The Duties of Business Green

Just interesting enough to post here from a commentary on www.stlbiking.com. Enjoy...


Man, where have I been? This is the type of thread that 10-day stretches of rain/cold/ice are made. Bravo!

Chiming…At peak times, our company serves upwards of 60,000 meals per week and we take a lot of heat because of it. We chose to be in business, the ones providing the products in all sorts of commercial and non-commercial restuarants. We simply were the ones who raised our hands first or were the ones who might have been the most innovative. We are competitive in price and have figured out ways to aggregate programs, mainly comprehensive purchasing gigs that help generate better profitability, less cost etc. Bottom line, choosing the right products and buying them right keep us in the game. We sell what people are buying. We package and dispense products in a way that our customer is accustomed at a price that they can afford. Can’t help it. It is the way it is.

So yes, before the [i]consumer[/i] tosses away our non-biodegradable disposable containers, the ones that I choose to buy for them and package their meals in, those dump fillers that are included in the price of the double cheese fried beef patty value meal of choice (about a grand in calories), that which the price is pre-determined by what the market will bear. I suppose I could serve it on a piece of wax paper, but the consumer wants better than that. I could serve it on the fancy new sugar cane sustainable product line (samples under my desk)…and go broke. Product costs, consumer data and sales analysis tell me where I need to be as far as the cost/sustainable relationship goes, as I slowly rise to the top as (once labeled) Gate Keeper of the Landfill.

So I was thinking, would I have ever started a fitness quest without first being an indulgent? Would I have sat on a board to discuss wellness and sustainability without my first hand experience, knowledge of such wastes and importantly, a reality approach of how to deal with it? Would our company have been able to contribute to the wellness community (cycling) or introduced programming to promote a healthy and sustainable lifestyle without getting to know Fast Food America first? I sneak in my influence whenever possible on my own personal agenda. Doesn’t mean I don’t bring home the bacon. Understanding of course that there are families to be fed by our companies continued success.

A comprehensive company culture that embraces a healthy and sustainable lifestyle evolves, it doesn’t just happen overnight. Frankly the world evolves this way. Change requires clear direction and an investment that begins…somewhere. Scott’s shocking, against-the-grain commentary is positive in that regard, in his ability to talk openly at the risk of sounding like an asshat. But hey, no more or less positive than THF’s efforts to create awareness using their own culture with the resources they have, while doing what they do. Shine on, both of yuz.

Bill Laurie was my high school Basketball coach. Can’t recall him pushing small town or urban business takeover, ever.