A lot of people make New Years resolutions but what about making a "green resolution" for Earth Day? In honor of Earth Day, which is this month, I thought it would be nice to try to find ways to incorporate a little more "green" into our lives. I got inspiration from another blog to cut down on using paper towels, which we seem to use like water at our house. For the company, my goal is to encourage our employees to be more energy efficient in their operations.
If you are looking for simple ways to be a little more environmentally friendly in honor of Earth Day here are some ideas:
1. Turn out the lights and turn off/ unplug appliances when not in use
2. Walk, bike or take public transportation instead of driving
3. Recycle!
4. Donate old clothes or electronics instead of throwing them away.
5. Program your thermostat to use less energy when you are asleep or away from home.
Here are some ideas on how to be greener in your yard:
1. Use native plants
2. Solve drainage problems to prevent run-off and erosion
3. Use permeable pavers and concrete for hardscaped surfaces.
4. Mulch to help prevent run-off and erosion
5. Use materials with a high SRI (lighter color) to prevent the heat island effect.
I hope that these ideas can inspire you to change something this month!
Showing posts with label green business practices. Show all posts
Showing posts with label green business practices. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Green New Year
Happy New Year!
Have you made any resolutions for 2013? While most people's resolutions involve losing weight or getting organized, being good to the environment is a noble goal that is often over looked.
That's why, this year I have decided to go a little bit greener with green future.
First, I've added a line at the bottom of our signature in e-mails to help remind readers to consider the environment before printing the e-mail out. Did you know that more than 50% of papers printed out are never used? You can get your own paper-saving signature here: http://thinkbeforeprinting.org/.
Next, I've been working really hard to get a co-mingled recycling plan going at our office. Studies show that people are more likely to participate in a recycling program if its all inclusive, because it is less complicated. Unfortunately, the waste removal company I have been working with has been really slow about getting us quotes and information on the recycling plan. Although it has been a frustrating process, I intend to persevere. If your office does not have a recycling program, encourage them to do the same, even if it means someone takes the recyclables home with them.
Third, I've been trying to find ways to reduce waste and increase efficiency. This means buying and wasting less materials, which will hopefully help us save money, which we can then pass on as more savings for our clients. It also means using responsibly sourced materials, such as FSC certified wood.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, I want to focus on being a ONE STOP SHOP. This is our new tag line and it is surprisingly a great way to be more environmentally friendly. Think about it, by offering all services in house, we save lots of driving time, which helps prevent harmful carbon emissions. By using our company you eliminate the need for several contractors to come to the site thus preventing the excessive use of gas for transportation.
So my questions to you are what are your New Years Resolutions and will you incorporate any new behaviors to "Stay green?"
Have you made any resolutions for 2013? While most people's resolutions involve losing weight or getting organized, being good to the environment is a noble goal that is often over looked.
That's why, this year I have decided to go a little bit greener with green future.
First, I've added a line at the bottom of our signature in e-mails to help remind readers to consider the environment before printing the e-mail out. Did you know that more than 50% of papers printed out are never used? You can get your own paper-saving signature here: http://thinkbeforeprinting.org/.
Next, I've been working really hard to get a co-mingled recycling plan going at our office. Studies show that people are more likely to participate in a recycling program if its all inclusive, because it is less complicated. Unfortunately, the waste removal company I have been working with has been really slow about getting us quotes and information on the recycling plan. Although it has been a frustrating process, I intend to persevere. If your office does not have a recycling program, encourage them to do the same, even if it means someone takes the recyclables home with them.
Third, I've been trying to find ways to reduce waste and increase efficiency. This means buying and wasting less materials, which will hopefully help us save money, which we can then pass on as more savings for our clients. It also means using responsibly sourced materials, such as FSC certified wood.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, I want to focus on being a ONE STOP SHOP. This is our new tag line and it is surprisingly a great way to be more environmentally friendly. Think about it, by offering all services in house, we save lots of driving time, which helps prevent harmful carbon emissions. By using our company you eliminate the need for several contractors to come to the site thus preventing the excessive use of gas for transportation.
So my questions to you are what are your New Years Resolutions and will you incorporate any new behaviors to "Stay green?"
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Does it make "cents" for businesses to go green?
Does it make sense for businesses to go green? It depends on who you ask and what you're talking about. I've posted before that going green seems to be synonymous with being expensive. People had to suck it up and take a hit financially in order to help protect the environment and practice sustainability. But the truth is, it will cost far more for future generations if we ignore the environment and continue with profit being our top priority.
It seems like the only option to help us move toward a greener future is to find solutions that both help the environment and save money. Lately the economy and job creation has become the main focus of the media. The "green collar jobs" that were supposed to be the darling of the economy ended up looking like more of a boon, since large solar companies that the government had invested in went bankrupt. But in reality, these companies that went under were only a few in a sea of many. Green jobs still have the potential to open new opportunities that create both a sustainable environment and a sustainable economy.
Our company, Green Future Construction, has a vision of this working in the future. Although only a small percentage of our clients are even interested in eco-friendly construction options, we try to educate them on what is available and how certain sustainable options may help save them money: now and over time. For example, using native plants may cost less and save you money on water usage over time, since they are built to survive in this environment without much maintenance.
For big businesses the results of small changes can add up fast. For example, reducing packaging saves companies money and reduces landfill waste at the same time. Little changes add up to big savings for large corporations.
In conclusion it is my belief that the future is making sustainable choices that also make sense economically. Without financial incentives many people and large businesses have no immediate reason to change their operating practices. By focusing on the environment we protect the earth for future generations without sacrificing profits today.
It seems like the only option to help us move toward a greener future is to find solutions that both help the environment and save money. Lately the economy and job creation has become the main focus of the media. The "green collar jobs" that were supposed to be the darling of the economy ended up looking like more of a boon, since large solar companies that the government had invested in went bankrupt. But in reality, these companies that went under were only a few in a sea of many. Green jobs still have the potential to open new opportunities that create both a sustainable environment and a sustainable economy.
Our company, Green Future Construction, has a vision of this working in the future. Although only a small percentage of our clients are even interested in eco-friendly construction options, we try to educate them on what is available and how certain sustainable options may help save them money: now and over time. For example, using native plants may cost less and save you money on water usage over time, since they are built to survive in this environment without much maintenance.
For big businesses the results of small changes can add up fast. For example, reducing packaging saves companies money and reduces landfill waste at the same time. Little changes add up to big savings for large corporations.
In conclusion it is my belief that the future is making sustainable choices that also make sense economically. Without financial incentives many people and large businesses have no immediate reason to change their operating practices. By focusing on the environment we protect the earth for future generations without sacrificing profits today.
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