Commercial Composting
Table of Contents:
Signing Up for Service
Payment Structure/Overdue Balances
Pickup Logistics
Changing Account Information
Changing Pickup Schedule
Makeup Pickups & Holidays
Bucket Usage & Bucket Replacements
More Information on Compost Club
1. Signing up
Fill out our online signup form so we can gather all the necessary information (‘We’re Ready to Compost! → http://www.theurbancanopy.org/commercial-compost-club)
***We try to be as accommodating as possible and want to get your membership finalized as quickly as possible; however, please note that, you will need to confirm that you have read and understand our terms and policies via email in order to receive your first bucket/bin. This entails that you read these terms and policies and replay “Got It” to our welcome email, which outlines your pickup location and day of the week. ***
What Will Happen Next:
Once you fill out the “We’re Ready to Compost” form you will receive an affirmation email that your sign up will be processed. Then, later the same month that you signed up, you will receive an “Invitation Email” that contains a log in process to access your new StopSuite Dashboard the day and frequency of your compost service, the bucket/bin location you provided, the payment type you would like to use, and any further questions we have about your location or information that we need to finalize your membership. Our routes are designed around particular zones throughout the City and some Suburbs , which are designated to particular days of the week. We prefer to maintain the pick up day that we assign you, but are willing to make a few expectations if, for example, you would like multiple pick ups per week. Please note that a walk-through of your site might be required if you want more than 5 Buckets or 4 bins, so we can accurately assess the logistics of any particular location. As a company we strive to be as accommodating as possible for each of our clients' particular needs, and in doing so we hope to stay in close communication with our clients to ensure those needs are met while also ensuring our driver’s safety and well being. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns before, during or once you are a member. We look forward to Composting with you!
2. Payment Structure
Payment Structure for Commercial & Communal Compost Club Stops:
At Urban Canopy we charge our commercial/communal customers a ‘per-stop fee’ so we can create invoices that accurately reflect the service that occurred during the month prior. Since we will assign you a specific pickup day of the week, and depending on the frequency of pickups the number of pick ups per month can vary month to month. This is why we find that charging per-stop is the most accurate way to account for the services that took place. Right below you will see two charts outlining our ‘per-stop’ pricing structure for 6-7 gallon buckets and then the 35 gallon bins. Email for a quote today!
*We are willing to discuss alternative payment structures per request*
Monthly Invoices:
Commercial/communal members are emailed monthly invoices via Stripe within the first two weeks of the following month after the services have taken place. For example: you will receive an invoice for May services during the month of June. This is so we can accurately account for the services that took place during the month. The invoices detail the number of stops made that month, the per stop fee, the total owed, and you can find your environmental impact numbers on your StopSuite . You may also receive unpaid invoices from past month’s services. If you have paid these already, please keep them for your own records or simply disregard them. If there is a recurring problem with payments we will contact you per our overdue balance terms below.
Payment Methods:
Credit/Debit Card/ACH:
We use a secure app called Stripe to charge a card we have on file with your credit/debit card/ACH details. Please note that once we enter your card information into the secure Stripe app, we no longer keep a record of your card number on file. Once the invoice is sent, we charge that amount to your card using the secure Stripe server. This can take up to a week to charge your account once the invoice is sent depending on the volume of cliente that month. If your card is out of date or needs updating you will have 15 days to do so after you have received an invoice before the payment will be considered overdue. You can update your own card or ACH via your StopSuite Member dashboard. We highly encourage our members to choose this option if it is feasible for your business/residence.
OR
Check:
You mail a check to:
The Urban Canopy - Compost Club
2550 S Leavitt St
Chicago IL 60608
Please note that we allow a 15 day period once you have received an invoice to make a payment. After 15 days without any communication we will consider the payment overdue. We request that if you will have trouble completing a payment for whatever reason, please reach out to us. We will also contact you via telephone and email if any payment becomes overdue. If you intend to pay for more than one month at time on a regular basis, please let us know and we will work to accommodate your payment needs.
Overdue Balances and Account Suspension/Termination:
We understand that company card change, staff rotations, and checks can get lost in the mail, and we at the Urban Canopy value our members and their willingness to take steps in the right direction toward a sustainable urban food cycle. If a member begins to acquire an overdue balance we will send your overdue balance invoices and total amount owed with your subsequent invoices. After acquiring two months of overdue payments, we will reach out to you via telephone, this is so we can work out a feasible payment plan for you and your business moving forward. As long as we are working together and in communication to work down your overdue balance we will continue to service your location. However, we do reserve the right to suspend your service, potentially leading to complete service termination if we cannot get in contact with you whether it be via email, telephone, or even in person. If your account does become suspended or terminated and you would like to rejoin our service, we will require you to pay off your outstanding balances and then submit the online sign up form again. We strive towards never having to take these actions and working with our members to keep folks composting, but please understand that we also have expenses to keep our company running.
3. Pickup Logistics
Bucket/Bin Delivery
We do not need to do pickups face to face, so no one needs to be on-site during any Compost Club delivery/pickup. We will send you 2 reminder emails, days before, letting you know that we will be stopping by. We will leave your bucket/bin at the agreed upon “Bucket Location”. We will send you a “Grab Your Buckets” email at the end of the day reminding you to bring your container inside. We prefer if all of your buckets/bins are in the same location, but are willing to accommodate special requests within reason. Also, our driver will complete the stop as per your membership information and you will be charged accordingly unless you reach out to us by 3pm the day before your stop to request any necessary changes. If a stop has consistent empty buckets/bins or no buckets/bins our driver will send an inquiry text, and one of our admin will reach out as well to see if there is anything we can do on our end to ensure your satisfaction through composting with us!
Company Insurance Policy
Upon request we are happy to supply you with a certification of our insurance and to answer any other questions you have regarding our insurance policy.
4. Changing Account Information
Changing Account Information
If you’d like to change any of your account information (bucket location, email address, phone number, etc.) just email us at compost@theurbancanopy.org with your request and we will walk you through making that change.
Updating Billing Information (Credit/Debit card members)
Email us to set up a time where we can jump on a call to update your card information on our secure Square account. To keep things running smoothly, please inform us if your card changes, as the Square app does not automatically update your card on file with us.
5. Changing Pickup Schedule/Frequency
Canceling Stops
You can cancel your stop up to midnight the day before in your member dashboard. Alternatively, if you want to cancel a stop, please email us by 3PM the day before your scheduled pickup. All requests can be sent to Compost@TheUrbanCanopy.org
If we are notified within this timeframe, we will take you off the route and not charge you. If you notify us after this timeframe, we can not guarantee that you will be taken off the route or be charged for the stop.
Pickup ONLY Stops
If you have extra empty buckets/bins on-site and wish to schedule a pickup ONLY stop (we grab your full containers but don’t drop-off any fresh ones), email us by 3pm and we will only charge you half-price for the stop. If you don’t contact us by 3pm, we will charge you full-price.
Adding Extra Pickups
If you are a monthly or bi-weekly member, you are always welcome to schedule additional pickups and will be charged the corresponding per stop fee. Please schedule extra pickups in advance (by 3PM the day before you’d like us to stop by). Keep in mind that we are only able to stop by on the same day of the week as your scheduled stops.
Changing Pickup Frequency
If you find your business or community needs more or less containers, we can adjust your bucket/bin quantity at the beginning of the next month's service. Simply email us with your new desired pickup frequency.
We are extremely flexible, however, our goal is to find the best frequency for you so you don’t accumulate extra buckets or too few. If you need an extra bucket/bin or one less bucket/bin on an infrequent basis, we are happy to make that adjustment if you let us know by 3pm the day before your pick-up, but if you are changing the amount of buckets/bins or the frequency of your pick-ups more regularly we will encourage you to permanently switch your membership frequency as to streamline our own efficiency.
Extra Material (Extra Fee)
We prefer that all of your compostables are placed inside your bucket or bin, given that there is space. However, we can still accept extra materials at a rate of $5 per bag or container. Wet materials (like food scraps) must be placed in a sealed plastic container to prevent attracting unwanted pests and to avoid spills on our drivers and in our vehicles. Dry materials (leaves, paper products) can be placed in a bag or plastic container.
If you anticipate having extra materials, for example due to an upcoming event, we suggest planning ahead and requesting an extra container or pickup.
If you intend to set extra material out with your bucket/bin, please send compost@theurbancanopy.org an email (in advance) so that we can send our driver in the appropriate vehicle. If you do not send us an email about this, we can’t guarantee your extra material will be picked up. Keep in mind that the container or bag you place the extra material in will not be returned to you.
Additional fees like these will be included in your monthly invoice. If you have not informed us of extra material by 3pm the day before your pick up and our driver does pick up the extra material, we reserve the right to include that additional fee on your monthly invoice.
Ending Service
If you need to end your pickup service, please let us know as soon as possible! We will stop by one last time to pick up any remaining containers or locks you may have. You are responsible for paying for this last pickup.
6. Holidays
Holiday Related Cancellations
Look for special instructions if your pickup falls NEAR the following holidays: Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Years. We will send you an email in advance if your schedule will change due to one of these holidays.
Weather Related Cancellations
Weather related cancellations are rare, however, we take the safety of our drivers extremely seriously. In the case of a cancellation, we will send email notifications as soon as possible.
7. Additional Services
Bin Locks
We offer complimentary bin locks to our members who keep their bin in a public area. This is helpful for restaurants/condos that keep their compost bin in the alley. That way you must have the combo to open the bin. Our driver will text you the combination when they deliver the lock for the first time. We tend to use the same directional lock for all of our commercial/communal clients, but you can let us know if you want to use a specific personal lock of yours. When you end your service, the lock (if we provided it) will have to be returned during your last pickup.
We do not accept individual keys, but if you would like to use a lockbox and share the code with us, that is our work around for getting past locked gates if necessary.
Please email us if you’d like to request a lock at any point during or before your membership!
Extra Compostable Supplies For Purchase
All of our containers come with compostable liners. Additional liners and other compostable supplies (cups, plates, silverware, etc.) are available for purchase. Tying closed extra liners helps mitigate bug issues, especially with multi-unit locations sharing containers.
We also provide 40lb buckets of finished compost for your planting needs.
8. More Information On Commercial/Communal Compost Club:
You can visit us on our website or you can Email us at Compost@TheUrbanCanopy.org
or
You can contact us via telephone at (619) 702-9065 or (872) 444-6764 from 9am-5pm M-F. Please note that someone isn’t always available to answer, but we will return your call as soon as possible if you leave a voicemail .