Every time you toss an aluminum can into a recycling bin, you鈥檙e living a legacy pioneered by Bill Coors. The visionary beer brewer helped introduce the idea of recyclable aluminum cans in the 1950s, and Coors Brewing has been a leader in innovative waste reduction, waste conservation, energy, and sustainable brewing practices ever since.
The organization鈥檚 history shows that building a brand, and a more sustainable future, can go hand in hand. In 2016 Coors Light cut its aluminum usage by 3.8 million pounds. All of its major breweries are landfill-free, with less than one percent of waste generated going to landfills. They鈥檝e built the most powerful U.S. solar array at any one brewery, in Irwindale, California, which can produce the equivalent of 22 million beers per year powered by the sun. Decreasing water use and reusing brewing waste to make ethanol fuel and feed are also integral to the brand鈥檚 sustainability program.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not just doing this because it鈥檚 a current fad or trend,鈥� explains Zach Fatla, Coors Light Senior Marketing Manager. 鈥淪ustainability has been deep in Coors鈥� roots and DNA since we helped revolutionize the industry with recycling almost 60 years ago. We鈥檙e proud of that legacy, but it鈥檚 equally important for us to launch new initiatives and continue walking the walk today.鈥�
Coors Light鈥檚 recent nationwide 鈥楨veryOneCan鈥� program this summer reflects the idea that everyone from brewers to bartenders to consumers, can and should strive to practice environmental stewardship. It includes a partnership with TerraCycle, the global leader in collecting and repurposing hard-to-recycle waste.
鈥淒espite fantastic municipal recycling programs all across the country, when you look deeper you see that only a portion of recyclable materials are being captured,鈥� notes Fatla. Working with TerraCycle and other partners, Coors Light will reduce environmental impact in a variety of ways, and will reward consumers with cooler bags made from recycled vinyl and grills made from recycled kegs. Another unique arm of the program ensures that not only cans and bottles, but bottle聽caps聽get recycled. Because caps are so small, they often fall through normal recycling streams and go to waste. Special containers with pre-paid shipping labels are distributed to bars so bottle caps can be collected and sent to TerraCycle, where they鈥檙e recycled and melted down into sheet metal. Qualifying participants are given uniquely-designed bottle cap art to display in their bar, honoring and recognizing their recycling efforts.
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