NewPage Corporation announced today the upload of a new "On Paper" sustainability series podcast featuring Lisa Quezada, Sustainable Development Policy Manager for MillerCoors. The focus of the podcast is on the company's water stewardship efforts and its achievements around reducing waste to landfill.
MillerCoors mission is to create America's best beer company by focusing on five key responsibilities with set goals for 2015: alcohol responsibility, environmental sustainability, people and communities, sustainable supply chain and ethics and transparency.
"Water is an essential ingredient in the brewing process – from growing barley to cleaning brew kettles to brewing beer," states Quezada. Conserving water is a main focus for MillerCoors and the company's 2015 water goal is to reduce water usage by 15 percent across its eight breweries nationwide. MillerCoors currently reports a water-to-beer ratio of 4.11 barrels of water to one barrel of beer, and some brewery locations are significantly below the average.
MillerCoors regularly partners with nonprofit organizations on water related issues. For example, every September the company celebrates Water Stewardship Volunteer Month where each brewery partners with a local nonprofit to host an employee volunteer event and make a difference in local watersheds. In addition, through a relationship with The Nature Conservancy, MillerCoors is working with barley farmers in Silver Creek, Idaho, to improve water efficiency and quality.
Though water stewardship continues to be the most pressing area, MillerCoors is also focused on reducing its waste sent to landfill. "We achieved our 2015 waste reduction goal ahead of schedule, and reduced the amount of waste sent to landfill by more than 20 percent in 2009," shared Quezada. MillerCoors has achieved this goal by finding innovative re-uses for their waste, such as selling leftover barley to local farmers for animal feed or using brewery by-products to fertilize on-site hay fields.
To learn more about MillerCoors sustainability efforts, download this podcast and also access more than 30 previous episodes on topics such as supply chain management, zero waste and green business strategies by visiting www.OnPaperSeries.com. To learn more about MillerCoors sustainability efforts, please visit www.GreatBeerGreatResponsibility.com and look for their 2011 Sustainable Development Report to be released later this Spring.