The sweet smell of environmental success Objective To be environmentally responsible while saving money. Strategy Develop creative ways of reclaiming waste from other businesses as well as their own operations. Tactics Sweet Spirit Candles strives to prevent waste in all aspects of its operations, from the manufacturing of its candles to the eating utensils that its employees use. The Renton-based shop, which produces candles for both wholesale and retail sales, looks for ways to recover paraffin wax that would otherwise head for the landfill. There are bins at the front of the store, where customers can drop off candle stubs to be melted and reused.
More wax is recovered by straining the water used to cool the candles after they are made.
Ms. Sweet says that the only wax wasted is the miniscule amount that drips on the floor. Packaging for shipment to wholesale customers is an important part of the company's business, and Sweet Spirit has developed several ways to use other businesses' waste. Sweet Spirit uses styrofoam packaging peanuts from The Computer Store in Seattle's University District. The company receives 80 cases of paraffin wax every month, and uses the boxes to ship candles to its customers. Each box has a small label that explains that the box and peanuts are reused items, and encourages the recipient to reuse or recycle them.