The qualities that make plastic useful—lightness, lower cost, durability—can also make plastic a challenge for communities and ecosystems. Single-use plastics, such as carry-out bags, wrappers, and food service items, weigh so little that they can be carried by wind or water, sometimes for many miles, littering our neighborhoods, natural areas, and precious waterways. Yet their lightness makes them virtually invisible.
The power of a waste audit lies in making the invisible visible.
With a proper waste audit, we can better understand how—and to what extent—single-use plastics are woven throughout supply chains, products, services, and operations. And this awareness—bolstered by data—empowers us to direct intervention and investment in areas that will truly make a difference.
Cascadia’s mission is to inspire and empower communities everywhere to protect and restore our world. Audits are one of the most effective tools we’ve found for empowering clients to take more ownership of their waste. With reliable data, organizations have been able to reduce or eliminate single-use plastics in favor of durable or compostable alternatives; reconfigure supplier contracts to replace plastic packaging with sustainable alternatives; educate employees and customers about proper sorting and waste management techniques; and correct inefficiencies.
If you’re considering an audit for your organization, thank you. This eye-opening experience will equip you to see the unseen and ultimately help solve one of the biggest environmental challenges faced by our world today.
Cascadia Consulting Group is a small, 100% women-owned environmental consulting company based in Seattle, WA. The company provides a broad range of environmental consulting services related to resource conservation and materials management, climate change mitigation and adaptation, sustainable transportation, stormwater pollution prevention, equity and inclusion, and natural resources planning.