policies that minimize global warming emissions and achieve carbon neutrality. 

A Visionary Collaboration

It all started when Housing and Food Services became aware of the increasing amount of food and beverage packaging heading to landfills. As a result, HFS committed to divert all dining waste—food as well as packaging—away from landfills to recycling and compost collection. Working with our partners, we were able to create an almost entirely compostable product line.

The only thing we couldn’t compost was the Coca-Cola® fountain drink cup—it was coated with petrochemical-based polyethylene, making composting impossible. So we asked Coca-Cola® to produce a compostable cup. They agreed to create a new cup and approached International Paper, their supplier, and requested one that would meet our needs.

Working closely with Cedar Grove Composting, International Paper delivered. After nearly two years of testing and market research, we are launching the world’s first compostable cold beverage cup. With it, 300,000 fewer cups will go to landfill!

A Step in the Right Direction

Housing and Food Services is just one of many on-campus departments working in support of the University’s sustainability goals. We don’t have all the answers, but we do have a supportive community and partners with the expertise and know-how to help us eventually achieve our goal of zero waste.

Community Leadership

Over time, we have developed our own sustainability program based on research and product testing, replacing waste with compostable products. Because we believe in our program and the University’s mission, we freely share our knowledge with Seattle businesses and community organizations who want to start their own composting programs or use environmentally-friendly food packaging and containers. We believe that transparency is important for both our own accountability and for helping the community at large.

A Word of Thanks to Our Partners

None of this would have been possible without the contributions of our partners. We thank the following companies for their ongoing support:

Coca-Cola® North America, for committing to create a compostable cold cup for fountain drinks;

International Paper, for conducting nearly two years of research and testing to make the cup a reality;

and Cedar Grove Composting, for providing early guidance and continued collaboration, culminating in the introduction and acceptance of the  new Coca-Cola® cup.

Coca-Cola’s compostable fountain cup is a key contribution to Housing and Food Service’s growing line of compostable products, and an important next step towards the University of Washington’s goal of zero waste.

Through the collaborative efforts of four organizations—the University of Washington, Coca-Cola, Cedar Grove Composting and International Paper—we now have the world’s first compostable cold beverage cup, available here on the UW’s Seattle campus.

Website Text:

Diverting Waste from the Landfill

Recently, Housing and Food Services became aware of the increasing amount of food and beverage packaging heading to landfills. As a result, HFS committed to divert all dining waste—food as well as packaging—away from landfills to recycling and compost collection. This was consistent with the University of Washington’s own sustainability goals.

Currently, HFS runs 21 food service operations and serves 29,000 customers a day. In 2006, our on-campus dining operations used over three million polystyrene knives, forks and spoons, destined for regional landfills along with food waste, cups and take-out containers. We could no longer ignore the amount of waste we were creating.

In January 2007, we implemented composting and recycling programs in our residential and dining facilities. Working with our partners, we were able to create a completely compostable product line. The only thing we couldn’t compost was Coca-Cola’s cup for fountain beverages—the cup’s interior was coated with petrochemical-based polyethylene, making composting impossible.

So in April 2007, we asked Coca-Cola to produce a polyethylene-free compostable cup. They agreed to create a new cup and approached International Paper, their cup supplier, and requested one that would meet our needs.

Working closely with Cedar Grove Composting, International Paper delivered. After nearly two years of testing and market research, we are launching the world’s first fully-compostable cold beverage cup. With it, 300,000 fewer cups will go to landfill.

Supporting the University of Washington’s Vision of a Greener Future

The Pacific Northwest’s unique mixture of green business practices, community organizing and environmental awareness places the UW at the epicenter of a thriving sustainable culture.

This culture of sustainability is strong at the University of Washington, where employees as well as students have sought solutions for reducing the waste stream—this support and participation helps the University do its part for the environment.

The UW is one of the signatories of the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, agreeing to adopt policies that minimize global warming emissions and achieve carbon neutrality. This means promoting sustainability in the curriculum and encouraging other universities and colleges to join in the effort to address climate change.

In Seattle, we are fortunate to have our own local composting facility, Cedar Grove Composting. Cedar Grove has helped create an impetus for participation in composting programs at the University and throughout the Seattle area, increasing the community’s awareness of the need for all of us to reduce our impact on the environment.

Housing and Food Services is just one of many on-campus departments working in support of the University’s sustainability goals. We don’t have all the answers, but we do have a supportive community and partners with the expertise and know-how to help us eventually achieve our goal of zero waste.

Community Leadership

Over time, we have developed our own sustainability program based on research and product testing, replacing waste with compostable products. Because we believe in our program and the University’s mission, we freely share our knowledge with Seattle businesses and community organizations who want to start their own composting programs or use environmentally-friendly food packaging and containers. We believe that transparency is important for both our own accountability and for helping the community at large.

A Word of Thanks to Our Partners

None of this would have been possible without the contributions of our partners. We thank the following companies for their ongoing support:

Coca-Cola North America, for committing to create a compostable cold cup for fountain drinks.

International Paper, for nearly two years of research and testing to make the cup a reality.

And Cedar Grove Composting, for setting a high standard for the cup and delivering the best material composting possible.

FAQ

Q What makes ecotainer™ packaging different from standard cups and containers?

A With standard paper cups and containers, the paperboard is coated with a petrochemical-based plastic (polyethylene) to make it liquid resistant. Ecotainer™ products are also made from plastic-coated paperboard, but the plastic used in this cup is made from plants. Both the fiber and coating used to make the cup come from fully renewable materials.

Q Is this new “bio plastic” made from plants safe?

A Yes. The process used to make this material starts with plant sugars and ends with a non-toxic plastic similar to other materials used to package food. It is FDA approved, and although this application (coating paperboard) is relatively new, this material is used extensively for packaging produce and other food items.

Q Aren’t all paper cups and containers biodegradable?

A No. Although paper is generally biodegradable, the traditional coatings for making these products usually prevent them from meeting compostability requirements. This new material is certified by the Biodegradable Products Institute to conform to ASTM standards for municipal composting.

Q Since they’re biodegradable, can ecotainer™ cups be disposed of anywhere?

A No. These products are not intended to be immediately degradable in a non-compost environment. Ideally, these products are either composted or recycled. We encourage all of our ecotainer™ customers to take advantage of more environmentally-friendly disposal options.

Q This is compostable packaging, but what happens if it ends up in a landfill? Have we really accomplished anything?

A Yes, the upstream benefits of fully renewable materials with improved sustainable characteristics are real regardless of where they end up. These benefits include reduced greenhouse gas emissions, reduced dependence on petrochemical materials and enabling other material recovery options. However, for optimal results, these cups should be composted.

Q What happens to the cups once they’ve been sent to be composted?

A The cups are sent to the Cedar Grove Composting Site in Everett along with the other compostable products, where they enter a 60-day composting process in which they  are added to grass clippings for optimal composting, grinded together, and left to compost for 45 days before being ‘cooked’ at 160 degrees for curing. After composting for a few more days, the material is resold as commercial compost to be used in gardens and lawns throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Q  Will this cup dissolve when it’s filled with liquid?

A  No, but this is one of the most popular misconceptions associated with this product. The coating is not water soluble and will not dissolve in use with hot or cold beverages. On the other hand, it can be consumed by microbes over  time in a municipal compost environment.

Q What kind of impact can I have as a single consumer?

A Combined, individual consumers in the United States alone use more than 100 billion to-go cups every year. Together, single consumers can impact the direction taken by retailers, brand owners, and ultimately by packaging suppliers like International Paper.

NEW STUDENT APPLICATIONS

This is one of hundreds of policy and procedure documents I produced for a major university. I have withheld specific titles and names for confidentiality purposes. 

RH New Student Applications: Parental Guarantees

Students under the age of 18 must submit Parental Guarantee forms when applying for residence hall rooms.  The Parental Guarantee form is included in the application, the application email, and a separate follow up email.  The student must print out the application, have a parent sign it, and then mail or fax it to the Student Services Office (SSO).  A room cannot be assigned until the SSO receives the form; reminders are periodically sent including the application deadline. If the form is not received by the application deadline, the room should be cancelled without charge.

Once the form has been received:

1. Look up the student by their student number or last name.
2. Under the PG Received attribute, change the start date to the day the Parental Guarantee form was received.  Do not add an end date.

RH Applications: Deposits by Check

Students have three payment options for residence hall deposits:

1. Check: The student must print and fill out an online remittance form and mail or deliver in person the form and the check to Student Services.
2. Credit: The student must fill out an online secure payment form available at the HFS website.
3. Deposit Deferment: must be completed using cashiering procedure.

RH Applications: Returning Resident Application Process

Returning residents must apply for a room before the April 15th deadline.

1. From February to the end of March, returning residents are contacted and informed of the process (the date the application goes live and any changes in the system), and asked to select their room.
2. Returning students who apply before the April 15th deadline are considered priority one and can select their room.  Returning students applying after April 15th are considered lower priority and will not receive a room until all other transfers are made.
3. Between April and the end of May, the Returning Resident procedure begins.  This process varies from year to year and is subject to change.
4. By the end of May, applicants receive an email to confirm the requested room. At this time, returning residents may choose to pull in freshmen roommates.

RH Applications: ADA Self Selection Process

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guarantees the right to housing accommodations for students with special needs.  

Rooms with special accommodations are placed on hold and kept outside the Returning Resident process. During the application period, the Student Services Office (Erin Birkenkopf) contacts applicants with special needs and assigns them accordingly.

RH Applications: Open Room Change

Returning residents are provided a 4 day period after room selection to switch rooms online. During this period, individuals may openly exchange or pick new rooms, but only for themselves.  There are absolutely no changes permitted after the fourth day.

RH Opening: Status Letters

Status letters are sent out in mid-July and tell the student what kind of room they have been assigned.  Hardcopy letters are sent out via the mail server. There are four status letter types:

• Special Interest Community – this letter tells the student that they have been placed in a special interest community.
• Double and Triple Rooms
• Late Assignment – this letter is for students who applied late, and tells them that they will receive an assignment when it becomes available but not when.
• Waiting List – this tells the student that they have been placed on a waiting list.  Their waiting number is based on room availability and the number of applicants.

RH Opening: Assignment Letters

Assignment letters are sent out in mid-August and provide specific room information to the student applicant, including room number, address, roommate contact information, check-in time and the welcome packet.

The Student Services Office works with the word processing team to create the letters in a mail merge based on student data variables.  The letters are then sent to Mailing Services and mailed to the students.

CONIFER BOUTIQUE REVIEW (TripAdvisor Hotel Review)

Great location, wonderful rooms and amenities, and exceptional service make Conifer Boutique a fantastic hotel

My friend and I stayed at the Conifer Boutique Hotel during our week-long visit to Hanoi in May, and had a truly three-star hotel experience. Before flying to Hanoi, we had stayed at another highly rated hotel in Ho Chi Minh City. That hotel had great amenities and nearly flawless service, but didn’t come close to the quality or level of service provided at Conifer Boutique. This is a hotel that will make you feel right at home, with incredibly courteous, on-point staff and a cozy, relaxed atmosphere that bears comparison to the best hotels in Europe.

The location in the French Quarter (near the opera house) is perfect if you want a mellower Hanoi experience away from the crowds and bustle of the market streets and budget hotels/hostels. It’s not on a major street, and the neighborhood is relatively quiet and atmospheric, with a high tree canopy providing ample shade. The nearby Italian commercial development HQ seems to have attracted some continental businesses to the neighborhood, including a gelato place next door. For a more Vietnamese experience, a nearby eatery (next to the Museum of the Revolution) has a wide selection of phở soups and noodle dishes. Hoan Kiem Lake is a five-minute walk away.

The room itself was small but very clean, tidy and quiet. The bedding was very comfortable, the AC neither intrusively loud nor too cold, and the snack bar selection of higher quality than what you’d get at most hotels in the price range. Laundry service was fast and efficient (Conifer has a large onsite laundry facility) and clothes were often returned same day. Room service did a fantastic job making sure that the room was regularly cleaned and sorted. I also appreciated that the room had a relatively spacious alcove facing a large window that provided an expansive view of the city below. It was a great space to read and think, and also provided just the right amount of natural light into the room. On a hot summer day in Hanoi, you appreciate that.

Conifer also provides their own tour booking. A lot of hotels do of course, but the variation in quality and price is vast with often unpredictable results. The two tours I booked through Conifer Boutique—Perfume Pagoda and Ha Long Bay—were uniformly excellent. The weather cooperating helped of course, but decent well-rounded meals and a surprising degree of autonomy didn’t hurt either. Desk staff were also extremely helpful with trip planning, identifying ideal trips based on my stated preferences. I booked the excursion to the Perfume Pagoda based solely on their recommendation, and it was one of the high points of my Vietnam trip.

While the room and amenities are unimpeachable, it’s the service that really compelled me to write this review. The staff team are a well-oiled machine focused on ensuring the best possible experience for guests. Due to a misunderstanding, the room I booked only had one bed. But the staff anticipated the possibility and already had an “upgrade” with two beds ready to go at a negligible price increase. Naturally this might seem a bit scammy, but I had the option of keeping the room I already had and didn’t feel any pressure whatsoever to commit to it.

Every morning my friend and I would have a complimentary breakfast at the hotel before heading out. This included a decent continental buffet with an additional menu choice of omelets and other egg dishes. As with the rest of the hotel, service was both welcoming (gracious smiles and immediate attention) and unobtrusive (once you’re seated and have what you need they wait staff keep a friendly distance). This is a combination that a lot of hotels and restaurants get wrong, but Conifer gets exactly right. They’re there when you need them, and hands off when you don’t. Anytime you enter the hotel, the doormen/women greet you and desk staff will accompany you to the elevator to ask you how your day has gone and apprise you of any news, like when a tour is leaving the next morning or when you’ll want to leave to get to the airport. They remember all their guests and any relevant information they’ll need. If you make a request to the night manager, the morning staff will be aware of it. Service was integrated, seamless and superb, day or night.

There are a couple of situations that arose where the hotel staff went above and beyond the call of duty. My friend lost his debit card to a hungry ATM, the kind of travel situation that could have been catastrophic. When he informed the desk of his situation, they got to work and called the bank’s ATM service number for him. The initial call didn’t get through, but they kept calling and within 24 hours they had contacted the bank and then worked with my friend to complete the bank’s paperwork, essentially advising him. When my friend was ready to go the bank, staff got him a cab ride to the bank and then provided translation service so he could communicate with the teller. Within about two days, he had his debit card back. When I foolishly left my cell phone on a tour bus a day later, the hotel was just as quick to resolve my situation, getting my phone back within a day’s time. My friend joked that the hotel had essentially assigned a task force to our room. But in fact, that’s exactly what they did.

Service like that, all of which was free of charge, is simply remarkable, and the sign of a truly great hotel, one whose staff earned every single tip by simply doing their jobs to a remarkable degree. Conifer Boutique Hotel clearly values the experience of their guests above all else, and I will definitely be staying their again when I return to Hanoi. A fantastic experience, and highly recommended.

Originally published at TripAdvisor