07/27/2026
A big thank you to Emerald Ecovations for hosting me at Saratoga Race Course on Friday.
Great company, great conversation, and a perfect day at one of the best venues in the country. Thank you to Ralph Bianculli, Josh Enfield and the entire team for the invitation and the hospitality.
What stood out to me almost as much as the racing was how well Emerald tells its story on-site. Their name is up on the Saratoga Race Sponsors board alongside DraftKings, Dunkin', STIHL and Mohegan Sun. Their message, "Go Green in Your Home and Office Today!", was running right on the tote board in front of the grandstand. And every waste receptacle around the apron carried a wrap reading "NYRA's Going Green with Sustainable Solutions from Emerald Ecovations," with the real numbers behind it: 14,280 trees saved, 1,230 lbs of plastic avoided, and 175,985 kg of carbon emissions reduced from 2025 through 2027.
My favorite piece was the simple side by side decal on the front of each bin. Traditional coffee cups consume 32 million trees a year, cannot be recycled, and use a petroleum based lining. Next to that sits an Emerald cup made with no trees, a plant based lining, and commercially compostable. That is a sustainability program explained in about four seconds, to a crowd of 30,000 people.
Here's the part our clients should know: Emerald can do this for you, too. When you convert your cups, cutlery, napkins, and tissue to Emerald's compostable, tree free products, they'll help you put your own impact numbers on your bins, in your café, and in your lobby. Whether you're a college dining hall, a school district, a hospital, or a restaurant, you're already making the sustainable choice. This is how you notify students, patients, guests, and staff.
If you'd like to talk about making the switch and telling that story in your own building, reach out. Riley Maintenance Systems, 607-786-3766, [email protected]
