Name: Traci Lynn Markle
Title: Sales Assistant
Born: Jacksonville, FL (spent most of my life in Philadelphia though – age 2 to 20)
What do you do for Mont Blanc?
I sell and assist in sales: send samples, follow up on leads, process orders, invoicing, coordinate shipping and keep everything running smoothly around the office.
How did you start in this field?
I wanted to work for a smaller company with a friendly workplace. I have been doing office admin stuff for many years.
What’s the best part of your job?
I like the people here, even Jim and Paul (the resident jokesters) have their moments. And Michael is a great boss.
What do you order at a café?
I order a cappuccino, extra shot and low fat milk.
Last great idea you came across?
The last time I visited Telluride, Colo., I attended a fesitval and the entire event was “green." Everything was either compostable or recyclable. The plastic cups used for lemonade, etc., were actually made of corn and therefore biodegradable, and they had compost and recycle bins everywhere. They also allowed everyone to use...
For an industry obsessed with sustainability and conservation, specialty coffee shops are among the most wasteful I have ever seen. For all the talk of environmental protection and safeguarding precious natural resources, that seems to fly out the window, or, more accurately be poured down the drain, when making a single cup of coffee.
Recycling has become mainstream in America. Special colored containers sit curbside in front of garages and behind houses on garbage day holding newspaper, glass, plastic, Styrofoam and cardboard to be hauled away and recycled. Restaurants, too, have their special containers next to dumpsters. But one item bedevils every seller of hot drinks, and that is the ubiquitous coffee cup.