Due to increasing requests, Eco-Office Gals will begin offering Sponsored Posts on occasion. Eco-Office Gals believes in full transparency and following FTC guidelines. Guest Posts and Sponsored Posts will be clearly disclosed. All posts must be relevant to the focus of Eco-Office Gals mission. The following guidelines below take effect November 10, 2010 any guest posts dated prior to November 10, 2010 may not fall into these guidelines.

What is the difference between a Guest Post and a Sponsored Post?

Guest Post:

A guest post is free of charge. The post may not promote your business, it must be relevant content (green business, virtual assistant, wordpress, etc). No links relating to your site may be contained in the post content itself. Any links contained in the site must be in reference to the content, business or person you are referring to. I go by the policy if you mention Eco-Office Gals, link to Eco-Office Gals, it’s good practice. You must include an image to use with the post. I will review the content and discuss any changes to the text before posting.

Your guest post will include a byline about the author. In the byline you may include a linkback to your own website only, not a company you are writing on behalf of or keywords/phrase linked to the company you are writing for. Please see Sponsored Post guidelines for these options.

Sponsored Post:

A Sponsored Post promotes your business or product, but may not be an advertisement post. It can be in the form of a review/giveaway or simply a text post. The post must still be relevant to the site (Green biz, Virtual Assistant, Technology, etc). A sponsored post can include in-post links to your website or a website you are writing on behalf of, product or social networks and you are welcome to offer my readers a coupon code for your product or service. You may also include your own selection of keywords to add in the SEO, they must be relevant to the content. You must include an image to use with the post. I will review the content and discuss any changes to the text before posting. Full disclosure will be placed the byline to state that yours is a sponsored post, review or giveaway and that I have been compensated in payment, product or services.

The cost of a sponsored post is as follows:

Review or Giveaway Post:

No actual monies are exchanged for a review and/or giveaway post. Your product is the compensation. The combined retail value of the product you send to review and winnings for my reader must be $50.00 or more. The giveaway can be a product you send to the winner or a Gift Certificate for the winner to spend on your products. Do not send me the giveaway – only the review product – the product you send me to review will not be returned.  All opinions in the post are those of Eco-Office Gals, you may include any facts or links, but you may not influence the review of the actual product.
If you are only doing a review post then the product must have a retail value of $50.00 USD or more, if it is less I ask you to purchase an advertising spot to compensate me for my time.

Sponsored Post:

The cost of a sponsored post, written by you is $50.00, the post may include up to 3 sponsored links, an image and keywords of your choice upon request.

A few Rules

• Any monthly ad space purchased on posts will be visible on sponsored posts. It may not be removed, please do not ask.

• Text Ad links MAY NOT be purchased on sponsored posts written by someone else. Write your own, unique content or request purchase of a link on a post written by Eco-Office Gals only.

• Content MUST be unique to my site. If I find the post is duplicated in part or in full elsewhere online, the post will be unpublished immediately and no refund will be issued.

• Content must be relevant not only to the site, but also the audience. EOG’s audience is primarily US (United States) based, please provide content which will interest a US audience.

• Use proper terminology, spelling and grammar we will not spend our time repairing your post. If you write a fact supported post, site the sources your facts came from.

• Eco-Office Gals reserves the right to refuse any guest post, sponsored post, review or giveaway. All content MUST be relevant to the site content.

• The rules and fees may change at anytime. As new issues arrive, new rules may be applied. That is how things work when you’re dealing with an ever changing world wide web. Thanks for understanding!

I look forward to working with you to help promote your green business and products. Contact Eco-Office Gals at any time with any questions or to set up a sponsored or guest post.

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Blog Post Sponsorship and Product Reviews

Going green is in and looking for ways to keep our bodies healthy and the planet healthy at the same time is revitalizing and every little bit will help preserve the Earth for future generations. There are several ways to reduce our carbon footprint while sweating through a cardio session or pumping iron at home or in a gym. Let’s take a look at six ways you can go green with your workout.

Grab A Workout Partner
Teaming up with a workout partner is one of the best ways to stay motivated and accountable with your workouts. When lifting heavy weights, a partner can spot you to ensure that you avoid getting injured. In terms of going green, having a workout partner is a great way to help the environment when it comes to carpooling to the gym. By carpooling, you can cut emissions by only driving one vehicle. Better yet, a workout partner may be the motivation you both need to bike or jog to and from the gym together and keep the trip emission free.

Get Outside
If your aerobic workouts consist of using a treadmill or cycling machine, get outside for a change of pace. Using workout machines that use electricity can be a huge electrical energy drain. By getting outside to jog, walk or bike, you’ll be a big help to the planet. If you own a treadmill at home, you can save wear and tear on it by going outside instead. It will also reduce your energy costs.

Use Bodyweight Exercises
Bodyweight exercises are a great way to get a complete workout. They are versatile in that they can be performed just about anywhere and at anytime and they don’t require expensive equipment. Also, they keep your workout green by releasing you from the requirement of working out at a gym. Your gym becomes anywhere you choose to workout with bodyweight exercises. Some great bodyweight exercises include push-ups, crunches, reverse grip pull-ups, bodyweight squats, and planks.

Join a Green Gym
If you live in a larger city, you might be lucky enough to find one in it. A green gym basically modifies their cardio equipment so that the energy that exercisers generate when using a machine like a treadmill or stair-stepper is returned to the facility to power things like ceiling fans, lights, and televisions. As a bonus, since a gym will have reduced energy bills, they might pass along the  savings to members with lower membership fees.

Use Your Own Towel
Laundry machines use a significant amount of energy and can really increase a gym’s carbon footprint. Instead of using the towels at the gym, bring your own hand towel for wiping your hands or wiping down machines. Also bring your own towel for showering. For further energy savings, hang the hand and shower towels up to air dry and use them more than one time. By using your own towels, you will be doing your part to save the environment. If everyone started using their own towels, it would mean a huge carbon footprint reduction for the gym and less energy costs as well. The gym might pass these cost reductions to you in the form of reduced membership fees.

Refill That Water Bottle
Instead of buying bottled water or energy drinks and tossing the bottles away, hydrate through your workouts with a water bottle you can wash and refill. By buying fewer plastic bottles, you can keep landfills from filling up with the empties. It will also mean less energy is spent by companies producing the plastic bottles and less energy spent transporting them to grocery stores.

This post has been written by Carson from Building Body Muscles.com. Buildingbodymuscles is all about gaining muscle. If you are looking for tips to gain muscle naturally then subscribe to their RSS.

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Guest Post: Six Ways You Can Green Your Gym and Workout Routines

by: Tricia Heinrich, ON24’s Senior Director of Strategic Communications

The high price and inconvenience of air travel have spurred companies to look for more cost-effective ways to get people together, and the virtual event is the perfect alternative. The environmental benefits of virtual events are positive side effects of this trend.

Virtual events just make sense as a means of offsetting carbon-intensive travel activities. Simply put, they are greener than their real-world counterparts.

According to statistics compiled by virtual events and webcasting leader ON24, the typical virtual event with 2,300 participants reduces carbon emissions by some 3,300 tons; an estimated 17,000 trees would be needed to have a similar effect. In addition, the average number of pieces of paper saved by the use of digital documents at virtual events is 36,000 per show.

GSX Green Facts

Airplanes, cars and hotel rooms use a lot more energy than the servers and computers needed to run virtual environments. For a large corporate conference, the environmental impact can be significant. Take, for example, Cisco’s Global Sales Experience (GSX), which 19,000 employees attended virtually last September.

According to Cisco, the conference kept 84,400 tons of carbon from entering the atmosphere. That’s equivalent to the annual impact of 3.5 million trees. The company also estimates that waste was reduced by 209K pounds, with 211 million air miles saved.

The First Virtual Green Car Show

AutoWeek recently held its inaugural virtual car show, the AutoWeek Virtual Green Car Show. AutoWeek, which has put out a special Earth Day edition annually for the last 20 years, saw the virtual car show as a way to extend its brand, both through content and the utilization of an eco-friendly format.

A virtual event is a perfect solution for a green auto show; unlike a physical auto show, there are no shipping fees for vehicles and collateral materials and no transportation or lodging costs, not to mention the benefit to attendees of being able to attend a show like this from the comfort of their homes or offices.

Highlights of the green car show were exhibits in a digital exhibit hall; they featured the latest on green power systems and new hybrid and electric vehicles, fuel cells and diesels. The show also provided attendees with access to experts for Q&A and opportunities to network with other green consumers.

Travel Is Just Part of It

Fewer travel miles means less pollution, but travel is just part of the environmental impact problem associated with traditional in-person events. For example, with its water usage and the energy costs associated with air conditioning, the hotel industry is an industry with high utilization—and waste—of resources.

For all of these reasons and more, going virtual is definitely a way to go green.

Post from: Eco-Office Gals

Guest Post: Green Benefits of Virtual Events

If you are hoping to stand out from the rest as a highly regarded, top quality virtual assistant, then you must realize that it is essential for you to have on hand all tools and resources that assist your clients in getting work done faster and easier. Not only will these tools help your clients, they will also help you run your own business hassle free.

The iPhone is the perfect device for getting work done for your clients when you’re on the go or away from your desk.

But which iPhone applications should you start with to help enhance your virtual assistant services?

Here’s a look at 5 handy apps you should definitely take a look at if you are serious about getting the most out of your iPhone.

1. Evernote – Evernote lets you create notes consisting of text, photos or audio, so that you can collect, store, and organize almost any kind of information. Images with text are also able to be searched, and all notes can be tagged for easy management. This application is very ideal for collecting ideas and notes for clients, and can be even more useful if your clients choose to use it for collaboration. Evernote has a web-based application, as well as desktop software for the Mac and PC, which means that the changes you make on your iPhone will instantly sync with the software you use on your computer. (Free)
2. Siri Assistant – Siri is the virtual assistant for virtual assistants. Simply speak or dictate to your iPhone to quickly accomplish some of the most basic tasks, such as booking a restaurant or taxi, searching for local events, finding businesses, getting flight stats, and more. Siri is especially useful if you happen to be on the road with common tasks to arrange or information to obtain for clients, particularly if your time is limited. Note: At the moment, Siri only works in the US. (Free)
3. Quickoffice – As a virtual assistant, it is highly likely that you use Microsoft Office files on a daily basis. The award-winning Quickoffice is the first and only application to allow you to share, access, view, and edit Microsoft Office documents with the ability to connect to multiple cloud services, including MobileMe, Google Docs, Box.net, and Dropbox. Being able to access vital Office documents for clients at any time of the day from the convenience of your iPhone is a major productivity booster. ($9.99)
4. Skype – Skype lets you easily get in touch with work-related contacts over WiFi and a 3G connection. You can easily access your contacts through the phone book built-in to the application which links to your account. If you need to make international calls, you can instantly take advantage of Skype’s exceptional rates. The application also supports sending text messages, and also features easy to use instant messaging. Skype for the iPhone will automatically connect to the same work account that you use on the computer. (Free)
5. LogMeIn Ignition – Sometimes as a virtual assistant you find yourself in desperate need to access your computer when on the road or even away for a brief period of time. LogMeIn Ignition allows you to remotely access multiple computers, both PCs and Macs, anywhere and at anytime directly from your iPhone. You can even access your client’s computer if it is installed and set up with LogMeIn.com. ($29.99)

Louise Baker is a freelance writer. She currently blogs at the Zen College life directory of online schools. Her most recent article was on Everest University.

Post from: Eco-Office Gals

Guest Post: 5 Indispensable iPhone Apps for Virtual Assistants

Matt Silverman, Associate Features Editor at Mashable, offers suggestions on some technology investments that small businesses can take that could result in huge long-term savings and decrease the wasteful use of paper products.

Matt recommends that small businesses consider the following software solutions:

• NitroPDF
• PDF995 Printer Driver
• Fax to E-mail Services
• EchoSign Online Contracts
• Online Backup and Record Keeping

Business owners should also consider using one of the technology based tools available for billing, tracking and collections, like AcceptPay from American Express OPEN. For more information on AcceptPay, visit www.acceptpay.com.

See the full article here.

For all the latest headlines, ideas, and insights from the new OPEN Forum follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/OPENForum

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Guest post: Paperless Office Options

Guest Post by Dan Grifen

With some of the brightest young engineers coming straight out of The University of Illinois, it’s no wonder why the city is at the forefront of all major green initiatives. This includes the development of land conservation; efforts driven by the Chicago Department of Environment , and many more environmentally friendly projects. However, there have been significant advances in Green Space/architecture during the 21st century.

Chicago’s demand for greener jobs is being answered by companies like the West Pullman Plant, which is the largest urban solar planet in the U.S. In a report filed by the Chicago Sun Times, Jim Amedeo, Lead Supervisor, states “Solar plants are only going to get smaller and more efficient, and solar energy will get cheaper to use.” He then goes on to state the implementation of multiple plants within the city, adhering to the idea of expansion and job openings.

Residential areas are progressively doing their part to ensure a smarter, energy efficient planet by exploring solar alternatives. With the housing tax credit extension, homeowners are definitely more inclined to enhance their efficiency and find new ways to go green. Reports substantiated by NBCNC of Chicago find that American homes generated twice as much power from rooftop solar panels. This is especially true in Chicago; hopefully with the expansion of plants like West Pullman, we’ll see an increase in solar powered homes and renewable energy.

Leading the way in green civil design in large is Niranjan Shah, CEO of Globetrotters Engineering Corporation out of Chicago, IL. Globetrotters has been granted monies in excess of $13.7 million, all for city consulting and engineering contracts since March 1994. “For over three decades, the Firm has provided a full range of professional architectural and engineering consulting services we have also been active in program management, construction and energy management; property and facilities operation and maintenance; and technology integration and development.” (GEC) In building, the firm abides by USGBC guidelines; further promoting sustainability.

With the passing of Earth Day 2010, it’s important that the rest of our nation keep a close eye on the initiatives being taken in Chicago. Miniscule Individual lifestyle changes, such as brushing your teeth with the water off, are a step in the right direction. With the implementation of land conservation and GreenSpace, Chicago, along with the rest of the nation will effectively see costs go down in the long-term. This will in turn lead to a relatively fast economic incline.

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Guest Post: Chicago Following a Greener Path

Post from: Eco-Office Gals

Guest Post: Businesses Making the Solar Choice

Going green is not just for the home. Office buildings account for 19% of all commercial energy consumption, more than any other type of building. So the environmental reasons for going green in the office are crystal clear. But evidence suggests that a green office does not only reward the environment – it actually rewards those working in it.

A recent study examined 12 office buildings and their employees in England and India. The study found no correlation between satisfaction at work and high energy consumption. In both countries, buildings that combined air conditioning with natural ventilation reported higher employee satisfaction. Seasonal illnesses (i.e. colds, allergies, etc.) were lowest in naturally ventilated office buildings. Environmentally speaking, ventilated buildings create 50% fewer emissions than those that are centrally air conditioned.

Creating a Green Office

A green and happy office begins with nature. Natural lighting and natural ventilation save energy and create a more breathable work environment, be it at home or in a commercial building. Take the rapid rise to prominence of LEED certified commercial buildings as evidence of the economic benefits of the green office. But it goes beyond economics to benefit environment and employees as well.

According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), 88% of energy expenditures in office buildings are for electricity. Office equipment and lighting account for nearly half of the energy used. So, finding a method to save on electricity costs is another big way to save money and green an office. Natural lighting is, of course, one way to save, and new ideas are in the works. Researchers in Canada have developed a unique passive solar lighting system that may soon revolutionize office building design.

More efficient office equipment and energy conservation techniques are other steps. Energy Star estimates that if every piece of office equipment purchased this year were Energy Star qualified, Americans would save $200 million in energy costs. Such devices typically have automatic standby modes and other programs that prevent them from sapping energy when not in use.

With 88% of costs going to electricity, solar power is an obvious and vital factor in greening the office and saving cash for any employer. Solar is expensive up-front, yes, but for heavy energy consumers like office buildings, they are the most cost-effective. In general, the more energy you consume, the faster the return on your solar investment.

Working from home? Even better, as you can put the home solar power system to work for your own office. Bring your coffee maker and computer off the grid and make the family happy as well!

Creating a Happy Workforce

So how do these and other green office options make the employees any happier? We’ve already established that a green, well-ventilated office creates a healthier environment. And anyone who’s ever been sick understands that they are much happier and productive when healthy. But there is also the satisfaction of being a part of something that is bigger than us.

The knowledge that the copy machine or computer he or she is using runs on solar power can be very powerful knowledge. It can make even the most menial tasks rewarding in a new and unprecedented way. Solar power and eco-friendliness are a movement. A recent poll showed that 92% of Americans want solar power development scaled up in the United States. How nice it would be, as an employee, to know that very wish was being fulfilled at your own office?

There other ways to get employees directly involved in creating a happy, green office. Recycling is an obvious step, but anything from taking the stairs to adding real air-cleansing plants also helps. Encouraging employees to walk, ride bikes, carpool or take mass transit to work is another key step that many companies are taking. Again, it contributes the triple bottom line by protecting the environment while keeping employees healthier and more active. An employee who walks or rides to work can enter an office with natural air and light flowing through it and feel that much better as they settle into the work day.

The hope is that the obvious economic, environmental and social benefits – that triple-bottom line of sustainable business – in green building will inspire an increasing number of architects, engineers and business owners to build and renovate green offices. The correlation found by researchers between a green office and a happy workforce should help to put a green seal on future office plans.

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Guest Post: A Green Office is a Happy Office

Make Money and Make a Difference with Fair Trade Fundraising

By Ashley Symons, Equal Exchange

I went to elementary school in the Midwest in the early ‘90s. Every fall, we entered the school gymnasium to get pumped up for our annual fundraiser. This kick-off event was meant to energize us to sell, with lures of all the prizes we could win if we sold the most candy bars, tubs of popcorn, or wrapping paper. The philosophy was, “the more you sell, the more you’ll win random stuff you really don’t need!” Never did we talk about how what we were selling might impact people or places. Just get the most money, and you too could win a neon-pink kazoo keychain. Woo-hoo!

Fifteen years later, I’m so pleased to be a worker-owner at Equal Exchange, where we offer schools a different kind of fundraising. My co-worker, Virginia Berman, started the Equal Exchange Fundraising Program after getting requests from teachers and parents who wanted an alternative fundraiser. After three years, we’ve partnered with over 300 groups. And the momentum continues to grow every day.

So, what’s special about this fundraiser? Well, for one it offers totally yummy fairly traded and organic coffee, tea, chocolate, nuts and dried fruit. It’s stuff that people already eat and drink, so it doesn’t feel wasteful like typical fundraisers. Plus, it’s fairly traded, so you can feel good knowing your fundraising dollars are supporting small-scale farmer co-ops and their communities. Additionally, the products are organic. The farmers use sustainable farming methods, without all those nasty pesticides and fertilizers. It’s better for them, it’s better for you and your kids, and it’s better for our earth.

Equal Exchange also developed a Fair Trade and co-op economics curriculum to accompany the Fundraising Program, to teach children that their everyday choices can make a difference in the lives of others (it’s free to download on our web site). We really believe that change is on the horizon – and we need the help of future generations to make sure we are supporting farmers internationally, while also making efforts toward greening this planet of ours.

The bottom line? Your school fundraiser can make a difference worldwide while raising money for your own community. Sounds way better than a neon-pink kazoo keychain, if you ask me.

To find out more about the Equal Exchange Fundraising Program, please visit www.equalexchange.coop/fundraiser

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Guest post: Fair Trade Fundraising

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