The InSinkErator Sales Manager discusses sustainability. By Loren Kessell
Sustainability and wellness in the home remains at the forefront, especially after increased importance placed on it during the pandemic. The NKBA spoke with Rhonda Burnim, Northeast Sales Manager- Builder Channel for InSinkErator-Emerson, about InSinkErator and why sustainable products are important. Here are the key takeaways:
Why are sustainable, environmentally-friendly kitchen and bath products so important?
Environmentally friendly kitchen products are so important because everyone’s small efforts can make a big difference. The average family of four throws away nearly 20 pounds of food scraps per week, and 75% of those food scraps end up in landfills. This equates to over 30 million tons per year and creates methane gas that negatively impacts our climate. Eliminating food scraps down an InSinkerator disposer is hygienically cleaner, reduces the possibility of pests or vermin and there is less trash to dispose of. If we compost and/or use a food waste disposer regularly, each one of us would be helping the environment by reducing landfill size and methane gas creation.
What trends are you currently seeing in the sustainable design sphere? What are consumers requesting to add to their homes?
Consumers are now requesting our top of the line, InSinkerator PRO-Evolution food Waste Disposer models which can grind almost anything edible and are quiet while in use. They’re also requesting the InSinkErator Instant Hot Water Dispensers which deliver boiling water on demand and reduces running and wasting water while waiting for it to heat up.
What environmentally-friendly products do you think are going to become even more popular?
People still use bottled water that contains plain tap water 75% of the time. A home water filtration system can deliver clean, tasty and healthy water that can be utilized in a reusable container. This saves the consumer a lot of money by eliminating the purchase of bottled water, and it helps reduce the number of plastic water bottles that aren’t recycled and going straight into a landfill.
What inspired the creation of the InSinkErator and what are some other exciting products coming down the pipeline?
InSinkErator started in 1927, when John W. Hammes, a Racine, WI architect’s wife, didn’t want her fruit peelings to smell when dumped into her kitchen trash container. He tinkered with the idea of using sheet metal, a makeshift grind mechanism, a small motor and a big idea. And by 1938, he had not only built a brand, but he also built a company. Today, 448 patents later, InSinkErator, a business unit of Emerson Electric Company, is the world’s best-selling brand of food waste disposers and instant hot water dispensers. The factories where the products are made are still in Racine, WI.
What are the top three sustainable products you’d want in your kitchen?
Any kitchen can utilize a top-of-the-line InSinkErator food waste disposer, an Instant Hot Water Dispenser and a Water Filtration system. And if possible, a pull-out drawer for composting materials and recycling items.
