EarthTalk^®
From the Editors of E/The Environmental Magazine

Dear EarthTalk: Apparently boxed wine (instead of bottled) is becoming all the rage for environmental reasons. What are the eco-benefits of boxed wine over bottled? — Justin J., Los Angeles, CA

With more and more wineries offering organic varieties to lower their eco-footprint, it’s no surprise that they’re looking at the environmental impacts of their packaging as well. The making of conventional glass bottles (and the corks that cap them) uses significant quantities of natural resources and generates considerable pollution. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the process of manufacturing glass not only contributes its share of greenhouse gas emissions but also generates nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide and tiny particulates that can damage lung tissue when breathed in.

Beyond manufacturing, the transport of wine in glass bottles across the country and around the world also takes its environmental toll. According to wine writer Tyler Colman, upwards of 90 percent of American wine is produced on the West Coast, but then shipped to the East Coast where the majority of wine consumers live. Trucking all these heavy glass bottles generates a much larger carbon footprint, ounce-for-ounce than the transportation of much lighter boxed wine. Almost half the weight of an ordinary case of wine comes from the bottles; about 95 percent of the weight of a case of boxed wine is the wine itself.

“A standard wine bottle holds 750 milliliters of wine and generates about 5.2 pounds of carbon-dioxide emissions when it travels from a vineyard in California to a store in New York,” reports Colman, who blogs at DrVino.com. “A 3-liter box generates about half the emissions per 750 milliliters.”  He concludes that switching to wine in a box “for the 97 percent of wines that are made to be consumed within a year” would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about two million tons, or the equivalent of removing 400,000 cars from the roads.

According to the Wine Group, the third largest wine company in the world by volume and a big advocate for switching away from glass bottles, there are other advantages to boxed wine (which typically includes a plastic bag within a cardboard box). The vacuum packaging of boxed wines allows the contents to stay fresh for up to six weeks in the fridge once the seal is broken and the first glass has been poured. The Wine Group has launched the “Better Wines Better World” website in an attempt to curry public favor for technologically advanced, environmentally friendly and economically practical boxed wines.

Still, despite the benefits, boxed wine may still be a tough pill to swallow for many wine connoisseurs still bent on tradition. “Even those traditionalists who are coming around to the idea that maybe screw caps are fine for some wines, balk at the idea of a cellar full of cardboard boxes,” says wine writer and vineyard owner Lee Asbell. “It is difficult to imagine how wine service at fine-dining establishments would handle such a change.” For now, boxed wine is still the domain of cheaper brands. But that could all change as more and more wine makers and drinkers take up the mantle of saving the Earth.

CONTACTS: Better Wines Better World, www.betterwinesbetterworld.com. DrVino, www.drvino.com.

SEND YOUR ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTIONS TO: EarthTalk^®, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; earthtalk@emagazine.com. Read past columns at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/archives.php. EarthTalk^® is now a book! Details and order information at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalkbook.

photo credit: Bota Box

Post from: Eco-Office Gals

Eco-Benefits of Boxed Wine

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Going green has become a popular thing to do, and thankfully this also means that you are taking better care of yourself. These methods can keep you feeling healthy and also ensure that you are doing your part to maintain healthy and eco-friendly living.

1. Go Organic: Not only does organic food taste better as it lacks the usual pesticides, but that also makes it better for the environment. Picking organic fruits and vegetables ensures that no pesticides or additives are used, and this means it’s healthier for you and for the environment.
2. Choose to Walk: If you have the option to walk to a chosen destination rather than jumping in the car, then try it out. This ensures that you get in some exercise which contributes to a healthy and natural lifestyle. In the process, you are also doing your part to eliminate dangerous emissions from your car. So walk it out!
3. Quit Smoking: Smoking isn’t just bad for you; it’s also bad for the environment. You are literally polluting the air when you exhale the harmful smoke from cigarettes. So if you quit smoking altogether, you are keeping the earth safer and ensuring that you are maintaining a better picture of health in the process.
4. Open Your Windows: If you’re at home or in the car, open your windows rather than running the air conditioning. This ensures that you get fresh air that keeps you feeling good. It also means that you are doing your part to conserve energy and going green as you do so. This is another instance of what is good for you is also good for the environment.
5. Use Green Skin Care Products: If you want to ensure that you maintain healthy and beautiful skin, buy organic or green products. These are tested appropriately, use natural ingredients, and are far better for your skin. They are also far better for the environment, so it’s a true win-win!
6. Only Clean with Green Products: Household cleaners can be one of the worst sources of pollutants in your very own environment. So rather than using the typical household cleaners that have a long list of potentially dangerous ingredients choose healthy and green alternatives. Go for natural options such as vinegar, or even those that have certain standards and ingredients in their creation.
7. Grow Your Own Garden: Who doesn’t love that taste of fresh produce? You can have it for yourself by growing your own produce. This ensures that you get healthy and natural fruits and vegetables, and gives back to the environment in the process. It’s easy to do and good for you and Mother Earth!

Going green is a lot easier than you might think, especially these days! If you want to take care of yourself and the environment at the same time, find effective ways such as these to do both. You’ll feel better and be taking care of the environment in the process.

M. Ward blogs about how to study to obtain an <a href=”http://onlinebsn.org/”>online BSN degree</a>.

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EarthTalk^®
From the Editors of E/The Environmental Magazine

Dear EarthTalk: I recently saw a reference to “Enertia houses” that require little in the way of external sources for heating or cooling.  Do you have any information on this housing design?

– Alan Marshfield, via e-mail

Enertia is a brand name for homes designed and sold in kits by North Carolina-based Enertia Building Systems (EBS). The idea essentially marries the concepts of geothermal and passive solar heating/cooling into what amounts to a highly energy efficient hybrid system. Architectural inventor Michael Sykes coined the term “Enertia” in the 1980s to describe the innovative homes he was designing that would store solar and geothermal energy and make use of it for most if not all heating and cooling needs.

Under such a system, solid wood walls replace siding, framing, insulation and paneling, while an air flow channel—or “envelope”—runs around the building inside the walls, creating what Sykes terms a miniature biosphere. Inside the envelope, solar heated air circulates, pumping and boosting geothermal energy from beneath the house and storing it within the wood mass of the walls, where it is doled out gradually.

By harnessing the properties of thermal inertia—the ability of materials to store heat and give it off slowly—an “Enertia” house maintains a relatively fixed and comfortable temperature throughout the warmer day (when solar heat is collected and stored) and cooler night (when the wood walls give off heat to keep things toasty as the mercury dips).

The heart of the system is a south-facing sun space within the envelope that is dominated by windows and which therefore soaks up lots of solar energy, filling the house’s wood walls with thermal energy that in turn radiates into the primary living space. The entire house functions like an electric heat pump—moving warm and cool air around to accommodate the comfort needs of the occupants. It works even throughout the seasonal changes of the year—with minimal to no fossil fuels consumed or pollution generated.

In one Enertia house in North Carolina, the only power bill the owners typically pay is $35/month for electricity. They also have a back-up in-floor radiant heating system powered by natural gas for long cloudy stretches or unusually cold weather. Gas bills for heat typically total $150 for the year, meaning the owners’ total annual outlay for heating, cooling and electricity is less than $600—some $1,000 less than traditional homes in the same zip code are paying, according to data from the U.S. Department of Energy.

EBS markets several different designs for its Enertia houses, but all share the basic premise of primary interior living space heated and cooled by air channeled in from a south-facing “buffer zone” envelope and from below grade. Smaller houses in the line top out at about 2,000 square feet over two floors of living space, while larger ones encompass some 4,000 square feet of living space over three floors. Depending on the model, you could spend anywhere from $66,000 to $292,000 for a complete plan and building materials kit. The rest—including the selection and cost of the land and the labor to build the house—is up to you.

CONTACTS: Enertia Building Systems, www.enertia.com.

SEND YOUR ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTIONS TO: EarthTalk^®, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; earthtalk@emagazine.com. Read past columns at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/archives.php. EarthTalk^® is now a book! Details and order information at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalkbook.

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EarthTalk: Enertia Homes

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Pest Control Tips for Homeowners

While a lot of pests and their takeovers of your home are seemingly out of your control as a homeowner, there are a variety of measures you can take to control pests on your own. Most boil down to common sense and good house keeping. Remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. In order to avoid pest problems, don’t allow yourself to create an environment that is hospitable to them in the first place.

Keeping Things Tidy Goes a Long Way in Promoting Pest Control

Remember your mother always nagging you to clean up your room? Well, she had a good point! Most pests seek refuge in places that are warm and provides sustenance to support them and their offspring. Avoid clutter that can turn into nesting material and breeding grounds for rodents, insects and mites. Designated eating areas keep crumbs from accumulating around your house and inviting pests to roam free as if at a smorgasbord.

Roll-Up the Welcome Mat by Sealing Entrances

Most infestations occur because it is so simple to gain access to your home. An effective tip is to seal up small holes, cracks, and drafty areas. This will keep rodents, birds, and insects from seeking refuge in your home, especially during cooler months. Don’t forget to repair window screens to prevent mosquitoes and other insects from gaining easy access.

Every Pest Problem Has a Solution

Even with a conscientious effort on your part, you may occasionally have unwelcome guests. With a wealth of do-it-yourself products on the market, traps, sprays
and other remedies are available.Doing it yourself may save you a dime.
However, does exposing yourself, your love ones and your pets to harmful chemicals and products worth it. If in doubt, consult a professional pest control management company to prescribe a solution to oust any pesky critters that have made your home theirs.
This guest post was written By Karl the Bugman, EnviroCare Pest Solutions, Columbus Ohio  614-586-BUGS (2847). Please feel free to check http://www.MyEnviroCare.com for more answers to your bug questions.

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Add one more to the “Things We’re Sick Of Hearing About” category. Already in there are celebrities having babies, athletes in handcuffs and politicians screwing somebody (literally and figuratively). What’s next to be thrown onto that ill-regarded pile? Goin’ Green. That’s right, I said it. Take your hybrids, rubber playground mulch, CFL bulbs, and solar panels and shove ‘em all in the giant recycling bin labeled “PAPER ONLY” sitting in your local grocery store parking lot.

Some of you are at this moment red-faced with smoke coming out of your ears typing your response to this article on your made-from-refurbished-seaweed keyboard after reading just the title of my article. Before you hit send you need to know that I AM A GREEN MANUFACTURER MYSELF and you need to hear my take on things. For the rest of you with your fingers over your face leaving just enough space to allow one eyeball to take a gander, let’s all just be completely honest – it’s easy to hate goin’ green, and there are three very good reasons to do so:

1. Green Products Stink

I’m not the least bit opposed to saving the planet. As a matter of fact I’m ALL FOR IT (remember, I’m in the green product business myself). And when there is a green alternative for the non-green product I am shopping for I really want to give it a try. However, in my possession at this moment I have a box full of green pens (black ink, green manufacturing) that work about as well as a hammer and chisel, a 23-pack of green toilet paper (threw the 1^st roll away immediately after enduring a 1^st degree cardboard burn over a significant portion of my posterior during the maiden voyage), and a handful of corkscrew fluorescent light bulbs I promptly removed from my house when discovering that when watching TV in my living room I had enough lumens to perform gall bladder surgery.

BOTTOM LINE: See Jimmy Buffet’s Cheeseburger In Paradise VS a tofu burger. There are some great green products out there that are as good as if not better than their non-green counterparts, but the reality is that they are few and far between. Few Americans snub the thought of making environmentally friendly choices but until the majority of our green products are equivalent replacements, STOP SHOVING THEM DOWN THE COLLECTIVE THROAT OF THIS COUNTRY.

1. Green Products & Programs Are Outrageously Priced

Because I do manufacture an eco-friendly product I try my best to support other entrepreneurial individuals and companies doing the same. For example, I ship my product in small recyclable cardboard boxes so I’m thinking not only should I use a box that CAN be recycled (which I do), I should also use one that has ALREADY been made from recycled materials.

Great THEORY, eh? When the rubber meets the road the non-recycled cardboard is about 1/3^rd the cost of the recycled version. You do the math. Oh, and how about the recycling bin for my home? The local recycling company wants me to separate all of my stuff (no problem), wash it out (ok), put it in the plastic bin (got it), drag it to the curb on Tuesday morning (uh huh) and then PAY THEM to take it away, recycle it and sell it for a profit. I’m no rocket scientist but isn’t that double dipping?

BOTTOM LINE: Green products & programs won’t really become mainstream viable until they make sense financially for the CONSUMER. To those of you who gladly pay premiums for sub-par green products and programs under the heading of “it’s worth it for Mother Earth” I truly applaud your efforts (I do the same). However, if we want green to reach the SUV-driving suburbanites we’re going to have to meet them at a place near and dear to their hearts – their pocket books.

1. Goin’ Green is a Pain In The Butt

Why do we as a country embrace NetFlix, Google, and Fandango? Because they all take something we were used to doing the hard way and make it easier. Their reward, adoption by millions. Thus far, however, almost everything green requires us to go out of our way. I have to drive across town to the organic food store, load up my cans, bottles and newspapers that I’ve been collecting in a corner of my garage for 3 months and take them to the recycling center, search endlessly online for green toothpaste, mouthwash & dental floss – I could go on.

BOTTOM LINE: If we want the nation to go green with us we need to make it not just a good thing to do, but a CONVENIENT thing to do as well.

On of my favorite companies is Southwest Airlines. They have a GREAT PRODUCT, it’s PRICED BETTER THAN THEIR COMPETITORS, and they MAKE THE USER EXPERIENCE WONDERFUL. Contrast that to most of our green products that are 1. Inferior, 2. More Expensive and 3. Harder to Use or Acquire than the non-green version. Good Ole American economics says that one of those two models is a sustainable movement while the other is a fad that will eventually dry up and blow away. None of us want the momentum of today’s environmental consciousness to die. How do we avoid that? We become dedicated to creating green products and services that are superior, better priced and more convenient.

BOTTOM, BOTTOM LINE: Either we get green goin’ in the aforementioned direction or goin’ green is gonna be goin’ out of style.

About the Author: Andy Sperry is a Geologist by education, former Environmental Consultant, and the founder and owner of InkFlip.com, a supplier of discount remanufactured (refilled) printer ink cartridges. InkFlip.com offers recycled ink cartridges that meet or exceed OEM specifications, prices that are up to 70% less than big box retail stores and the convenience of their never-run-out program where empty cartridges are mailed from customers to InkFlip.com in a pre-paid box, refilled and returned to the customer immediately. http://www.InkFlip.com – BETTER, FASTER, CHEAPER.

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One of the daily tasks that small businesses of all kinds must do is writing. This writing may include content writing for your website or blog, writing for promotional materials such as brochures, drafting of legal documents and business plans and many other types of writing that go into the launch and maintenance of a business. Because we do so much writing for our small businesses, learning to be greener with our writing is a key way to become a greener business overall.

Here are some top tips that you can follow to green your writing:

• Add a green note to the bottom of all of your writing. The easiest thing that you can do is to put a note at the bottom of all written communication (whether email or printed) stating your goal to be a green business. This helps to remind people that you care about being green and they should as well.
• Write promotional articles about green issues related to your small business. The fact that you are an eco-friendly business is marketable. One way to promote your business is to write about the green issues facing your industry. Submit this writing to blogs and magazines. You gain attention for your business, reduce the amount of other promotional printing that you may need to do and spread the word about green issues at the same time.
• Feature green articles on your site. Create a specific area of your site where you write about green issues. This may be a category on your blog or a section for articles on your main site. Write regularly to keep informing others about eco-friendly issues that matter to you. Promote these articles through eco-friendly groups on sites like Facebook and Mixx.
• Recycle your paper and buy recycled paper. The first thing that all businesses should do is to recycle all of the paper that is used in the office. Ideally, you will re-use some of this paper. It can be used as scratch paper or turned into homemade paper which can then be used for special cards and gifts. Shredded paper can be used for packing. Alternatively, it can be sent to the recycling plant. Also be sure that you’re buying recycled paper for everything from computer paper to business cards.
• Recycle ink and printers. Much of the writing that we do today is done by computer and printed out in-house. Be sure to always re-fill or recycle your ink cartridges. When the printer itself needs replacing, make sure that you use proper electronics recycling practices.
• Learn about green computing practices. If you haven’t already started implementing green computing into your small business then now is the time. This means using an energy-efficient computer and turning everything off when you leave the office. A good trick related to your writing is to save all documents to be printed at the end of the day and keep the printer off the rest of the time.
• Don’t print out your writing unless you have to. You would be surprised how many people still print out hard copies of drafts they have on their computer to edit them by hand then enter the changes into the computer and re-print the document. Stop printing out your drafts, do your editing on the computer and print out only a final copy as needed.
• Use eco-friendly writing utensils. When you’re not using a computer, you should be using pens that are green. Plastic ballpoint pens are bad for the earth. Old-fashioned pens like fountain pens that can be re-filled when the ink runs low are a much better option to use for your writing.
• Add a green donation button to your blog. If your business has a blog then you can add a donation button there to support a green cause of your choosing. People can donate to you through PayPal and you can turn around and donate that money to your favorite green charity. Every time that you blog, you’ll be spreading the word about another way people can be green.
• Hire green writers as needed. If you outsource any of your writing to freelancers then you should make the added effort to hire writers who specialize in being green. These writers work to reduce energy and paper waste in their in-home offices and to support green businesses with their writing. Root for Green and A Little Greener Every Day are two examples of green writing service providers.

Greening your small business writing practices will benefit your business in a number of ways. It will reduce your waste, save you money and improve your ability to be eco-friendly in the office in small ways. It’s a great area to start with if you’re working on expanding your green office practices.

Guest post by Kathryn Vercillo. Kathryn is a writer for Promotionalcodes.org.uk which gives away free voucher codes (like this Travelodge promotional code) and also publishes a frugal blog.

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So, you’ve had a few days to check out all of the awesome giveaways and sponsors available and I hope you are loving all the prizes as much as I am! There is more to these sponsors then just their products and sponsorships. They’re also doing their own projects or sharing tips to contribute to towards Earth Day and the environment as a whole.

Tara Burner:

Tara Burner of Affordable Mineral Make Up and Go Green Home Makeover, offers a Green Tip everyday to help you grow in your green lifestyle at Green Tip of the Day.

EcoStore USA:

The founder of their company Ecostore New Zealand, Malcolm Rands, is known throughout New Zealand, Australia and Britain as Ecoman! Because he is a true environmentalist who stumbled upon a way of keeping not   only the planet healthier for our families and children as well.Malcolm is here with Ecostore USA for the month of April not only promoting their launch at the MEIJER grocery store chain but Earth Month.  For the next three weeks they have Malcolm on a tour of all five of the states that MEIJER is located in on the ASK ECOMAN tour.

GlassDharma:

GlassDharma is putting their straws where your mouth is. As a small business dedicated to making a difference (without a massive photography, marketing and advertising budget), creativity and generosity were needed. In honor of Earth Month, GlassDharma is giving away 500 straws to those who ask because they are so confident that you will love their line of straws, and help to make GlassDharma a trend that is fabulously functional. GlassDharma is certain that once people use them, they will spread the word…and their straws.

WeeBgreen:

WeeBgreen is going to posting a couple things in recognition of Earth Day this month.

1. They will be attending a “Kids Grow Expo” at the local university campus on April 24th

2. They are also going to start a “vegetable garden” series on weeBgreen.blogspot.com chronicling our garden plans and planting schedule

3. One other thing they’re going to slowly do over time is recycle/upcycle old clothing into new apparel and plush toys (old sweaters become soft play blocks with appliqués, etc).

The Green Path Company:

Green Tip of the Month

This month’s tip has to do with recycling plastic bottles and jugs.  If you are lucky enough to have a recycling program in your city then you probably have a separate recycle trash bin that you toss all your recyclable trash into, including plastic bottles.  Most of us, including me, thought that tossing plastic bottles into the recycle bin insured that these items would be recycled.  Not so!  If the bottles have liquid in them there is a chance they will be removed from the recycling process either during an automated phase or during the manual sorting phase. So the tip this month is to make sure ALL of your plastic bottles and jugs are empty before putting them out to be recycled.  Even if they look empty there can still be residual liquid in them, so remove the caps before tossing them out, this will help insure ALL of the liquid has evaporated before they reach the recycling center and ALL your plastic is recycled.

For additional entries to the Green My World Giveaway: Visit any of the sponsors in the giveaway and let readers know about Earth Day projects, tips or giveaways they are doing. You can build off of one of these tips by getting details from their sites or find your own. Do not simply copy one of above, the entry will be deleted!

DO NOT leave your tip on this post, leave it on the Green My World giveaway post.

All the best!

Jen

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Earth Day Happenings

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10 easy steps to help you green up your office routine.  Try it for Earth Day.  Make it a habit.

• Grab an empty paper box and make it a recycle box for your desk.
• Dump your stale coffee on the plants instead of down the drain.
• Shut off the light when you leave the rest room.
• Stop printing emails.
• Going out to lunch? Go local. Walk.
• Sniff out toxic dry erase markers – get them out of the office.
• Collect old magazines around the office and drop them off at a school, or doctors office.
• Got cleaning supplies? Replace with non-toxic as you run out.
• Turn down the thermostat.
• Go meatless – bring in a meatless lunch.

Got an easy step to share? Add it below!
Jen

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By Gazelle.com

While the girl in the cubicle next door might be showered with roses and chocolates all day long, the Valentine’s Day season can also be a heart-wrenching time for breakups. For instance, our relationships with consumer electronics can be passionate, but short lived. In fact, it is estimated that more than 235 million tech gadgets have been given the cold shoulder (e.g. collecting dust in a junk drawer) in American households since 1980.

For anyone with a green conscience, breaking up with your once-loved cell phone, digital camera or laptop can be a difficult process, but it’s not impossible. If you are ready to move on, here are five ways to tell your old gadgets “I’m just not that into you” with Gazelle, an easy, fast and safe way to sell or recycle unwanted electronics online.

1. “I’m not ready to commit.” – If you are a serial upgrader with a need for the latest and greatest MP3 player or digital camera, Gazelle can help subsidize your purchase. On average, Gazelle pays about $115 for unwanted gadgets via check, PayPal, Amazon Gift Card or charitable donation.

2. “I just need some space.” – If you have thousands of pictures, movies and MP3 files to store, Gazelle will not only provide some cash for a more spacious device, it also ensures that all the personal data and information on your old cell phone or laptop will be securely erased.

3. “Let’s be friends.” – If you have decided to upgrade your LCD monitor or PDA, practice reCommerce by reselling or recycling it. Gazelle makes the process as easy as Netflix by providing shipping labels and packaging for all eligible items.

4. “We should see other people.” – If you are ready to upgrade but your current gaming console or GPS device is still in working condition, Gazelle can help extend its life via reCommerce. Gazelle will find new users for your items by selling them on other retail or wholesale outlets.

5. “Look…. It’s over.” – If your camcorder or external hard drive is broken beyond repair, Gazelle can help recycle it responsibly. With Gazelle’s zero landfill policy, you can rest assured that your gadgets will not be sent to a third world country or pollute the environment.

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Isn’t everyone looking for ways to reduce waste and make an environmental difference without breaking the bank? Being green shouldn’t have to cost a fortune.

Here are 5 changes you can make in your office that will save you (and your office) money!

• Reduce your paper consumption. Americans throw away 4.5 million tonnes of paper annually. Set up scrap paper receptacles at copy stations for notes and drafting. Print memos and other interoffice information on the back sides of old prints. Beef up your electronic filing system and ditch paper altogether and send as much as you can via email. According to WWF, a company with 5,000 employees who double-side printed only 10% of their copies, could save up to $260,000 USD.

• Change your whiteboard markers to a non-toxic alternative. Xylene, found in many brands of whiteboard markers, is a known neurotoxin. If that doesn’t make you gasp for some clean air, try this: one AusPen is equal to 41 traditional white board markers. And unlike AusPen markers, none of the disposable marker’s packaging is recyclable. Still not convinced? Using AusPen’s saves companies money – a traditional whiteboard marker (bought from a regular supplier) typically costs between $0.50 – $1.00 each. An AusPen is $0.28 (when you calculate using it through one of its life cycles – including the refill)

• Start a coffee and/or takeout “swear jar”. According to Eco Defence Fund, Starbucks goes through 1.9 billion disposable cups. And while they have introduced a 10% post consumer paper cup, that’s still a lot of cups going to the landfill. Try collecting money from those who use disposable cups. Charge anyone who uses disposable take out containers. If just $1 a day was collected your swear jar could earn approximately $260 a year (based on a 5 day work week). That’s enough to buy an espresso coffee maker for your office’s kitchen!

• Install a water filtration system right on the kitchen faucet. According to the Clean Air Council, 2.5 million plastic water bottles are thrown away every hour in America. Give everyone a stainless steel water bottle and cut down on disposable plastic bottles. A filtration system costs approximately $150 -$250 USD a year (according to Costco) but buying just one bottle a day would cost just one person $130 – $260 a year.

• Revamp your bathroom recycling. Reduce paper towel waste by switching to a hand dryer. It may be a higher start up cost but the long term cost savings of buying paper towels, cleaning trash bins and replacing towels will easily make up for this. WWF has estimated that we flush about 270,000 trees down the toilet – a day. Put a note in each stall that tells your fellow co-workers and make the switch to recycled toilet paper.

Remember – when you make changes, communicate them. Explaining the cost and environmental savings will likely result in increased acceptance and participation.

Written by Eco-Smart World’s blog editor, Crystal Henrickson

Eco-Smart World is the North American distributor for the AusPen

Post from: Eco-Office Gals

Guest Post – Reduce Office Waste and Save Money

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