On this May the Fourth, May The Pour Be With You!

Together we can fight — and defeat! — the evil Plastic Empire and it’s wasteful ways. Grab your reusable bottle, fill it with Bevi, and join the Rebel Hydrators!

Bevi

Episode IV: A Blue Hope

It is a period of Water Wars. Rebel hydrators, refilling reusable bottles with Bevi, have won their first victory against the evil Plastic Empire and its wasteful ways. May the Pour Be With You!

May the Pour Be With You! was originally published in Water Cooler Talk on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

By Carmen Ren

While it may be difficult to find potable water in certain areas of the world, you can almost always find plastic.

During my stint as a Peace Corps volunteer in Uganda, I was initially surprised to see the how many bottles and household goods were made from plastic. Historically, the local cultures used natural resources, such as banana tree leaves or gourds, to create water containers and other kitchen utensils. Because of this traditional dependence on natural, compostable resources, these communities don’t always have recycling facilities to rely on for the disposal of these plastic goods.

Instead of throwing these products in the bin, people in Uganda and around the world have found extremely creative ways to turn plastic refuse into valuable goods and tools. Around the world, people are turning what most Americans consider one-time use items into products that are far more useful.

Human resourcefulness at its finest: here’s 11 inventive upcycling ideas from Uganda and around the world.

1. Letter rolls made from plastic bottles

In some Ugandan villages, where the majority of learning takes place on the chalkboard, water bottles have been repurposed as interactive learning tools. For example, with this letter roll, young students can practice reading and sounding out letters by matching up letters to create words.

2. Bottle cap alphabet tiles

Bottle caps — from either plastic or glass bottles — are also often used to make letter or number tiles with which students can play and learn words or basic arithmetic.

3. Reinforcing a structure with filled 2 liter bottles

Empty water bottles are not only reused to create basic learning blocks, but also literal building blocks. Take for example this refugee in the Sahara Desert, who has been packing used plastic bottles with sand and stacking them to create durable walls for his adobe.

4. Plastic bottle plant pots

In areas of the world that lack nutrient-rich land, it’s common to use plastic bottles as nursery beds or pots for vegetable gardens.

5. Making shoes and string from old tires

In both Kenya and Uganda, people will often repurpose old tires to make shoes. These shoes can sometimes last up to 10 years.

6. Creating garden tools from milk jugs

As it turns out, a milk jug — or any sort of plastic jug —can be turned it various gardening tools. Thicker plastic jugs are perfect for creating hand tools like this hand shovel or makeshift garden trowel.

Similarly, jugs or even larger plastic water bottles can easily be transformed into a watering can for a garden.

7. Woven bags made from snack/candy wrappers

Plastic bags and wrappers can also be repurposed, folded and woven into bags and purses such as these.

8. Insect traps made from old water bottles

If you’ve ever driven through the Italian countryside, you may have noticed plastic bottles hanging from olive trees. In Italy, olive tree farmers often repurpose water bottles as insect traps in lieu of spraying pesticides. Instead of going for the olive tree’s precious fruits, insects are attracted by the basic water solution and get trapped inside the bottle.

9. Backpacks from inflatable boats and life jackets

On the island of Lesbos, where many refugees have landed on their journey to Europe, one volunteer has found a way to turn plastic waste into backpacks. These bags are made from the left over material from lifeboats and clipped shut using the buckles from life vests.

10. Designing bracelets and necklaces made from plastic bags

Artist Ciru Segal, cofounder of Plastic Fantastic Kenya, turns plastic bags into bracelets and other jewelry. Her goal is to help people change their attitude to waste disposal by cleaning up the local rivers, as well as create jobs and opportunities for her fellow Kenyans.

11. A slow-release watering system made with plastic water bottles

Plastic water bottles can also be repurposed to create a slow-release watering system for your plants. Just make a small hole in the bottom of the bottle, bury it in your garden and fill the bottle with water.

So take a lesson from these uber-resourceful people from around the world: if you can’t reduce the waste you generate, find some way to repurpose it!

As the saying goes: Reduce, Reuse, Refill!

Meet Bevi, the smart water cooler that will help you eliminate plastic bottles and cans from your office.

Learn more about Bevi’s Countertop and Standup machines.

Upcycling Around the World was originally published in Water Cooler Talk on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Often times, the Office Manager is on the front lines of a continuous battle between those employees who value convenience and those who prioritize environmental impact. From balancing the office’s budget to fielding all types of employee complaints, the Office Manager is almost always stuck between a rock and a hard place.

As with any daunting task, it’s best to start small. And implementing a Bring Your Own (Reusable) Bottle initiative is a great place to start.

Rather than stocking and restocking sky-scrapers of plastic cups in your kitchen, reduce your plastic waste exponentially by encouraging employees to take their favorite canteen into work with them. This BYOB approach will not only save the Office Manager time, but save money — money that can be reinvested in something everyone in the office will love, like fruit or snacks!

Don’t left the office kitchen battles continue: check out these 5 tactful ways to get everyone on board — and even excited about — the new BYOB initiative.

Green Strategy #1: Form an eco-minded task force

Remember: there’s strength in numbers.

Whether you’re an Office Manager or an environmentally-conscious employee, it’s best to have a team of people behind you when proposing a new and drastic change to life at the office.

Don’t face the rebuttals and complaints alone. Gather a squad, inform them of the change and its rationale, and let the company know that there’s a whole group of excited employees ready to answer any questions that may come up.

Especially at larger companies, where it’s unlikely everyone knows each other on a first name basis, try to involve a few people from each department in your sustainability task force. Employees are more likely to trust and support the people they work with everyday than a faceless email announcement from someone they’ve never met.

Before kicking-off your BYOB program, be sure to form a squad of people who can help hype up its positive, environmental impact, as well as field any comments or concerns different departments may have.

Green Strategy #2: The long distance relationship

For some offices, getting rid of plastic cups might be as simple as never buying them again. In other offices, however, the transition might not be as smooth. If you’re worried about an impromptu employee mutiny, there are several ways to ease your office into a more zero-waste approach to water cooler talk.

After launching your BYOB program, try leaving only a small stack of plastic cups in plain sight. Chances are, many folks won’t go looking — or won’t know where to look — when the stack disappears. This will help to incentivize people to bring in their bottles, since having to find and restock the plastic cups is more effort than carrying your own bottle. You might get some annoyed comments about the lack of cups over Slack, but stay strong! Tell these folks where they can find more cups, but don’t restock them yourself.

If your office isn’t equipped with reusable glassware, keeping an emergency pack of single-use cups on hand is kind of a must — especially if you frequently have visitors. In this case, stash the solo cups away in a secret cabinet or drawer, and reveal them only when you’re expecting guests.

In general, if the BYOB initiative is more controversial than you planned, relieve separation anxiety by making the transition from plastic cups as gradual and reasonable as possible.

Green strategy #3: Get custom bottles made for your office

If you’ve got the budget, this is a no brainer.

What better way to launch your BYOB initiative than to purchase a personalized or company-branded (or both!) reusable bottle for each of your employees.

Many companies that are both getting a Bevi and moving into a completely new office space like to include reusable bottles as part of a ‘Welcome to Your New Office’ gift for each employee. Broadly speaking, moving into a new space is the perfect occasion to put new, eco-friendly systems in place!

While not every office has the funds to purchase bottles for everyone, there are many work-arounds. Water proof stickers are a simple and affordable way to get employees hyped about showing off their newly decorated reusable bottle around the office. Have your designers create a whole series of stickers to pick and choose from, or get everyone a decal of their name. Another solution is to work with your team to select and design a bottle that people can order on their own if they so choose — this works well in offices in which most people already have a favorite bottle, and may not need the company to purchase one for them.

Once your custom bottles arrive, encourage folks to leave them at work. With shiny, new reusable bottles on their desks, the die-hard plastic cup users will surely become BYOB champions.

Green Strategy #4: Reinforce — and reward! — positive behaviors

Ever heard of intermittent reinforcement conditioning? If you haven’t, all you need to know is this: it works!

As foreign as this term may sound, chances are it’s something you’re already doing in the office. Each time you randomly give a shoutout to an employee over Slack, you are using the power of intermittent conditioning to motivate and reinforce positive behaviors!

The true beauty of intermittent conditioning lies in the fact that you only have to reward behaviors occasionally in order to reinforce them. In knowing that they might get recognition for their positive behavior, employees will start to make good habits part of their normal routine, whether it’s helping to clean out the fridge or bringing their reusable bottle into work.

Don’t take this the wrong way: we’re not suggesting you treat your co-workers like Pavlov’s dogs!

All we’re saying is that highlighting or rewarding someone who has brought their reusable bottle into work is a really great way to motivate that individual — and others — to keep your BYOB initiative going strong.

Green Strategy #5: Proudly share positive results

Similar to Green Strategy #4, keep your BYOB program top-of-mind by frequently sharing how it has positively impacted your office and beyond.

In addition to a company-wide email or appreciation post, go big and briefly share results in the next All Hands meeting. If eliminating plastic cups has saved you enough money to buy more snacks for your office, put a sign on the fridge or water cooler explaining how the new treats are the fruits of your office’s collective labor!

For companies that have an explicitly environmental mission, your newly instated BYOB initiative could be a great occasion to brag about your company’s awesomeness on social media. Some companies might even opt to highlight an eco-warrior of the month; in other words, give a shoutout to an employee that has gone above and beyond when it comes to keeping things green at work.

Whether you’re a small startup or an international corporation, a Bring Your Own Reusable Bottle initiative is a simple and effective way to reduce your office’s footprint.

Give your employees more options and reduce plastic waste. At the same time.

Meet Bevi. The smart water cooler that’s providing fizz, flavors, and eco-friendly fun to offices throughout the US and Canada.

Here’s how it works:

Learn more here!

Ditch the Plastic Cups: How to Start a BYOB Initiative in Your Office was originally published in Water Cooler Talk on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Going green in the office isn’t as difficult — or costly — as you might think.

With a few simple product swaps and some greener habits, your office will be on its way to earning some serious eco-friendly bragging rights.

1. Go paperless

This tip almost seems trivial given the digital age we now live in. From cloud storage services to digital pay stubs, the need for paper and printers in the workplace has rapidly decreased in past two decades.

Diminish the temptation to print by reducing the amount of printers in your office and donating them to a local school or non-profit organization in need.

2. Unplug

Ever feel like there’s a ghoulish spirit haunting your office after hours? It might just be phantom power.

It’s not enough to simply power down your devices before leaving — power is still being consumed if it’s plugged in. Phantom power, or standby power, can become a huge, unnecessary expense for your company if left unaddressed.

Don’t let phantom power haunt you — remember to unplug your workstation before leaving the office.

3. Install motion-activated light switches

Improve energy efficiency immensely by installing or swapping in motion-activated light switches. These are a particularly great solution for conference rooms, since they are often separated from the central office space and are less frequently used.

Rather than relying on employees to switch-off the lights as they leave or enter, motion-activated lights are human proof: they save energy automatically.

4. Get Bevi

Rescue your office’s beverage budget from the recycling bin.

Get Bevi. This smart water cooler will help you significantly reduce — if not eliminate — the need for plastic bottles and cans in your office. Say goodbye to overflowing recycling bins, and hello to eco-friendly, healthy hydration!

Want 25 more eco-inspirational ideas? Check out the full list here!

30 Ways to Make Your Office More Eco-Friendly was originally published in Water Cooler Talk on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

The best thing about hydration is that your body is good at regulating it for you.

Whether you’re thirsting for a big glass of cold water or feeling like you need just a sip, your body naturally gives you a nudge — in the form of a craving — when it’s time for a refill.

We sat down with Dr. Tom Ronay, Medical Director at Circle Medical (the doctor’s office that comes to you, paid for by your insurance, now operating in the Bay Area), for a deep dive into hydration in the workplace. Since the majority of people spend most of their waking hours at work, how you hydrate in the office can have a big impact on your our overall health.

From coffee breaks to water cooler talk, sugar rushes to BYORB (bring your own reusable bottle), Dr. Ronay provided some insight into — and tips for — healthy hydration in the workplace and beyond.

What is happening on an anatomical level when a person feels thirsty?

Thirst is regulated by your blood vessels and kidneys via a complex and very fast-acting cascade that triggers your brain to crave fluids of any kind. This process all happens automatically: the human body is excellent at regulating hydration and is faster than any laboratory test out there.

1 out of 4 office employees say they don’t hydrate enough. What do you consider the biggest limiting factor when it comes to workplace hydration?

Access is key. Some offices may not have a filtered water cooler, which forces employees to either buy bottled water at the Starbucks down the street or to try and ignore their thirst. Given that proper hydration can increase employee productivity up to 14%, it’s in every office’s best interest to provide a consistent and healthy source of beverages to their employees. In some larger offices, the water cooler might be tucked away in the corner or halfway across the floor. Small layout changes or adding additional refill stations is a great way to give employees more immediate access to water.

Another key factor is how you decide to quench your thirst. When you feel thirsty, in reality any fluid can quench that initial thirst, but only some fluids — the healthy ones — will keep you hydrated and balanced.

Let’s chat a bit about the most common beverage in any office: coffee. Can coffee keep you hydrated?

Coffee is limited in how well it can hydrate you. It is in fact a diuretic, meaning it can actually cause you to lose more fluid than you gain. Similarly, it also can move your intestines more quickly than is typically comfortable. It doesn’t have to be coffee either — really any caffeinated drink will have this effect on the body, so it’s hard to work around it. While it is better than nothing, drinking coffee all day isn’t exactly the best way to keep yourself hydrated and focused in the office.

How do our bodies respond to caffeinated drinks and will they actually make us more productive?

How we metabolize caffeine is different from the way in which our body processes something like alcohol. Caffeine is metabolized and removed from your body quickly at first, but after about 4–6 hours its metabolized much slower, meaning it sticks around in our bodies for a fairly long time.

Contrary to common thought, coffee does affect people in the evening, sometimes even disrupting sleep. Besides disrupting the amount of sleep, it can really affect the quality of sleep you get; the time you spend sleeping becomes inefficient, meaning you require more sleep to compensate.

Coffee may give you that extra boost you need to finish out the workday, but it will ultimately affect the amount of rest you get after work.

As the saying goes, ‘you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.’ How can someone like an office manager encourage employees to stay hydrated?

Forcing or shaming people to drink water is counterproductive, especially when there are many creative ways to integrate hydration into your typical office routine. For example, in our office, each person has their favorite mug, cup or glass. These personalized mugs or special glasses are fun and almost a form of personal expression.

Having a unique drinking vessel not only encourages people to fill up their glass, but also helps to lessen the occurrence of anonymous dirty cups in the sink.

What are some different types of healthy drinks an office can keep on hand for those employees that don’t usually opt for plain water?

The variety of alternatives out there is amazing. Many office now stock cold, fizzy drinks, hot drinks like tea, and everything in between!

In recent years, there’s been a national decrease in soda consumption and an increase in demand for healthier alternatives. People are now getting into different types of waters, such as mineral water, seltzer water, and fruit-flavored water, that are more satisfying alternatives to sugary carbonated drinks.

For offices that have a mixture of water drinkers and soda lovers, Bevi is a great compromise. Plain water drinkers can have their fill of plain filtered water, while soda lovers can make the transition to Bevi’s unsweetened fruit flavors.

Hydration is often cited as a form of disease prevention. How do your experiences align with this concept?

As young doctors in training, we learned that providing access to hydration was all that was needed for most of our hospitalized patients. Our patients did not require precise measurements or IV hydration, unless they were immobile or elderly. If you provide access to water, the patient will take care of the rest.

The same thing goes for flu or cold prevention in the office. Sometimes offices will provide their employees with Vitamin C during flu and cold season, but an initiative to hydrate more frequently could have an even bigger impact.

Keep in mind that our bodies are primarily water — somewhere around 60–78%. In general, our bodies are made up of elements that are subject to the laws of chemistry and physics, and therefore have many complex reactions. This means if you’re drinking poor quality water or your water level is simply low, you’re at a serious disadvantage on a chemical level.

When it comes to water, is there ever such a thing as too much?

In my own life, I have received a lot of conflicting advice on this point. My Sergeant in the Air Force always used to say “Drink water until you pee clear,” but this conflicted with what my marathon doctor advised me; he always emphasized that over-hydrating is a real risk for competitors.

These combined experiences taught me that forcing water on people (or in this case, marathon runners) was annoying and counter-productive, but providing access to water was critical in any situation. Unless someone is elderly or has limited access to hydration, they will most likely drink as much water as they need.

Do you have a favorite way of hydrating?

I will admit that I drink one cup of coffee at the office, and I could definitely do more to keep myself consistently hydrated. Having a Bevi in the office would certainly help me take care of that!

Meet Dr. Tom Ronay — Medical Director at CircleMedical

The perfect, all-in-one hydration solution for your team.

Meet Bevi.

Staying Hydrated in the Office: It All Starts with Access was originally published in Water Cooler Talk on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Last week, summer came a little early for Bevi users with the announcement of Bevi’s newest flavor, Watermelon!

We wanted to give Watermelon a bold, sparkling welcome to the Bevi flavor family by devoting an entire blog post to watermelon-inspired drinks. From basil infusions to fruity cocktails, these recipes are easy enough to make in an office kitchen. Office Manager tested, Bevi approved.

Share a sip of sunshine with your workplace: here are 3 recipes that will have the whole office dreaming of that warm, summer sun!

It’s Thirsty Thursday! Sip on this Watermelon Mojito

You don’t need a degree in mixology to put on the best Happy Hour your office has ever seen.

All it takes is a little planning, a few extra ingredients, and of course, Bevi’s sparkling flavored water.

Here to show you how it’s done is our superstar Office Manager — and first-ever host of Thirsty Thursday — Claire!

If you don’t have access to a blender in your office kitchen, feel free to improvise! Instead of pureeing the fruit entirely, you can also cut up small chunks or simply mash the watermelon with a fork or spoon for a more textured mojito.

Here’s the full recipe:

• 2 shots of rum
• 1/2 shot (or less!) of simple syrup
• 1/2 shot of lime juice
• 2–3 small slices of watermelon
• Crushed ice
• Mint — to muddle and for garnish
• Bevi’s Sparkling Watermelon Water

Check out Claire’s tutorial to learn how to this magical mojito is made!

The Afternoon Pick-Me-Up: Infused Basil-Watermelon Water

Don’t let the 3pm blues get you down: Give your tastebuds — and your productivity — a wake-up call with a simple basil infusion!

Here’s what you’ll need to do:

1.) Buy, grow or forage some basil. (If you can’t find any basil, mint is a refreshing great alternative.)

2.) Shred, slice or mash the basil leaves and put them in your reusable bottle.

3.) Find your friendly, neighborhood Bevi and fill your bottle with Bevi’s Still or Sparkling Watermelon-flavored water.

4.) Let the basil steep in your bottle for about an hour, either on your desk or in the office fridge. If you’re doing an infusion with sparkling water, we recommend you enjoy your drink sooner than later, so it won’t lose it’s carbonation.

Like Bevi’s zero-calorie flavors, infusions are a simple, refreshing way to motivate yourself to stay hydrated throughout the day. With a combo this mouthwatering, you won’t even realize you’re crushing your hydration goals.

Let’s Get Tropical! Watermelon-Coconut Still Water

For this recipe, you won’t need any additional ingredients. Simply grab your reusable bottle, head over to the office Bevi, and you’ll be transported straight to a sandy beach in Florida Keys!

Here’s the quick-and-easy recipe:

1.) Fill half of your reusable bottle with Bevi’s Still Coconut Water.

2.) Fill the remainder of your bottle with Bevi’s Still Watermelon Water.

Katie, the Field Marketing Manager at Bevi, swears by this combo. As someone who prefers still to sparkling, Katie highly recommends this tropical duo to anyone looking for a hydration boost, minus the bubbles.

Like Watermelon, Bevi’s Coconut flavor is the perfect addition to any tropical spritzer — alcoholic or virgin.

Think Coconut should make a cameo at your next Happy Hour? Check out our recipe for a Sparkling Coconut Lime Mojito.

Whether you’re looking for a mouthwatering accompaniment to an afternoon snack or getting the weekend started early, Bevi’s Watermelon-flavored water is the perfect way to ring in the summer season.

And if you haven’t had the chance, check out this quick recap of Watermelon’s recent vacation to Florida.

Get your souvenir from Watermelon’s Floridan adventure here!

Looking for more ways to keep your office hydrated?

Meet Bevi. Still and sparkling flavored water is now just a touchscreen button away.

Sipping on Sunshine: 3 Watermelon Drinks to Enjoy at the Office was originally published in Water Cooler Talk on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Thrive Workplace, a Denver-based co-working community offering unique, flexible and member-centric workspaces, announced today that their workspace in the Ballpark neighborhood (1415 Park Ave. West) will host an opening day party for Thrive members and the Denver community in the hours leading up to the Colorado Rockies’ first home game on April 6.

The event will be free and open to the public. From 11am to 2pm, fans can swing by Thrive on their way to Coors Field.

During the event, local artists from the So-Gnar Creative Division — a creative collective led by owner, founder, and lead artist Pat Milbery along with Pat McKinney, Jason Graves and Remington Robinson — will be giving Thrive’s floor-standing Bevi a Denver-inspired redesign.

For those who have not yet visited Thrive’s Ballpark location, Bevi is a smart water cooler offering still, sparkling and flavored water. A startup founded in Boston, Bevi helped save the waste generated by more than 15 million plastic bottles in 2017 alone. Bevi has installed thousands of machines in offices and break rooms across the U.S. and boasts a myriad of clients, including Netflix, Boston Consulting Group, Google and now, Thrive Workplace.

During the opening day celebration, Milbery and company will create a unique and colorful design directly on the Bevi, using primarily aerosol paint with some acrylic paint mixed in.

“As artists and creators, the chance to contribute color and vibrancy as well as add value to communities is what we live for,” said Milbery. “Our goal with the Thrive and Bevi collaboration is to create a work of art that people from all walks of life can enjoy, take pride in and engage with through social media. We design and implement high-quality art designs with subject matter that is universally enjoyed and timeless.”

The creation of this one-of-a-kind Bevi will be accompanied by a barbecue that will begin around noon and offer hot dogs and burgers to attendees. At 1pm, Thrive will raffle off hats, t-shirts, tickets to the Rockies game and more.

“We’re happy to host fun and collaborative events like this that foster a cheerful and enjoyable atmosphere while building community,” said Chad Johnson, co-founder of Thrive. “At Thrive, we aim to offer entrepreneurs, small businesses, their teams and all of our members the tools they need to enjoy a successful venture.”

Attendees are encourage to RSVP to the event here: rsvp@thriveworkplace.com

The Recap

Pat Milbery, Pat McKinney, and the So-gnar Creative Division crew really knocked this live painting out of the park.

After the live painting was delayed due to the snow, Milbery and his team fearlessly relocated to a nearby family business to complete their masterpiece.

Check out the progression below from what is technically called a ‘Naked Bevi’ to a free-styled, hand-painted creation.

A huge shout out to Thrive Workplace for making this collaboration possible! We couldn’t think of a better, brighter way to spend Opening Day.

If you haven’t already, we highly recommend checking out more of the artists’ work on Instagram. You can find them there at: @patmilbery, @patmckinney, or @So_gnarCreativeDivision.

About Thrive Workplace

Thrive Workplace, based in Denver, is a family-owned coworking community offering unique, flexible and member-centric work spaces thoughtfully designed to cultivate innovation and success. With over 33,000-square-feet across two locations in downtown Denver and Cherry Creek, Thrive Workplace provides customizable workplace options including private offices, open work spaces, conference rooms, corporate event space and training rooms available to rent on a permanent or a scalable basis. Founded in 2010, Thrive Workplace offers a relationship-driven coworking experience with access to member-benefits, local discounts and community events. For more information, please visit www.thriveworkplace.com

Never place another beverage order.

Meet Bevi, the smart water cooler that never runs out.

Our technicians are sent automatically, so you don’t have to lift a finger.

Artist Behind Denver’s Iconic Murals To Create a One-of-a-Kind Bevi in Honor of Opening Day was originally published in Water Cooler Talk on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Food preferences may vary from person to person, but one thing is for sure: everyone loves a company-sponsored catered lunch.

And while these occasions are a great opportunity for the team to come together and bond over a hearty plate of nachos, these events often put a huge amount of pressure on you, the Office Manager, who must spend hours planning every detail of the meal. From factoring in dietary restrictions to making sure there’s enough clean silverware to go around, there’s more than a few ways that things could go wrong.

That’s why we created this foolproof list of items that you should always have handy in the office kitchen. When the time comes to order catering, you’ll be more than ready for the long line of employees waiting for guacamole. Aside from getting you nominated as “Most Prepared,” these suggestions will also help you minimize both plastic and food waste in the office on a daily basis.

Whether you’ve planned a catered lunch for weeks or just put in a last minute order, here’s 19 things you should have on hand before the trays of Spicy Curry arrive in the lobby.

1. Salt and pepper

Despite the fact that they’re staples in any kitchen, salt and pepper are easy to forget when you’re taking inventory. Pro-tip: put the shakers at the end of the catering line, so people can season their lunch to their liking.

2. Pot holders, oven mitts, and hot pads

Even if you’re getting delivery, moving piping hot trays of lasagna from one side of the kitchen to the other can be quite the pain. Put on some mitts and grab some hot pads to make sure your lunch will be incident-free.

3. Serving spoons, ladles, and tongs

We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you can’t serve soup with a fork. You just can’t. Keep the lunch line moving by having a variety of serving utensils on hand before that wonton soup even arrives at your door.

4. A bread knife and/or pizza cutter

Whether you’ve ordered a fresh loaf of bread or need to stretch a few more servings out of that pile of pizzas, a bread knife or pizza cutter will do the trick.

5. Sriracha, hot pepper flakes, or harissa

If you have spice-loving office mates, Sriracha, hot pepper flakes or harissa paste will surely satisfy their constant need to feel the burn. (For those who don’t know, harissa is a hot chili pepper paste originating from North Africa.)

6. Silverware, and lots of it!

Forks and spoons may not be the first thing on your mind when onboarding 10 new hires, but silverware can really get sparse if you don’t keep track of inventory. Especially if your office has the magical ability to make silverware disappear, you may want to consider taking inventory more frequently.

For larger offices, buying enough reusable silverware for everyone may not be in the budget. In that case, check out these compostable silverware options.

7. Reusable glassware and mugs

As with silverware, it may be impossible for large offices to have enough reusable glasses for everyone. Encourage your co-workers to BYOB, or ‘Bring your own (Reusable) Bottle,’ and stay away from buying red solo cups for every office get together.

8. Get Bevi

Never place another order for seltzer water. Bring Bevi to your office and get unlimited refills of still or sparkling flavored water on demand. Bevi is an eco-friendly alternative to bottles and cans because it allows your office to get customizable refills of flavored water using the reusable glassware right in your office kitchen.

9. Recyclable Napkins

These are relatively inexpensive, and easy to buy and store in bulk. Enlist a few of the office’s eco-warriors to help drop a few hints that these napkins belong in the recycling bin, not the trash.

10. Different sizes and types of compostable plates and bowls

Nothing is more annoying than eating ice cream on a plate. If your office likes to throw surprise sundae parties or eats an inordinate amount of chili, it’s probably in your best interest to have more than just large compostable plates on hand.

And remember: even if they’re compostable or recyclable, one-time use containers in your kitchen should be a last resort. Try to put any reusable dishware out first before breaking out the paper plates.

11. Toothpicks

Finger food is not for everyone. Have a stash of toothpicks in the office kitchen and devour that fancy cheese tray with your cheese-loving co-workers.

12. Compostable straws

Who said happy hour can’t be eco-friendly hour as well? Before you start mixing drinks, be sure to have some 100% biodegradable straws on hand. They look and feel just like the plastic ones, letting you enjoy a guilt-free Thirsty Thursday with your co-workers.

13. Sign up for ezCater and download the app

Getting catered lunch for the office has never been easier. With ezCater, you can filter by food type, budget, and location, and see exactly which caterers are right for your office. Download the app before you do any party planning and explore all the different catering options in your area.

14. Menu card holders, index cards and a sharpie

While bigger catering orders might come with printed menu cards, consider making your own for smaller orders. Grab a few menu card holders, some index cards, and a sharpie, and write a label for each kind of burrito you ordered for the office. This is a quick and easy way to make sure you’ll never have to answer the question “What’s in this?” again.

15. Clearly labelled bins for trash, recycling and compost, and the appropriate bags

When there’s 25 hungry people waiting for tacos, recycling bins will probably be the last thing on your mind. Prepare yourself for the rapid influx of waste by keeping extra bags on hand or adding a second recycling or trash bin to the fold. If you have moveable bins, be sure to set them out in a clearly visible area and label them accordingly.

16. Office Tupperware containers

With office catering, it’s always better to have too much than too little. Rather than take up an entire shelf of your fridge with a half empty aluminum tray, transfer the food to a few Tupperware containers. Not only will this help to reduce food waste, but it will also help keep the food fresh.

17. Sponges and microfiber cleaning cloths

In most offices, paper towels are the go-to method for cleaning up spills, yet there are many inexpensive, eco-friendly alternatives. Get yourself a stack of microfiber cleaning clothes and a squad of sponges, and attack that chili spill with some eco-minded enthusiasm!

18. Extra seating and/or outdoor friendly seating

You’ve put so much effort into planning this company bonding session — don’t let people eat at their desks! While not every kitchen space can accommodate the entire company, there are several ways to get more people to eat together.

Have some folding chairs, camping chairs or extra benches in storage so your team can eat as an entire unit. If you access to a bit of space outside, you could even purchase a few folding picnic tables, allowing employees to enjoy a catered lunch in the open air.

19. Feedback survey

Keep up with your office’s catering preferences by collecting feedback each time you order out. There are many quick and easy ways to automate the feedback process that can be setup weeks in advance; use a Slack poll, create a brief google form or put together a survey on SurveyMonkey — you’ll thank yourself next time you have to place an order.

Do you have any go-to items in your office kitchen? Let us know in the comments below!

Never place another beverage order.

Meet Bevi, the smart water cooler that never runs out.

Our technicians are sent automatically, so you don’t have to lift a finger.

Everything You Need in Your Office Kitchen For Any Catering Order was originally published in Water Cooler Talk on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

We believe that administrative professionals and their invaluable contributions to the workplace deserve recognition…and free stuff never hurts!

Our guess is that if you’re an admin, you’ve received your fair share of wilted bouquets and mugs full of candy. Wouldn’t you rather have a chance to win high-quality prize packages from companies that offer the products and services you actually want and need? Maybe something like wellness goodies from Bevi?

As part of our Admin Week partnership with OfficeNinjas, we’re hosting a whole day of Flash Raffle giveaways on Admin Day, April 25.

OfficeNinjas will announce the prize details, open the raffle, and choose the winners all in a matter of 24 hours, so you’ve got to be fast!

Three lucky Ninjas will then walk away with a curated wellness package from yours truly.

Want to test your Ninja-like reflexes? Sign up for alerts from OfficeNinjas (there’s a different Flash Raffle every day!) and be sure to visit the OfficeNinjas Flash Raffle website on April 24 to enter to win!

Daily Flash Raffles are just one part of Admin Week. Check out all the ways Bevi is partnering with OfficeNinjas to celebrate admins and their invaluable work!

Fizz, flavors, and eco-friendly fun at the press of a touchscreen.

Experience a new way to hydrate with Bevi.

In Honor of Admin Day, We’re Giving Away 3 Incredible Prizes was originally published in Water Cooler Talk on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

At Bevi, we see firsthand how hard administrative professionals work to make sure their colleagues are happy and hydrated— and that’s only a fraction of their responsibilities.

Too often, an admin’s contributions will get overlooked or taken for granted.

Office managers, Executive Assistants, and Administrative Maestros (aka “Office Ninjas”) should be recognized for their workplace contributions. And the most extraordinary Ninjas — the ones who go above and beyond the call of duty and raise the bar for the admin profession — should be rewarded.

That’s why Bevi, in partnership with OfficeNinjas, has decided to sponsor OfficeNinjas All-Stars, a national online search for the best and brightest admins.

Nominate your favorite All-Star Office Ninja here. 💫

Each day of Admin Week, OfficeNinjas will feature an exemplary Ninja who regularly knocks it out of the park. In addition to worldwide praise and bragging rights, five All-Stars receive a professional photo shoot, an engraved awards plaque, and an incredible prize package from Admin Week partners like us. Keep an eye out: Bevi’s sponsored All-Star will be featured on April 24!

You have until March 16, so head over to the OfficeNinjas website to check out last year’s winners, pick up some tips for a standout application, and nominate a stellar Ninja. Don’t be shy: you can also nominate yourself or get a colleague to nominate you!

We can’t wait to meet all of OfficeNinjas 2018 All-Stars. After all, you might be one of them!

Nominate your favorite All-Star Office Ninja here. 💫

As every Office Ninja knows, no two offices are alike. That’s why Bevi offers 12+ flavors for your office to choose from.

What will be your office’s favorite flavor? There’s only one way to find out.

Nominate Your Favorite Admin for an OfficeNinjas All-Star Award was originally published in Water Cooler Talk on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.