School of Sustainability Graduate Culminating Experiences
Student capstone and applied projects from ASU's School of Sustainability.
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- All Subjects: Recycling
Description
While the term sustainability is commonly used in 2019, in 1950, it was sparsely uttered. To understand how Contento Recycling LLC became Central New York’s leader in sustainable development, you must go back to Gerald Contento Sr, and the year 1950. This was the year my grandfather started our family’s vehicle dismantling and scrap metal recycling business. Over the course of the next 70 years, Contento’s and now, Contento Recycling, has evolved into a leader in recycling and environmental work in Central New York. To see how I created a sustainable business enterprise, you must analyze my family’s past. My family’s history provides a roadmap to a more sustainable future.
When I established Contento Recycling LLC in 2017, it was poised to be Central New York’s first ever construction and demolition debris recycling business. I was tasked with the challenge that many sustainability professionals are tasked with and that was to show the community why they should stop taking their construction debris to the landfill, and instead bring it to my recycling center for processing, recycling, and landfill diversion. Over the last several years I applied for state grant funding, spread awareness about my new business, designed and constructed a material recovery facility, outfitted equipment, and trained staff. I now have a facility that accepts about 40 tons of mixed C&D debris per day, and diverts about 20% of that from the landfill.
On a more personal level, I learned a tremendous amount about dealing with change management. I’ve learned a lot about business development, and some keys to success when building a business. I’ve figured out how to help my employees and customers grow. I’ve learned to be more patient and flexible with my business endeavors. I have a much clearer vision of what I want for my business and for myself. I have developed a rousing optimism on the impact that my business, and myself can have on the sustainable development of Central New York. I will be a leader in environmental stewardship and partner with other people and organizations who want to work towards a more sustainable future.
When I established Contento Recycling LLC in 2017, it was poised to be Central New York’s first ever construction and demolition debris recycling business. I was tasked with the challenge that many sustainability professionals are tasked with and that was to show the community why they should stop taking their construction debris to the landfill, and instead bring it to my recycling center for processing, recycling, and landfill diversion. Over the last several years I applied for state grant funding, spread awareness about my new business, designed and constructed a material recovery facility, outfitted equipment, and trained staff. I now have a facility that accepts about 40 tons of mixed C&D debris per day, and diverts about 20% of that from the landfill.
On a more personal level, I learned a tremendous amount about dealing with change management. I’ve learned a lot about business development, and some keys to success when building a business. I’ve figured out how to help my employees and customers grow. I’ve learned to be more patient and flexible with my business endeavors. I have a much clearer vision of what I want for my business and for myself. I have developed a rousing optimism on the impact that my business, and myself can have on the sustainable development of Central New York. I will be a leader in environmental stewardship and partner with other people and organizations who want to work towards a more sustainable future.
ContributorsContento, Anthony (Author, Project director)
Created2019-05-15
Description
Waste management within the office represents a major sustainability problem for many corporations. Salt River Project (SRP) faces unique challenges at Coronado Generating Station (CGS) and the employee recreation facility Project Employee Recreation Facility (PERA). Addressing major waste streams at CGS involved shifting perspectives, adapting current infrastructure, and incorporating recycling into employee resources. Composting represented an easy to communicate and effective solution to minimizing waste at the newly remodeled PERA club, where the emphasis of the site is employee training, events, and catering. Employee engagement at both sites was based on the evidence based 6-step approach to implementing sustainable practices, including sparking initial engagement, forming working sustainability teams (Green Teams) and communicating effectively (Russo & Hoffman, 2008). These efforts helped bring sustainable initiatives and efforts to sites that are otherwise overlooked by SRP sustainability and employee engagement efforts. Further, these two sites modeled how sustainable change can be made in existing facilities as well as how sustainability can help model new facility infrastructure and marketing. The project was evaluated based on the Corporate Sustainability Management System framework in order to identify strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement.
ContributorsDoyle, Madison (Author, Project director)
Created2019-05-15
Description
This project explored the potential effectiveness of sustainable initiative programs in a typical office setting. The project area was focused on the Arizona offices of Expeditors International, a global, Fortune 500, third-party logistics company. The goal of the project was to set up recycling and composting services as well as create a culture of sustainability through educational materials distributed through various means to the employees. Throughout the project, it was discovered that there can be many barriers to effective implementation of sustainable initiatives, such as resistance to change. However, this project also highlighted that with a reasonable amount of effort and a strong logic behind the why, it it possible to shift the behaviors of normal office employees. This project also showed that using small improvements and occasional reminders of the value of being sustainable, behavior can be altered for the better. Despite the obstacles and challenges that are present in every office setting, this project has provided evidence that similar initiatives are very possible and can have a large impact for any company and for the planet.
ContributorsSponsler, James (Author) / Prosser, Paul (Contributor)
Created2017-11-20
Description
Step-By-Step Strategic Consulting is the professional consulting organization being created by Tanya Rincon and Kindra Maples in Phoenix, Arizona. Taking the initial steps into entrepreneurship is difficult without a guide or professional network to lean on and Step-By-Step plans to be there to make it more attainable. This organization functions with sustainable business practices as the foundation of every decision that is made. Beyond the assumed assistance that comes with partnering with a consulting service, Step-By-Step is dedicated to developing and fostering a network of values aligned startups and entrepreneurs that are prepared to support one another. The classic approach to capitalism has created incredible innovation for our world as a whole but it has also created massive issues for our environment and the communities that each organization serves. Sustainability issues are pervasive in every community, ecosystem, and economy yielding complex worldwide problems. As the business world shifts to supporting a new generation, it’s important to build resilient organizations prepared for the dynamic landscape that is currently forming. While the profession of business consulting and startup accelerators is not new, a new type of strategic business thinker is coming to be in the form of sustainable business practices. Step-By-Step Strategic Consulting aims to provide an additional option in the strategic consulting world, with sustainability at the center. Additionally, a roadmap has been created to provide a clear plan for future investors, clients, and employees. This plan includes a specific timeline detailing necessary steps to become a legitimate business legally, development plans for each business partner, and steps necessary for securing funding and strategic investors.
Graduate Culminating Experience Sharing Permissions Agreement
Mission: Step-By-Step guides and supports startup clients through the various stages of strategic growth with sustainable business practices as the foundation of success to create a positive impact environmentally, socially, and financially.
Vision: A collaborative network of values aligned organizations working together to accomplish their individual goals, while also supporting the success of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Graduate Culminating Experience Sharing Permissions Agreement
Mission: Step-By-Step guides and supports startup clients through the various stages of strategic growth with sustainable business practices as the foundation of success to create a positive impact environmentally, socially, and financially.
Vision: A collaborative network of values aligned organizations working together to accomplish their individual goals, while also supporting the success of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
ContributorsRincon, Tanya (Writer of accompanying material)
Created2020-05-18