I like my job.
I’m also lucky enough to work with some pretty amazing people, many of whom have become a big part of my personal community and support system in Seattle.
So here’s my problem: I work in an industry in stark contrast with my lifestyle.
Big corporate retail is the epitome of wastefulness. Not only are products cheaply made in foreign countries to drive down the cost, but the amount of packaging for each individual product is astronomical.
Of course, the dream is to work for a company that is in line with my beliefs. But alas, survival is not always in line with ideals. I need to pay the bills and the job market in Seattle is incredibly competitive. The “good” jobs–ones that pay well and make headway in sustainability–are hard to come by because everyone wants to work for them. People in my generation are more likely to choose a job with a sense of purpose than a better paycheck.
Therefore, working in a less than an ideal job can feel…depressing. Helpless.
While walking the aisles of Bed Bath and Beyond, I’ve given this issue a lot of thought. That’s how I’ve discovered that I am not helpless. In fact, I’ve been able to apply one of the biggest lessons zero waste has taught me: Be creative, lead by example, communicate, and make zero waste decisions where you are in control.
So if you’re like me and find yourself struggling to keep that customer service smile on your face, consider the following ways to change the world one little step at a time.
Stay strong.
The biggest piece of advice I can give is to continue living by your ideals, even if a wasteful industry puts food on your table. It’s easy to spend your paycheck at work. Employee incentives, discounts, and just being surrounded by constant marketing for products you don’t need can be seductive.
In the last year working for Bed Bath and Beyond, I’ve broken down and bought a few choice items: a rug, a shower caddy, two different candles. Each time I was racked with guilt for not even trying to find these items from a more sustainable source. But they were there and so was I. We all have bad days.
Use your power.
You don’t have to sabotage your company (or your paycheck) to make a difference. Believe it or not, you as an employee of a wasteful industry have a lot of power to change people for the better. I’d even go so far as to say you can be more effective than if you worked for a company that supported zero waste ideals because you’re not preaching to the choir.
Most of the examples I’m going to talk about in this blog are opportunities to discuss sustainability with employees and co-workers in an organic way. These steps will make zero waste work feel less like lecturing and more of an open conversation. You’ll run into a few jerks who will belittle your opinion or even write you off completely due to your position, but in general I’ve found that customers and coworkers are receptive to my zero waste thoughts and actions.
Promote green products when you can.
As a customer service representative, customers often value your opinion when making a purchase. If you learn about the brands you’re selling, you can encourage customers to buy ones that are better for the environment. I suggest doing your research outside of what your managers tell you because they may not even be aware of greenwashing.
While working at Bed Bath and Beyond, I’ve managed to promote and sell:
- Sustainable materials – organic cotton and hemp instead of polyester; soy silk instead of regular silk; silicone, metal, and wood instead of plastic
- Green alternatives – wool dryer balls instead of dryer sheets, safety razors instead of electric or disposable razors, powdered cleaning supplies instead of liquid
- Items that help people create less waste – compost bins, mason jars, pressure cookers
- “Buy me once” items – Well-made stainless steel cookware, bone china, anything with a lifetime warranty
Help customers make choices that last
Bed Bath and Beyond has an insanely lenient return policy. So long as you have a receipt, you can return a purchase whenever you want. This approach means that customers are more likely to take a risk on a product with hopes that they’ll either like it or not want to return it.
Sometimes a product is so unpopular that everyone returns it and the company knows not to sell it in the future. Other times, a shoddy product isn’t returned enough for the costs to outweigh the benefits of continuing to sell it to customers.
The only way for a bad product to reliably work its way off the shelves is for customers to not buy it in the first place. With that in mind, I give my honest opinion of a product when asked. If they want to know about a bad product, I’m going to explain exactly why it’s not a good idea to buy it.
However, deterring people from shoddy items is only half the battle. True sustainability is providing exceptional green solutions to everyday problems. Find a product that you believe in to offer to customers instead (see “Promote green products” above).
Always ask if they need a bag
Asking, “Do you want a bag?” is a requirement in Seattle, but even when I worked at Hancock Fabrics in the Midwest, I’d ask every customer the exact same question. Truth is, even people who carry reusable bags forget to use them and are grateful for the reminder. Sure, some of them would be confused or even belligerent, gesturing to all the little odds and ends they’d placed on the desk to which I’d cheerily explain, “Some customers bring their own bags and forget, so I just like to check,” before loudly flapping a plastic bag open to place their items in.
At the very least, asking “Do you want a bag?” causes people to feel more responsible for their actions. You’re basically using the same techniques large corporations use to market products to customers in order to promote a less wasteful community.
Bring your lunch
If you work a minimum wage job, you’re not going to get a long lunch break. Shorter shifts only give you ten minutes. The easiest thing to do in these situations is to buy fast food or pre-packaged food to satiate an appetite. That’s a big burden on your wallet and on your waste.
Not only is bringing your lunch keeping in line with your ideals, but the break room is where you casually interact with co-workers the most. Bringing your lunch is persuading by example. Extra points if you make that lunch look cool or smell delicious. Jealousy is a powerful tool.
Don’t drive to work
Walk. Carpool. Take public transit. In general, don’t be part of the problem of carbon emissions or rush hour traffic. It also never hurts to ask your company for help in this department. I was surprised to learn that Bed Bath and Beyond had a public transit commuter program that helps you pay for bus passes pre-tax.
Donate some of your paycheck
If you can afford it, put a little money aside each paycheck for a donation fund that supports the ideals big corporate retail currently works against.
Accept that you can only do so much–and that you’re doing SO much
Even with all these tools at your disposal, you can still feel like a part of the wasteful machine that is corporate retail. Just remind yourself: if zero waste living was easy, everyone would do it. It’s okay to feel frustrated or disenchanted.
That said, whether your in the position to change the world all at once or in bits and pieces, keep going. Every little decision you make matters. You may even help turn a wasteful industry into a sustainable one.