It should not take a large outlay of money in order to take your business from consuming more energy to one that is eco-friendly. As a matter of fact, once you have worked out all the details, you can actually raise your businesses profit margins. Just by adopting small, simple measures, any size organization can help their business to go “Green.”

• Reduce paper use: Let everyone in your organization know that they should not be photocopying or printing documents when it is unnecessary to do so. When you are going to be printing, eliminate waste by ensuring that paper is properly aligned, toner is sufficient for the job, and the quality is properly set.
• Reuse paper: Print on both sides of paper, and use scraps for notes and messages.
• Send used paper to recyclers: After paper has been used as scratch pads and on both sides, send it to be recycled. This will help to save the environment as well as reduce costs.
• Use paper that is recycled.
• Buy refurbished furniture: By purchasing used office furniture you will be reusing resources rather than contributing the depletion of our woodland.
• When finished using equipment, switch it off: For instance, each time you turn your PC off, also turn off any peripheral equipment that is attached to it.
• Set up recycle bins: Since you are going to be going “green” it is time to set up waste receptacles for separating the different type of waste that is generated. This can be done for glass, plastic, metal, as well as paper. Assign someone to take them to the local recycling unit when they are full.
• Switch to energy efficient products when possible: Replace incandescent and fluorescent lights with the newer high efficiency lights to save on lighting costs. Since laptops consume less energy when compared to ordinary desktop models, consider switching to laptops when it is time to upgrade your computer. Replacing CRTs with flat panel displays in another measure that you can use to reduce the amount of energy you use as well as take up less space on your desk.
• Use green technology based products: Manufacturers that use less energy in the production of their products should be sought out as you attempt to go “green.” There are any number of different companies that are doing everything they can to reduce the impact they are having on the environment.
• Remember to conserve and recycle water as you can: This can be done by setting up drinking stations that allow the use of a reusable cup rather than a paper one, and do not rely on running water as a fountain would. Place a filled container in toilet tanks to prevent overuse of water, or switch to low flow tanks.
• Use eco-friendly and bio-degradable packaging: When packaging your products for sale, make sure that you are using materials that will degrade when tossed into landfills, and use less packaging that is sure to reduce the amount of waste that is produced from your business.

Guest post written by Mirsad Hasic of Alternative Energy Geek.

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10 Simple Steps To Make Your Business More Green

As concerns over climate change and our impact on the environment increases, there has never been a better time to start going green. Many businesses still believe that going green is too expensive or time-consuming, with the current economic climate adding to the notion that reduction of waste is not a priority. However, there are many simple ways a business can reduce their impact on the environment and it doesn’t necessarily have to involve drastic or expensive changes. By investing in changes now not only can it improve the profile and reputation of your business it could potentially save money through proposed tax cuts and reduced wastage.

Some of the easiest ways of being energy efficient are making sure lights, air conditioning and computer monitors are turned off when not in use, using motion censored lighting wherever possible. Surprisingly, the need for air conditioning and central heating can be reduced significantly by choosing the right blinds for your office windows. By opting for insulating honeycomb or cellular blinds rather than the standard vertical or roller blinds you can drastically reduce heat loss, keeping the office both warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

Ask your waste disposal suppliers about recycling options as you may be able to recycle anything from paper and exhibition display materials such as banner stands to broken computer equipment and hazardous waste. Consider changing to suppliers that are dedicated to reducing their carbon foot-print, as there are many companies offering environmentally friendly products and services ensuring that your supplies do not contribute to damage caused by other businesses. Although recycling is an excellent way to improving your company’s green credentials, the best way (and most cost effective) is to avoid unnecessary waste in the first place. One of the easiest ways of doing this is reducing paperwork and print-outs. If possible print on both sides of the paper, send memos via email and store documents digitally. Keep any unwanted non-confidential print-outs for use as scrap paper and use recycled paper when possible, not only will you produce less waste, but help minimize those costly stationary orders.

There are many ways you can take charge of waste management, but as with any change it is most effective when everyone involved is equally committed. Many businesses offer incentives for employees to car share and use public transport, why not make it a team effort by getting your staff on board? Provide all necessary facilities for staff to heat, prepare and enjoy their lunch on-site to avoid the need to drive to local restaurants and cafes. Either provide mugs and cups or encourage staff to bring their own, reducing the need for wasteful paper and plastic coffee cups. By getting everyone involved you’ll not only boost team moral, but make the smaller changes more effective in reducing your business’s impact on the environment.

Liberty-Belle Howard is a UK blogger with a keen interest in green issues. She is currently writing on behalf of Marler Haley.

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Go Green And Minimize Business Waste

If you’re thinking about how to create a healthier workplace environment, consider going low-VOC.

Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are chemicals widely used as ingredients in products such as paint, building materials and furnishings, office equipment and cleaning supplies. Elevated levels of VOCs have been linked to eye and respiratory irritation, headaches, fatigue and other symptoms associated with sick building syndrome.

When our company , ISC International, began to plan an office redesign, we made the reduction of VOCs a priority. At the time, some low- and no-VOC materials were just coming onto the market. But today, with a growing emphasis on indoor air quality and environmentally-friendly business practices, the low- VOC market is going mainstream. Manufacturers are responding to consumer demand, making low-VOC materials more accessible than ever.

Low-VOC paint: EPA standards for low-VOC paints took effect in 1999 and today, more than a decade later, durable low-VOC and zero-VOC paints and finishes are widely available to both professional designers and do-it-yourselfers. When talking with a designer or shopping for paint, ask for it. In our redesign, we used Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore low- and no-VOC products.

Flooring: Environmentally-friendly flooring materials and adhesives help to minimize indoor air pollution. Today, formaldehyde-free bamboo, cork and hardwood can all be laid without the use of solvent-based adhesives. In our office redesign, we used porcelain tile and natural fiber, wool-based Karastan carpet which emits little to no VOCs yet is still durable and strong. To see a full listing of eco- friendly options, the Carpet and Rug Institute’s Green Label and Green Label Plus certification program rates low-VOC carpets.

Furnishings: Many furniture manufacturers today are minimizing the VOCs used in paints, adhesives, finishes and pressed wood products. As part of our redesign, we purchased Knoll office chairs that are GREENGUARD certified. GREENGUARD is one of several independent organizations that now certifies office furnishings that meet environmental criteria. We also incorporated faux leather couches and chairs into our design; they contain no tanning compounds yet look and feel as luxurious as the real
thing.

By incorporating all of these elements into our company’s office redesign, we achieved two key objectives. First, when the project was complete, our employees were able to move into their new surroundings without experiencing any of the irritation, headaches or nausea that might have accompanied a traditional remodel. And secondly, we were able to build a healthy workplace without sacrificing aesthetics. High quality, low- and no-VOC products are becoming increasingly available, making it easier than ever for designers and building owners to reduce indoor air pollution and satisfy “green” corporate responsibility objectives in style.

David R. Meister is president of ISC International Ltd, a privately-held company that provides global messaging services such as OCR fax services, and text message broadcasting services to businesses around the world including five of the top 10 businesses in the Fortune 500.

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Low-VOC Commercial Design Goes Mainstream

Regardless of whether or not you adopt an eco-friendly attitude in your personal life, you should consider what the impact of your company has on the environment, your community, and the people who live there. Embracing an eco-consciousness with it comes to your business is not only a good move to shine up your public image (and potentially increase consumer approval and consequently, sales), but it’s also the right thing to do for the environment. Every company that operates publicly should make an effort to reduce their carbon footprint within the community that supports them. So whether you have a small family operation that only employs a handful of people or you’re responsible for running a branch of an international, multi-million dollar corporation that employs hundreds or thousands globally, you need to be socially responsible enough to look at your pollution and waste and make an effort to do less harm.

One great way to start is with a waste assessment. If you’re not tracking your company’s waste, you could be doing more than just throwing away trash that could be recycled or using up unnecessary energy that pollutes the air and water; you could be losing a lot of needless money. By examining records (such as utility bills), doing company walkthroughs to see how materials are being used, and sorting through trash occasionally to see how many items are being wasted, you can get a good idea of the extent to which your business is flushing money (and the environment) down the drain. Ideally, you will find only a modicum of waste, but more likely it will be a landslide.

Next, you need to go about repairing the damage. A good step in the right direction is implementing a recycling program, and if you do it right, it will more than pay for itself. Start by setting up bins around the office, workshop, warehouse, or storefront you operate for employees, clients, and customers to recycle. You can make separate bins for glass, plastic, aluminum, and paper, or simply put it all together for later sorting (although this seems like a form of waste in itself…a time-waster). Next, set up a pickup with your local recycling center or find a way to transport these items yourself. A pickup will likely cost you something, but if you do it yourself, you can earn back the money you spent on your setup by turning in your cans and bottles for cash (either by weight or by item). Perhaps you can even get employees to pitch in and put the money into an “office party” fund or donate it to a green charity. By the way, donations are another great way to help the eco-friendly community, and you can use them as a tax write-off.

You should also make every effort to ensure that what’s coming into your business is just as green as what’s going out. Conserving energy or opting for sustainable alternatives is a great way to cut back on harmful pollution created by energy production, so use natural light whenever possible, set computer systems to go into sleep mode after a period of non-usage, install the insulation needed to cut back on heat and air conditioning, and think about adding solar panels on the roof of your facility (government rebates and tax breaks can reduce the initial cost and you’ll see a marked drop in utility bills). Doing your part for the environment doesn’t have to cost a lot, but it will take some effort on your part. Don’t shirk your responsibility in this area and your community, the environment, and future generations will all benefit (as will your business).

Leon Harris writes for Ryson which specializes in bucket elevator conveyors and incline screw conveyor systems to help reduce your business operation costs.

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Business Gone Green: Simple Ways to Go Eco-Friendly

What is the business cost of going green?

In today’s society most of us are becoming more environmentally conscious, particularly in our personal lives. If the adoption of greener habits and practices are going to accelerate then we need to see more green initiatives in business.

The larger organizations and the public sector often have the resources to appoint a green “Tsar”.  However, for most small to medium business, green often is tagged with a perception of additional cost which is clearly not popular in these more austere times.

Personally, I think taking a greener approach is not about making massive wholesale changes; it’s about evolution not revolution as the saying goes. Here are some simple examples :

Don’t Write Off The Paperless Office

The paperless office is a slightly tired phrase and fundamentally it is often perceived as flawed; people just love to print stuff off, don’t they? However, is it achievable in parts. There are examples of organizations who have successfully eliminated unnecessary paper waste in their organization by digitizing key business processes, such as the mail room, accounts payable, expenses. This takes away the need for people print and sign physical documents and helping to change habits.

Think about your own organization and how many paper based systems you still
use; holiday forms, purchase order sign-off, invoice sign off, expenses, just to name a few. I bet you can also come up with half a dozen significant issues associated with these
processes that impact the costs in your business as well. These are often exacerbated when your business is spread over multiple offices.

Then, consider the impact of managing these processes electronically or digitally. Other than the important role of eliminating waste there are some pretty significant advantages for businesses taking this approach, improved productivity, less errors, less staff time to manage the processes and less cost. I would also suggest that in most cases the benefits are measurable.

In the past this kind of automation has been the preserve of large corporates with huge IT budgets, but these days with the maturing of cloud based computing and software as service (SaaS) the cost of deployment and cost of ownership are significantly reduced.

A purist may say that there is still a green cost to running the IT equipment and my argument would be – fine – I agree. However, we cannot operate a business today without IT and suspect in most cases the incremental service cost and carbon footprint required to make these changes are significantly less the storing and shipping around unnecessary paper based files.

For instance, if you need, but don’t have high speed scanning equipment then don’t bother going out and buying more expensive equipment. Use a specialist service provider who has already made that investment. In most cases the equipment used by one of these specialist providers are significantly more superior than the equipment most of us would be able to purchase.

My suggestion – start with something small and very achievable.

Working From Home

The average worker spends 140 hours a year commuting to work and back. That’s 3 to 4 weeks a year. Most of this is by car and some by train.

Over 750,000 people commute into central London daily.

I am not sure what the carbon cost is for these kinds of figures, but I bet it’s substantial. Again, technology plays a part allowing people to work remotely and collaborate. Sure, there are some jobs that will simply never allow people to work from home.

The trend for home working is traditionally associated with sales and call centers. However, what about your administrative staff? Do they really need to be in the office? If you don’t adopt the philosophy of the paperless office this could be difficult. Also,  working from home 5 days a week for some staff members could be impractical. What about offering it as a benefit?  Allowing staff to work from home 1 or 2 days a week on a rotation may work for your office. It is well documented that staff that work from home are often more content, more organized and more productive and they take less sick time!

As a business you have to be organized. If your accounts payable clerk works from home a couple of days a week you have make a point of scanning the post every morning and delivering the post by electronic means. You don’t have to be in the office., there are a plethora of affordable document management tools available in the market place today that would work.

Not only do you have more content staff but you have more effective staff and just think of the carbon saving that could be achieved through simply reducing the amount of commuting time.

I believe the green price tag is a myth and I also think there are so many things that we can do that are simple, achievable, practical and cost-effective, but many of us miss these opportunities through this common misconception. If you need to reduce your office budget and have been looking at ways to eliminate unnecessary cost; then take this opportunity for change try taking a greener view.

The above sponsored post was submitted by Dajon. Dajon provides complete document and data management solutions helping  reduce costs and improve staff productivity.

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Little Green Footsteps

So, I debated, I polled my readers and I debated some more. I simply wasn’t happy with the last redesign of the Eco-Office Gals site. So, I re-re-designed it with an awesome StudioPress Theme and I am very happy with the results!

I feel that it’s less busy, has a nice home page that highlights the company and our services more. I also designed a brand new logo, featuring bamboo. Bamboo is a sustainable grass used in so many products, including office supplies, building and furniture. I thought it was a nice fit for Eco-Office Gals since we promote the growth of green and sustainable business.

The new site has also streamlined and separated some of the services available. You will now find that our WordPress Theme design has it’s own page since it is a large area of our business. You can still view all our other green and paperless services on our Services page.

Leave a comment letting us know what you think of the new design and as always feel free to contact us so you can grow your business green today!

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Eco-Office Gals Is Live, again…

EarthTalk®
From the Editors of E/The Environmental Magazine
Dear EarthTalk: What are some simple things I could do to green the office I work in?
– James Raskin, Framingham, MA

No matter how green your office may be already, there is surely room for improvement somewhere. Here are 10 suggestions to help get you and your co-workers further along on the path to office sustainability:

1. Take your Office’s Green Footprint: The website TheGreenOffice.com, an online retailer specializing in green office products, makes available a free Office Footprint Calculator to gauge what kind of effect you and your co-workers are having on the environment and identify how to make improvements.
2. Save Trees: The average office worker uses 10,000 sheets of copy paper a year. Refrain from printing when you can, use both sides of a sheet, and recycle so that the recycling industry will have raw material.
3. Power Down: Artificial lighting accounts for almost half of all office electricity use. Turn off lights that are not being used. Better yet, install motion sensors that do it automatically when no one is in the room. Also, shut down computers overnight, and set them to go into sleep mode when sitting idle.
4. Minimize E-Waste: Upgrade or repair the office computers instead of junking them. So-called “e-waste”—toxin-leaching computers and electronics—is a huge problem all over the world now.
5. Telecommute: Encourage workers to work at home when possible to save car trips. For those who must come to the office, encourage bicycling if it is safe. Also some firms now subsidize employee public transit costs to discourage driving. And online video tools like Skype can help cut down on business trips.
6. Green Screen Your Suppliers: Ask your vendors how they are greening their operations. Just posing the question can start them thinking, the precursor to action. Demand recycled paper and soy-based inks from your printers, and buy only green office supplies—which are now widely available.
7. Clean Greener: Make sure your cleaning service uses non-toxic, green friendly products—if they don’t, offer to supply them—so that you can breathe easy when you’re trying to get your own work done.
8. Eco-Renovate: If you need to renovate or upgrade anything, greenest options abound, including non-toxic paints, natural fiber carpeting, energy efficient windows and Energy Star-rated office equipment.
9. Drink Tap Water: Having big jugs of water lugged in and out every week by the bottle water company is not only unnecessary but a big waste of energy. Most tap water is safe to drink; if yours isn’t or you’re not sure, put filters on the kitchen spouts or buy filtered water pitchers and keep them in the office fridge.
10. Put Your Heads Together: Form a committee to organize and monitor your office’s green practices, to ensure that your office’s green goals don’t fall away if one or two committed employees move on, and to reinforce the importance of doing the right thing across the organization.

CONTACTS: TheGreenOffice.com, www.thegreenoffice.com.
SEND YOUR ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTIONS TO: EarthTalk®, c/o E – The Environmental
Magazine, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; earthtalk@emagazine.com. E is a nonprofit publication.
Subscribe: www.emagazine.com/subscribe; Request a Free Trial Issue: www.emagazine.com/trial.

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Earth Talk: Greening the office

You shouldn’t let a pig build your house.

That’s the real moral of the Three Little Pigs story according to Laura Bartels

Why? Because her company Greenweaver, Inc., has made building houses out of straw a reality. We think that many small businesses can relate to creating their own game changing fairy tale as well.

The outreach team for Visa GoBiz contacted Eco-Office Gals to share Greenweaver’s video story.

When it comes to protecting the Earth, it’s all about making sustainable choices, and a growing number of small businesses are getting really creative and hoping on the band wagon. Ventilation, natural lighting, and efficient office equipment are great ideas for work stations small and large, not to mention just how simple it is to do. Laura too, has a great business utilizing alternative building technologies. So many great ideas out there, and I look forward to reading more green office tips in your upcoming posts.

I hope you enjoyed learning about Laura’s story as much as I did!
All the best,
Jen

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Green Gem of the Week: Greenweaver, Inc.

Promote Your Business the Natural Way

Promotional Products are one of the greatest way to Promote your Brand and convey your message among your audience. But with the increasing awareness about the environment most customers prefer to use Eco-friendly products. By using Eco friendly promotional products not only are you able to promote your brand but also establish it as an environment friendly Brand among your customers. There are lots of Environment friendly products which you can use as your promotional products by imprinting your company logo on them. Discover the most popular Eco-friendly promotions which not only protect the environment but would also keep your brand name in the mind of your customers.

• Bamboo Flash Drives: Everybody needs to Transfer data from one place to another and now they can do this in smarter way with the help of Eco-friendly custom Flash Drives. Bamboo Flash Drives imprinted with your Logo are one the coolest way to promote your brand in better way.
• Organic Tote Bags: Organic Tote Bags are available in various Sizes, shapes and colors providing you a lot of options to select from. Organic Tote Bags are made with 100% cotton fabric and perfect for carrying items to work, markets and meetings.
• Biodegradable pens: Promotional pens imprinted with your logo are one of the most common way to promote a product But you can make it special by giving Eco-friendly Biodegradable pens. These Pens are same like other promotional pens and come with your logo on it but these pens are made from biodegradable material Plastic providing no harm to environment.
• Organic Caps and T-Shirts: Organic Caps and T-shirts imprinted with your logos would take your promotional campaign to the next level. Attractive organic caps and t-shirts are available on lots of colors and sizes and advertise your brand to countless people who see them at an affordable price.
• Solar Powered Devices: Solar powered Electronic Products are a great way to promote your business in Eco-friendly way. There are lot or Solar devices available in market like Solar Calculators, Solar Flashlights, solar Chargers which never need any batteries and get themselves charged by sunlight. These solar powered devices are easy to use and would keep your brand name in your customers mind every time they use it.

Gagandeep Singh is working as internet marketing Executive for Fortepromo, which create a wide range of Eco-friendly Promotional Products for all kind of businesses and help them to promote their brand in a cost effective way.

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Guest Post: Eco-Friendly Promotional Products

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

Dear EarthTalk: Where can I locate directories of environmental groups, businesses and jobs so that I can get involved in making a difference? — Jeanette, Carle Place, NY

The most comprehensive directory of environmental groups—from small to large and local to international—is provided for free online by the Washington, DC-based National Wildlife Federation. The group’s Conservation Directory (www.nwf.org/conservationDirectory) features listings for some 4,200 groups, including conservation-oriented non-profits, commercial businesses, government entities, colleges and universities, zoos, aquariums, museums, grant-giving organizations, and related coalitions.

Each listing includes all contact information, as well as a general description of the group’s work, the issues it focuses on and other relevant information. Users can search by keyword, location, issue and even contact name. Groups that aren’t in the directory can easily add themselves via an online form. NWF reports that new groups are added every day.

EnviroLink (www.envirolink.org), which started as a mailing list in 1991 between 20 students at Carnegie Mellon University, is today one of the best resources for green info on the web. The EnviroLink database has links to thousands of groups and resources across the U.S. and beyond, and is keyword-searchable.

Another old-standby is EcoMall (www.ecomall.com), which has an extensive “activism” section listing various eco groups and their campaigns. The site allows users to search by keyword or to navigate through well-conceived listings by issue topic. While the simple design of the site may bring users back to the early days of the World Wide Web, the listings remain fresh for the most part.

Beyond organizational listings, there are many other sites where you can find various green resources. Those looking for green products or services, for example, need steer their web browsers no further than Coop America’s National Green Pages (www.coopamerica.org/pubs/greenpages). The trusted directory lists some 3,000 businesses that have made commitments to sustainable, socially just principles, including support for sweatshop-free labor, organic farms and “cruelty-free” (not tested on animals) products.

Another good online directory of environmental products, services and even related job opportunities is the Eco Business Links Environmental Directory (www.ecobusinesslinks.com). A couple of other excellent environmental jobs listings include 5 Million Green Jobs (www.5milliongreenjobs.org) and the Green Jobs Network (www.greenjobs.net). Meanwhile, EnviroEducation.com also offers job listings, but focuses on helping aspiring students of environmental education, policy and science find graduate- and certificate-level programs to indulge their green learning muses.

Of course, in this day and age Internet search engines rival these directories for helping people find groups to work or volunteer with. An expertly crafted keyword search on Google (www.google.com/Top/Society/Issues/Environment) is sure to turn up some promising results. Remember to set key phrases apart by surrounding them with quotation marks to get better results. Navigating through Yahoo’s topic-based Environment and Nature Organizations page (http://dir.yahoo.com/Society_and_Culture/environment_and_nature/organizations) is another way to harness the power of the Internet to find environmental groups, information and resources.

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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Directories of Environmental Groups, Businesses and Jobs