This lack of communication was a huge issue for both the company and the restaurants, because the composting service The inconsistency of service was a reflection wasn’t free. of the relationship between the two owners because there (also) existed a lack of communication. The Owner of the Mouzon House recalled the same experience with Evolv, however, she continued using the bin, but it became so overfilled that she had to get rid of it because it was overflowing, created a stench, and attracted pests (Pedinotti, personal communication, 2015). Although both restaurants expressed many positive and negative experiences with Evolv, both agreed that if Evolv continued their services they would still want to participate. Conclusion Food waste is a prominent issue in the United States, and an even more pressing issue in Saratoga Springs. As mentioned before, it is not mandated by New York State Law to reduce food waste, and so any sustainability initiatives taken by restaurants are by choice. Our initial reactions from restaurant managers before our interviews took place were either really positive or negative. Evolv Composting faced many challenges such as not being able to receive active participation from restaurants. Initially, many restaurants were reluctant to have an interview about a composting program, specifically (Evolv) because this was the first time this idea was ever posed. Many managers were not aware of restaurants that were currently participating in a composting program in that area, which influenced their stigma and attitudes towards composting. While some showed stigma to composting, others were more willing to learn and practice composting, if the service was either free or they had more space in their restaurant. All of the restaurants were partaking in sustainability initiatives such as recycling, locally sourcing food,
This lack of communication was a huge issue for both the company and the restaurants, because the composting service wasn’t free. The inconsistency of service was a reflection of the relationship between the two owners because there (also) existed a lack of communication. The Owner of the Mouzon House recalled the same experience with Evolv, however, she continued using the bin, but it became so overfilled that she had to get rid of it because it was overflowing, created a stench, and attracted pests (Pedinotti, personal communication, 2015). Although both restaurants expressed many positive and negative experiences with Evolv, both agreed that if Evolv continued their services they would still want to participate. Conclusion Food waste is a prominent issue in the United States, and an even more pressing issue in Saratoga Springs. As mentioned before, it is not mandated by New York State Law to reduce food waste, and so any sustainability initiatives taken by restaurants are by choice. Our initial reactions from restaurant managers before our interviews took place were either really positive or negative. Evolv Composting faced many challenges such as not being able to receive active participation from restaurants. Initially, many restaurants were reluctant to have an interview about a composting program, specifically (Evolv) because this was the first time this idea was ever posed. Many managers were not aware of restaurants that were currently participating in a composting program in that area, which influenced their stigma and attitudes towards composting. While some showed stigma to composting, others were more willing to learn and practice composting, if the service was either free or they had more space in their restaurant. All of the restaurants were partaking in sustainability initiatives such as recycling, locally sourcing food,
9-EscobarKaslowski.docx