By KATHLEEN DUFFY
The Haddonfield Sun
The act of being sustainable goes much further than simply throwing a plastic bottle into a recycling bin.
For nine Haddonfield businesses, helping the environment is just a fact of life, an everyday occurrence, in a myriad of ways. The businesses are involved in the new Green Recognition Program through Sustainable Haddonfield.
“’Going green’” for a Haddonfield business, according to the Green Recognition Program, is “practicing 10 or more of the green items on our list provided,” Green Business Coordinator Donna Moffett said. “Items include recycling, reuse of items, composting, use of energy star products, turning off lights when not in use, installing a low-flow toilet, walking to work, buying local and spreading the word.”
Sandwich, please
Along Haddon Avenue, the Bread Board Plus is busy making changes following a recent building remodel, owner Jason Wiseley said.
The transition has been filled with small tweaks, including upgrading all HVAC equipment, closing gaps in the doors and changing the light bulbs to be more energy efficient.
“We recycle on a daily basis,” he said.
The shop also uses eco-friendly packaging and sends food waste to a composting program through Waste Management, he said.
Since Bread Board is a sandwich shop, there is no waiter service so drinking water is not provided unless specifically requested. Ingredients also come from local businesses such as Deluxe Bakery in Runnemede, a partnership Wiseley has practiced for the last six years.
To check off another box in the sustainability list, Wiseley said that 50 percent of staffers walk or bike to work each day.
“That’s just a happenstance,” he said.
Green cupcakes
Clocking in with 28 sustainable practices, Indulgence Cupcakery on Haddy Lane is taking the lead in Haddonfield businesses.
Co-owner Joseph Halloran said the cupcake shop uses as many recycled materials as possible, plus all natural ingredients in the desserts.
“We try not to throw anything out,” he said. “We try not to over-make food.”
When there’s a cupcake surplus, the business hauls the miniature treats to Cathedral Kitchen or the Ronald McDonald House, both located in Camden, he said.
Ovens are set to use the least amount of power possible and the heat is never set too high.
“We do it and don’t really think about it,” he said, explaining that the recognition program’s checklist is chockfull of items that “just should be done.”
Walking to work
Donna isn’t the only Moffett on the block promoting sustainability. Her husband, John, owner of Triggerwave, LLC, recently made the transition to an office after working from home for four years.
“My office is only about three quarters of a mile from my house, so in a nice walking neighborhood like Haddonfield, driving would almost be a hassle,” he said. “As a bonus, I get a little exercise and can clear my head before getting back to my family.”
The move was a “natural option,” he said.
John’s jaunts to the office are just one way he helps the environment.
“There are a few other small things I do for sustainability purposes, like bringing a reusable bottle of water to drink for lunch and buying food from local businesses, leaving the lights off and using natural sunlight and doing without a printer or fax machine,” he said. “Since my business is completely online, there’s really no need to have hard copies of anything. Plus, it makes for a very clean desk.
“Besides wanting to keep the planet in good shape for coming generations, doing things like bringing a water bottle and leaving the lights off saves a good deal of money in the long term, and it’s practically no effort.”
Gain green points
The other businesses involved in the program are Carly Valentine Photography, Symetrie Salon, The British Chip Shop, Personal Expressions Hair Studio, Christian Science Reading Room and Be Well Massage.
“The program is one item of many that can be selected to implement in a community to gain points through Sustainable Jersey,” Donna said.
Through the program, businesses can receive local recognition in a variety of ways, such as a window decal and acknowledgement at the Earth Day event and Green Fair, she said.
“So many people are beginning to practice more environmentally friendly things at home. If more businesses, both small and large, joined in, we could really make a positive impact,” Moffett said. “Most green practices are also money–savers, so in many ways it’s a win-win situation for businesses and our planet.”
