Kitchener Clean is happy to be (re)introducing the Ultimate Office Compost Program for businesses of all sizes in the Waterloo Region. We had introduced it in 2019, but just as the Program was starting to get traction, we had to shut it down in March 2020, as the Pandemic resulted in almost every one of our Program Clients closing their offices! We started it up on a small scale last summer, and are now very happy to say that we are opening it up fully, and looking for as many socially- and environmentally- minded Business Clients as we can get!
To learn more and get started, contact us today!
HOW IT WORKS
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After signing up for the Ultimate Office Compost Program, you will receive a Green Bin to collect all organic waste. All the same items that you would Green Bin at home can be placed in your bin at the office. This includes:
Team Members will pick up your Green Bin on a weekly or twice-weekly basis, and replace it with a fresh one! Check our article on Green Bin Etiquette to find out how to make the process as clean and smooth as possible.
The organic material collected then enters the compost stream in one of three ways:
It’s more important than ever for businesses to be both environmentally and socially sustainable. Getting started with the Ultimate Office Compost Program in your workplace is a great way to help achieve both.
To learn more, read our The Essential Guide to Kitchener Compost (Home and Office)!
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Our Team Members will make sure your Green Bin is emptied once or twice a week
The Region of Waterloo only collects green bin organics from single-family homes, legal duplexes, eligible townhouse units, and small apartment buildings (6 units or less). At work, all waste is typically put into the garbage and sent to the landfill.
Unfortunately, a large volume of organic waste is generated in offices and discarded into the garbage.
One of our clients with a team of only 20-25 generated over 600 pounds of organic waste in just one year. From another with 145 employees, we collected 2.3 tons over the same amount of time!
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A lot of food waste ends up in landfills - and it amounts to a major problem!
This excerpt from a Washington Post article explains the issue well:
“It turns out reducing food waste is one of the most important things we can do to reverse global warming. Project Drawdown’s team of researchers ranked solutions to global warming; to our surprise, we discovered that cutting down on food waste could have nearly the same impact on reducing emissions over the next three decades as onshore wind turbines. More than 70 billion tons of greenhouse gases could be prevented from being released into the atmosphere. It represents one of the greatest possibilities for individuals, companies and communities to contribute to reversing global warming and at the same time feed more people, increase economic benefits and preserve threatened ecosystems.”
The Ultimate Office Compost Program not only will save your business in regards to waste removal, but you will also feel better about doing your part to help the environment and feel pride in knowing you work for a company that cares.
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Help create a space people take pride working in by investing in the Ultimate Office Compost Program
From our inception, we have always been an environmentally responsible company.
We proudly offer our office composting services to businesses across the Waterloo Region, helping businesses make a positive impact on our environment.
Take steps toward a greener workplace with our Ultimate Office Compost Program - contact us now!
In Ontario, the Region of Waterloo has specific guidelines as to what can and can’t go in their residential (home) green bin. This service is NOT available to businesses, but we work with the same compost partner as the Region Of Waterloo does for their compostabale material for our Ultimate Office Compost Program - contact us today!
The following list pertains to the residential green bin collection, but is the same for our Ultimate Office Compost Program as well:
For those outside the Waterloo Region, look up your city’s website and check for recycling and compost guidelines for your specific area for businesses - you may get lucky and find a Partner who can help you out!
It’s important to ask “what goes in my green bin?” before filling it up.
Certified compostable plastic bags are used to line your green bin, but no other compostable plastic products (such as cutlery, cups, etc.) are allowed in the green bin. You are also not permitted to add any of the following:
Feel free to print this list and post in your office kitchen to remind employees of the guidelines.
Workplaces don’t typically have access to a formal composting program. In the Kitchener area, for example, most food waste is put into general garbage and sent to the landfill. Kitchener Clean has developed, and now proudly offers, our Ultimate Office Compost Program to businesses in the Waterloo Region.
In today’s economic climate, businesses need to not only be financially sustainable, but environmentally and socially sustainable as well. From its inception, Kitchener Clean has been an environmentally friendly office care company. While cleaning for our clients, we noticed a large volume of organic waste generated in offices and discarded into the garbage.
For example, one Kitchener Clean client with staff of only 20-25 generated over 600 pounds of organic waste in just one year! That’s a lot of waste that does not need to end up in a landfill. That is why this program has been initiated.
According to the David Suzuki Foundation, about 20% of Canada’s methane emissions - a potent greenhouse gas greatly contributing to global warming - come from landfills. By diverting food waste from landfills, businesses are saving money in regards to garbage pickup, and reducing their carbon footprint in the process. A win-win!
Our Ultimate Office Compost Program will save your business in regards to waste removal, and can be combined with a weekly Office Care and Cleaning service for even greater savings. Not only that, but employees will feel better about doing their part to help the environment and feel pride in knowing they work for a company that cares.
Your business can reduce its carbon footprint by adopting an office composting program.
After signing up for the Ultimate Office Compost Program, you will receive a Green Bin to collect all your organic waste and compostable materials in accordance with the guidelines mentioned above. These compostable items will be picked on a weekly or twice weekly basis by one of our Team Members, and replaced by a fresh clean Green Bin.
The organic material collected enters the compost stream in one of three ways:
To get started, simply contact Kitchener Clean today for a free quote.
Kitchener Clean is a locally owned and operated family business, so we treat our customers like we would treat our own family - with respect. We value integrity, consistency, and thoroughness with all of our clients.
Our reputation is important to us, so we guarantee all of our services. If for any reason you are not completely satisfied, simply contact us and we will return within 24 hours to address your concern at no additional cost.
We even guarantee our response time. If we haven’t responded to any client communication within 24 hours of receiving it, we will offer you a free week of ourUltimate Office Compost Program. That is how strongly we feel about the importance of communication and customer satisfaction. We will always stand behind our work. We guarantee it.
The Region of Waterloo collects Kitchener compost bins from single-family homes, legal duplexes, eligible townhouse units, and small apartment buildings (6 units or less) every week. They do NOT offer this to offices and other businesses, though. However, if you’re in an office setting, you can STILL have an office compost program, with Kitchener Clean’s Ultimate Office Compost Program - contact us today to get started!
If you don’t know when your green bin will be picked up, you can check the Region’s "The Waste Whiz" to see when your neighbourhood in on the schedule.
Green bins are provided to all new homeowners in Kitchener. If you need a replacement or additional green bins (free of charge), you can visit the Waste Management Administration offices:
If your green bin is broken, please bring it when you pick up your replacement as it can be recycled!
The Region Of Waterloo home compost program has specific guidelines as to what you can put in your green bin. Be sure, therefore, to consider the following when filling it up:
To keep the process more manageable, you can add liner bags to help keep your bin cleaner, which eliminates the need to hose it down every week.
There are two choices for lining your green bin:
Liner bags must have at least one of these logos.
Image source: Greenbinbelleville.ca
Collection crews drop your green bin organics at Region of Waterloo facilities. From there, it’s all loaded into large trucks and shipped in bulk to Guelph Wellington's Organic Waste Processing facility.
At Guelph Wellington's facility, your organics are mixed with other organics, shredded, and put into a series of tunnels to compost. The conditions in the tunnels are monitored to maximize the breakdown of the organics with oxygen!
After three to four weeks, the compost is screened to separate out any plastics. This screened compost is formed into long piles called “windrows” and is monitored for several weeks while it matures indoors.
After an additional screening, the compost is tested to ensure it meets quality standards. The high-grade finished compost is finally sold to local farmers, who add it to their fields to grow more food.
As mentioned above, the Region Of Waterloo compost program is ONLY for residential use. If you’re in an office setting, until now, you could NOT compost your compostable (organic) material. NOW, you can! Just participate in Kitchener Clean’s Ultimate Office Compost Program!
To begin, will receive a green bin to collect all your organic waste and compostable materials, just like at home. All the same items that you would Green Bin at home can be put in the Organic Waste bin in the office. These compostable items will be picked up weekly or twice weekly by a Team Member, at which time you’ll also get a fresh green bin.
The organic material collected enters the compost stream in one of three ways:
Get started with an office compost program today!
Kitchener Clean is a locally owned and operated family business. We treat our customers like we would treat our own family - with respect.
We value integrity, consistency, and thoroughness with all of our clients. From its inception, Kitchener Clean has been an environmentally friendly office care company.
Our reputation is important to us, so we guarantee all of our services. If for any reason you are not completely satisfied, simply contact us and we will return within 24 hours to address your concern at no additional cost.
An office kitchen compost plan is a great initiative that carries with it a responsibility to make it a good experience for all involved. Kitchener Clean’s Ultimate Office Compost Program is tailor-made for today’s professional environment - contact us today to get started!
Once you kickstart an office kitchen compost within your company, it’s a good idea to set up some basic standards of etiquette. This ensures greater participation in the program, as well as elevated morale among the employees. Here’s a few practical tips:
Having the same compost bin for too long can create an unpleasant odour in the office. It’s important to swap out the bin frequently to help avoid this issue. Kitchener Clean, for example, will come to your office weekly or twice weekly to empty and replace your bins!
Additionally, you want to make sure you close the bin once you have deposited your food waste to seal the potential odour leakage.
You may also line the bin with an approved bag. In the Region of Waterloo, that includes:
Line your bins only with approved bags.
Everyone needs to know what can go in the green bin. Here’s a for your office list, according the Region of Waterloo’s Green Bin information page:
Be sure to type up this list and print it out for all to see. We recommend offering incentives or rewards to those who lead the way in participating in the program.
Do your part and everyone succeeds!
Knowing what can and can’t go in the green bin is key.
Unlike private residences, businesses don't typically have access to any formal office kitchen compost programs, meaning all waste is put into the garbage and sent to the landfill. It may not seem like it, but all that garbage can add up. For example. one Kitchener Clean client with staff of only 20-25 generated over 600 pounds of organic waste in just one year!
If you have a large office with many employees and eating areas, you want to make sure your bin capacity is in line with the demand. If the bin is too small or not easily accessible, it won’t promote healthy participation.
Make sure there’s enough bin space to accommodate everyone in the office.
Kitchener Clean is a locally owned and operated family business. We treat our customers like we would treat our own family - with respect.
We value integrity, consistency, and thoroughness with all of our clients.
Our reputation is important to us, so we guarantee all of our services. If for any reason you are not completely satisfied, simply contact us and we will return within 24 hours to address your concern at no additional cost. If we haven’t responded to any client communication within 24 hours of receiving it, we will offer you a free week of Ultimate Office Compost Program. We guarantee it.
The Office Compost Program is available on its’ own or combined with a weekly Office Care and Cleaning service for greater savings!
(Originally Published February 03, 2020)
Looking to get the best window cleaning Kitchener-Waterloo has to offer? Today, we’ll outline what you need to look for when hiring commercial window cleaners in the Kitchener-Waterloo area, and how Kitchener Clean can help!
At Kitchener Clean, we have over 25 years of combined industry experience helping business owners get cleaner and healthier workplaces - and we’d love to share what we’ve learned with you.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at what you need to know about commercial window cleaning, who needs window cleaning, and more. Let’s get started.
When looking for window cleaning services for your business in Waterloo, one of the first things to ensure is that your commercial window cleaners offer both interior and exterior window cleaning.
When you think about window cleaning, the first thing that may come to mind is exterior window cleaning. However, interior window cleaning is just as important! Interior windows can also become dirty, dusty, and, after too much dirt build-up, can hinder light flow into your office space.
Because of this, it’s important to find a commercial cleaning company that provides the same level of care for your interior windows as they do your exterior windows.
Interior windows are found in almost every commercial workplace. Whether you work in a small office or a large corporate building, there are likely to be many interior windows. They may be found on office doors, meeting rooms, in the foyer, or even acting as walls or dividers between sections within your office.
When it comes to interior window cleaning, it’s important that you find a cleaning service that does more than simply wipe down your windows. Remember, many office spaces also have windows that act as walls or doors with a significant amount of glass. Because of this, you will want to make sure that your window cleaners can take care of these spaces as well.
On top of that, when you work with professional cleaners, they will do more than just clean the window. They will ensure that everything is cleaned, including:
Interior windows often do not require cleaning as frequently as exterior windows. Although fingerprints and dirt can build up over time, they won’t face the same wear-and-tear as exterior windows.
At Kitchener Clean, we can help determine an appropriate cleaning schedule to complete your interior window cleaning. For example, many companies choose to complete their interior window cleaning on a semi-annual or annual interior basis. However, we understand each business is unique, so we will work with you to create a schedule that works best for your needs!
Want to make a great first impression on new customers, clients, and visitors to your workplace? Ensuring that your exterior windows are clean is a great way to show that you care about your office. Dirt and debris, such as fallen leaves, spider webs, sticks, and loose dirt can quickly build up on your exterior windows. Exterior window cleaning can keep your office looking beautiful both inside and out!
There are a number of advantages of exterior window cleaning, including:
Exterior window cleaning is also very important as it can help protect your windows, and ensure you won’t have to spend a great deal of money replacing them before you really need to.
Over time, glass becomes permeated with a variety of contaminants. These contaminants include hard water or minerals (from sprinkler systems and building run-off) and acid rain and oxidization (from windows encased in metal frames and screens).
Hard water and minerals are the biggest threat to your exterior windows. Glass is porous, so it can begin to accumulate airborne pollutants over time as well. Consistent exterior window cleaning can prevent a build-up of these contaminants and help ensure your windows last longer!
At Kitchener Clean, we can provide regular exterior window maintenance as well as complete window care on a semi-annual or annual basis. We will work with you to determine an exterior window cleaning schedule that works best for your unique business and schedule.
No matter what type of workplace or office environment you find yourself in, it will likely require commercial window cleaning. At Kitchener Clean, we provide full commercial cleaning services, including interior and exterior window cleaning, to a variety of businesses across the Kitchener-Waterloo area.
Commercial window cleaning can be beneficial to any type of building. Here are some examples of different types of businesses and the different needs they may have:
This list of examples should give you an idea of what certain businesses may or may not need. If you work in a different type of office or workplace environment and you’re not sure if you would benefit from exterior or interior window cleaning, contact Kitchener Clean today! We’ll be happy to share our expertise with you and let you know if we can help with your building.
Interior and exterior window cleaning is only part of a full office clean! There are many other office cleaning services that you can benefit from, such as floor and carpet cleaning, kitchen and bathroom cleaning, and more. When you choose to work with a full-service commercial cleaning company that provides window cleaning, you can get all your office cleaning and care completed through one company!
This means you won’t have to juggle your time and budget between multiple cleaning companies, you won’t have to worry about dozens of invoices and paperwork, and you have the ability to get to know your cleaning company - and they can get to know you. This helps ensure that your cleaners can provide the best possible care for your workplace.
As well as interior and exterior window cleaning, we offer the following services at Kitchener Clean:
When you choose to work with a full-service cleaning company like Kitchener Clean, you can also ensure that your employees can get back to what really matters - their work! Companies that forego professional cleaners often require their employees to regularly clean.
This can not only take up a significant amount of employee time, but it can also lead to ineffective cleaning. Cleaning an entire office space is more than simply wiping down counters and tables. Proper cleaning techniques and disinfectants are needed to ensure your employees stay healthy and that you stop the spread of germs and viruses - such as the flu.
By working with commercial cleaners, you can ensure that your employees are more productive when they’re at work, and you can help keep things clean and sanitary - so your employees won’t get sick as often, and so everyone feels better when they’re at the office!
For the best office cleaning Ontario has to offer, trust Kitchener Clean. We provide both interior and exterior window cleaning. We’ll work with you to come up with a cleaning schedule that works best for you and your unique workplace!
We provide a wide range of cleaning services, from our scheduled Total Office Care packages, floor cleaning and more. We work with many different types of businesses, from small-large office environments to rec centres, and many other businesses!
