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Case Study 13 - Alfalfa House Community Food Co-Operative Limited

113 Enmore Road
Enmore NSW 2042
T: 02 9519 3374
F: 02 9565 5053
info@alfalfahouse.org
www.alfalfahouse.org

Summary of business

Alfalfa House is a community-based co-operative that retails minimally-packaged, minimally-processed, affordable, wholefoods that are mostly organically and biodynamically grown, and where possible sourced locally.

Sustainability Vision

The official objects of the cooperative are:

a) to provide a retail source of wholefood so that members may have some control over the sources of their food supply;
b) to provide information on and promote the use of:
1. low-cost, ethically-produced and packaged wholefoods;
2. cruelty-free foods;
3. vegetarian foods;
4. vegan foods;
5. organic foods and
6. genetically-modified-free foods;
c) to run an ethical, not-for-profit business;
d) to minimise resource wastage and encourage reuse and recycling;
e) to support other cooperatives whose objects are similar or related to the objects of the cooperative; and
f) to stimulate community development, foster community spirit and promote sustainable living.

Carbon dioxide emissions from electricity usage

  • 10% reduction target for carbon dioxide emissions from electricity by December 2009.
  • 18 tonnes carbon dioxide emissions is the baseline for the 2007 year.
  • Alfalfa House currently:
    • Use compact fluorescent light globes.
    • Turn off all computers, printers, EFTPOS machines, shop lights and retail fridge lights at night.
    • Use air conditioners on a needs basis to keep our food stock at a safe temperature.
    • Use LCD monitors.
    • Have a shade cloth sail in the north facing backyard to minimise air conditioning use in rear storeroom.
  • Alfalfa House plan to:
    • Investigate ways to vent heat from the coils of the storeroom fridges.
    • Investigate moving to an accredited GreenPower energy provider.
    • Experiment with removing light fittings from the refrigerated storeroom.
    • Investigate ways to insulate the shop front windows to reduce heat in summer and reduce air conditioning requirements.

Water Imported from Outside the Catchment

Alfalfa House rent and do not receive water bills. Therefore the water baseline can not be established and a target can not be set.

However, Alfalfa house has installed water efficient shower heads and taps and plans to:

  • Examine installing water efficient shower heads and taps in the sublet residential property.
  • Investigate diverting grey water to garden.
  • Install a sign in toilet advising users of the dual flush procedure.

Waste to Landfill

  • 10% reduction target for waste to landfill by December 2009.
  • 12.5 tonnes per year is the baseline value.
  • Alfalfa House divert waste to landfill by:
    • Recycling paper (including toilet rolls) and plastic (types 1 to 3).
    • Recycling all food / organic waste by:
      • using six on site worm farms and offering free worm juice for customers.
      • transporting 10 x 10 litre tubs to a community garden compost each week.
    • Reusing flour cloth bags from suppliers by turning them into shopping bags.
    • Recycling cardboard boxes.
    • Delivering Metal drums to scrap metal merchants.
    • Delivering expanded polystyrene foam boxes to Reverse Garbage.
    • Reusing plastic bags from suppliers.
    • Avoiding junk mail deliveries.
    • Working with some suppliers to return delivery boxes, crates, tubs and buckets.
    • Organising bulk deliveries to minimize packaging.
    • Encouraging customers to use their own containers for purchases.
    • Not giving away plastic bags to customers.
    • Charging customers for paper bags and glass jars
    • Encouraging customers to donate cleaned glass jars for other customers to use.
  • 75% of waste (resources) is currently diverted from landfill based on approximate volumes that result from the above practices.
  • 10% reduction target is to reduce the residual volume (i.e. 25% of waste) currently going to landfill.
  • Future waste avoidance initiatives include:
    • Investigating recycling and reuse options for aluminium foil bags.
    • Continuing to source bulk delivery products.
    • Encouraging selected suppliers to reuse their containers.
  • Waste that currently goes to landfill is mostly plastic wrap, non-reusable plastic bags and some food stained cardboard.

Other Sustainability Initiatives

  • Supporting local, organic and / or biodynamic agriculture.
  • Encouraging community volunteer participation, this is rewarded with purchasing discounts.
  • Attending public events to educate on sustainable lifestyles.