greening the workplace

Greening the Workplace

The daily operations of a typical business can contribute to

environmental degradation and affect your community.

Nearly all activities in your workplace present opportunities to strip

away waste and save energy.

The benefits range from higher employee retention

and reduced sick days to a sense of fulfillment and

gratification for all members of your organization.

These solutions will benefit your business,

people and the planet.


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Your business doesn't exist in isolation, simply as a way of making money.

Your employees depend on your business. Customers, suppliers and the

local community are all affected by you and what you do.

Your products, and the way you make them, have an impact on the

environment.

Social Responsibility takes all this into account. It isn't about being "right

on", or mounting an expensive publicity exercise. It simply means taking a

responsible attitude, and following simple principles that apply whatever

the size of your business....


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Title Page Number

Why Socially Responsible 5-6

Things you can do before you start 7

Goals and Incentives 8-9

Green Purchasing 10

Personal Computers 11

Printers, Fax and Photocopiers 12-13

Myths and Realities about office equipment 14

Paper 15-16

Working with Printing Services 17

Stationary and supplies 18

Lighting 19

Bathrooms and Water 20

Kitchen and Vending Machines 21

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle 22

Heating and Cooling 23

Indoor Pollution 24

Transportation 25-26

Green your building 27-28

Taking the Next Step 29

Hazardous Waste Disposal—Bay Area 30

Useful links 31

References 32

Books 33

Contents

� Please consider the environment before printing this booklet.

Booklet Copyrights: Provokare Presentations


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Why Socially Responsible

The Business Benefits This isn't just about doing the right thing. It offers direct business benefits. Building a reputation as a responsible business sets you apart. Many consumers prefer to buy from ethical busi-nesses. Companies often prefer suppliers who demonstrate responsible policies, to minimize the risk of any damage to their own reputations. Some customers don't just prefer to deal with responsible companies, but insist on it. For example, sales of "environmentally friendly" products continue to grow - and these products often sell at a premium price. Meanwhile, reducing waste and emissions doesn't just help the environment - it saves you money too. It's not difficult to cut utility bills and waste disposal costs, bringing imme-diate cash benefits. There are other benefits too:

• A good reputation makes it easier to recruit employees.

• Employees stay longer, reducing the costs and disrup-tion of recruitment and retraining.

• Employees are better motivated and more productive.

• It helps ensure you comply with regulatory require-ments.

• Activities such as involvement with the local commu-nity are ideal opportunities to generate positive press coverage.

• Good relationships with local authorities make doing business easier.

• Understanding the wider impact of your business can help you think up profitable new products and services. It can make you more competitive, and reduces the risk of sudden damage to your reputation (and sales). Inves-tors recognize this, and are more willing to finance you.

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Social Responsibility and your business Social responsibility can cut across almost every-thing you do, and everyone you deal with.

• You need to think about the suppliers you choose, and the way you deal with them. For example, dealing with suppliers who pollute the environment could be as irresponsible as doing so yourself.

• You need to think about how you treat your employees. For the responsible business, this is about more than simply complying with legal requirements.

• You need to think about how your business affects your local community, and whether you should be actively involved.

• You need to think about how what you do af-fects the environment, and what you can do to reduce pollution and waste.

• This doesn't mean that you can't run a profit-able business. In fact, social responsibility can help you improve your business performance. By looking ahead, you're ready to cope with new laws and restrictions. You avoid unneces-sary costs such as wasted energy or paying landfill tax on your waste collection. Perhaps most importantly, you can keep winning busi-ness from increasingly demanding customers.


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Environmental Impact Your business affects many different people - employ-ees, customers and suppliers, and the local commu-nity. It also has a wider impact on the environment. Even the simplest energy efficiency measures, like switching off lights when they aren't needed, makes a real difference. Reducing the use of water also di-rectly cuts your costs. Minimizing waste can also make an important contri-bution. Simple steps like reducing the amount of pa-per you waste can immediately cut costs. You can save even more by thinking about waste when you design new products and production processes. Caring about the environment can increase income too. Many customers prefer to buy from responsible companies. There are all sorts of ways you could think about reducing the environmental impact of your business. For example:

• creating recyclable products

• sourcing responsibly (eg using recycled materials and sustainable wood)

• minimizing packaging

• buying locally to save fuel costs

• creating an efficient (and fuel-efficient) distribu-tion network

• working with suppliers and distributors who take steps to minimize their environmental impact re-ducing energy and water consumption

Work with the local community Working with your local community brings a wide range of business benefits. For many businesses, local custom-ers are an important source of sales. By improving your reputation, you may find it easier to recruit employees. A good relationship with local authorities can also make your business life much easier. For example, some local authorities prefer to award contracts to businesses with a record of community involvement. There are many ways to get involved. Some businesses choose to support a local charity, or sponsor a local event. It makes commercial sense to get involved in an activity related to your product. This lets you use your expertise as well as showing the human face of your business. For example, some restau-rants provide food to local homeless groups, while build-ers give free labor and materials to community projects. Look for opportunities that will directly benefit you for example, by generating publicity, or improving the neighborhood around your premises. Many businesses involve their employees in working with the local community. For example, you might support charities chosen by employees. Some businesses encour-age employees to volunteer for community activities. You could also give them paid time off for this. As well as im-proving your community relations, this can help motivate employees and develop their skills.

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Why Socially Responsible


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Things you can do before you start

The Small Business Assistance Program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's :

http://www.epa.gov/smallbusiness/help.htm

OSHA: Occupational Safety and Health Administration

http://www.osha.gov/dcsp/smallbusiness/consult.html

EPA : Compliance and Enforcement

http://www.epa.gov/compliance/

Measure and track your waste.

Look at what resources your company consumes — energy, supplies, raw materials — and what it

wastes — finished packaging, raw materials, energy, and emissions. Try to measure and quantify

this waste: How much do you spend to purchase, handle, store, and dispose of the wasted mate-

rial? Your audit may be as simple as counting or weighing the trash bags your company disposes

of on a weekly or monthly basis, or checking energy utility bills. Or it may involve bringing in pro-

fessionals to assess your company and make recommendations on how to reduce energy, redesign

products or distribution systems, and other efforts to reduce waste and save money.

Write an environmental vision

statement.

It’s easier to get behind a vision when all

your players know what the company stands

for. This foundation will show customers,

stakeholders, and your community that your

business is invested in the environment. With your

team, set an environmental vision statement and goals

that all your employees understand, and your managers

will uphold. At minimum, such statements commonly

affirm a company’s intentions to respect the environ-

ment in the design, production, and distribution of its

products and services; commit the company to being in

full compliance with all laws, and to go beyond compli-

ance whenever possible; and establish an open-book pol-

icy whereby employees, community members, and others

can be informed of any potential adverse impacts the

company might have on the environment.

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• Make sure you’re in compliance with state, local, and federal environmental, health, and safety regulations.

This gives your beyond-compliance efforts a solid foundation. You may also gain additional benefits: Some gov-

ernmental programs offer reduced oversight and paperwork of companies that are in full compliance.

• Understand how your business affects the environment, from the things you buy, to your relationships with cus-

tomers and suppliers, to the full life-cycle of your products and services. At each step of the way, there are op-

portunities to make choices that can help you align environmental responsibility with business success.

• Begin to make changes where they can be done profitably — or at least in a way that will not decrease profits

and productivity for more than a short period. It’s important to keep in mind that it isn’t possible to do every-

thing right; gradual, incremental progress is a worthy goal.

For more information:

Rally the troops.

Employee participation is essential to a successful en-

vironmental initiative. Bring together a team of em-

ployees to promote environmentalism in the work-

place. These troops can head up the recycled-product

purchasing effort, educate coworkers on environmental

issues, and keep track of environmental accounting for

their department. Consider creating incentives, re-

wards, and recognition for employees who take leader-

ship in your company’s environmental efforts. Name a

periodic “green

champion” in order

to single out indi-

vidual employees’

environmental ac-

tions.


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Goals and Incentives

Have clear goals Let's start with the basics, simply because a lot of com-

panies don't. In their efforts to educate employees about

"the environment," many companies lose sight of what

they're trying to accomplish -- specifically, how environ-

mental learning will further the company's strategic

business goals. Consider your own organization's cur-

rent mission: to reduce costs, get closer to the customer,

grow market share, expand into new markets, create

new business opportunities, and so on. Each of these

can create opportunities to turn environmental princi-

ples into real-life business lessons.

Another key to goal-setting is getting a snapshot of the

status quo: How much do employees already know?

(And how much do they care?) Your research may un-

cover pervasive myths -- for example, that solid waste is

your company's number-one environmental challenge,

when that may be far from the case. Such insight can

be critical in determining how much and what types of

lessons you need to impart.

Recognize winners People love to win. It doesn't need to be vast sums of

cash, though money definitely talks. Sometimes, it's

enough to be recognized with a plaque, a newsletter

Encourage Teamwork Several companies reported success by creating em-

ployee "green teams" as a means of sharing ideas,

information, and inspiration. Provide some hands-on

opportunities for employees to get involved. A mis-

sion statement is often intangible. People need to see

specific examples of the mission statement in action

and have a proactive opportunity to succeed in bring-

ing our mission statement to life.

Semiannual meetings are "unique opportunity for

our individual managers to get together to hear new

information and determine implementation plans

regarding new environmental initiatives.

Honor Differences

Another basic is to appreciate that not everyone learns in

the same way. Some people like to learn out loud by dis-

cussing things with colleagues. Others like to learn alone,

reading from books or watching videos. Some people like to

know a subject's theoretical underpinnings while others

prefer to stick with just what's relevant to their jobs. Some

people need learning to be fun and entertaining while oth-

ers want just the facts.

Often, these differences can be accommodated through a

mix of media and activities: newsletters, e-mails, one-on-

one sessions, group discussions, posters, comic books, CD-

ROMs, lecture series, and so forth.

Get top management involved We're not talking about getting CEO buy-in, though

that's important, too. This is about CEO involve-

ment, along that of the whole top-management team.

"Caring for the environment is something employees

want to do, but they need to feel that it's okay to do

that," says 3M's Renner. "So when they hear their

CEO give a speech on the subject, it legitimizes it for

them."

Offer specific educational training targeted at senior

managers. This way, not only are they knowledge-

able and a resource for others, lower-level employees

see they are involved and understand that environ-

mental issues affect all levels of the company.

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Make it relevant

Lessons that don't apply to one's job will quickly be forgot-

ten. But molding information to fit each individual's tasks

can be equally daunting. Therein lie two approaches to

reaching individual employees. On the one hand, BASF

Corp. "provides employees with techniques to incorporate

environmental guidelines into their jobs by doing specific

training geared to individual jobs.

Nike takes a different approach, providing employees with

general environmental education that they can use as ap-

propriate in their own jobs.

Make it constant

Environmental education is of minimal value if it is rele-

gated to a once-a-year effort every third week of April. Ide-

ally, it can be continually reinforced throughout the year.

Moreover, people come and go, people change jobs, and

companies reorganize. Amid all this, environmental mes-

sages need to remain steadfast.

Think locally

Nothing drives environmental issues home better than

their impact on the community. Community activities

provide an opportunity for employees to come together

to learn -- and to make a difference.

Make it fun

Fun is a good way to inspire people who have little natu-

ral interest in the environment. Done well, you may ac-

tually trick people into learning something.

Contests and games can be effective. For example, Ben

& Jerry's Homemade created an activity called "Get Re-

acquainted with the Recycling Room." The company

rented a popcorn popper and put it alongside the collec-

tion bins. "People may just go down there to get food,

but they learn something about recycling in the proc-

ess," says Andrea Asch, who works on environmental

issues.

… But not too fun

Such tactics notwithstanding, it's easy to go overboard,

with the result being that style triumphs over sub-

stance. Patagonia learned that when it staged an elabo-

rate "Eco-Jeopardy" game a few years ago. Winners won

candy bars and the game was a hit.

Recalls one former Patagonia staffer: "People are still

talking about the game, but it's doubtful if they remem-

ber anything from it."

Goals and Incentives


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Specify your commitment to seek out environmentally preferable products. Identify opportunities to purchase recycled,

refurbished, or reconditioned products where they compete favorably in price, performance, and quality with new ones.

Whenever possible, use specific criteria — for example, that paper purchases must contain a minimum 50% post-

consumer recycled material. Work with your regular suppliers to identify their willingness to comply with your policy.

When appropriate, seek out alternative suppliers. Let employees and suppliers know you expect materials and prod-

ucts to meet environmental standards.

Buying and using energy-efficient equipment saves you money. It can provide enormous savings in electricity use alone

and cutting up to 80% off your electricity bill. It can also cut 20–30% off your air-conditioning bill because you are re-

ducing the amount of heat that your equipment generates and that needs to be cooled.

Paper costs can be almost halved simply by printing double-sided, and you can save on toner and on ink by refilling

your printer and toner cartridges. You also save on waste disposal costs because the amount of waste you generate is

reduced.

The environmental benefits of using energy-efficient equipment are tremendous. By reducing the electricity you use

you are reducing air and water pollution from power stations and saving a tone of greenhouse gas for each 1,000 kilo-

watt-hour of electricity you save.

Refilling, reusing and recycling the materials you use reduces the amount of waste and pollution you generate .

See the Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines from the EPA: http://www.epa.gov/cpg

Green your purchasing

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The Upside

• Positive publicity resulting from the company's

commitment to buying recycled and to the envi-

ronment.

• Financial savings. Some recycled products, such

as retread tires, are less expensive than products

from virgin materials. Others, however, are

slightly more expensive than traditional products.

As demand increases, prices should drop.

Market development by providing markets for

recovered materials and creating jobs through the

recycling and remanufacturing industries.

Reality Check

It may take more time to find products with recycled con-

tent than to find virgin products, as recycled products

aren't as commonly available.

The cost of certain recycled products may be more than

virgin products. However, be sure to compare equitable

products. For example, the cheap multi-purpose paper

found in many office supply stores is significantly less ex-

pensive than recycled-content paper, but the recycled pa-

per is probably a better grade of paper.

Rent or lease equipment instead of buying. Consider leasing copiers, computers, and other equipment from manufacturers that will take back and properly recycle

their goods at their “end of life.” Make it easy on yourself — let the lessor repair and properly dispose of the equipment.

You also could buy equipment used and refurbished. Consider renting equipment that is used only occasionally. Alter-

natively, consider sharing seldom-used machines or equipment with other businesses in your area.

Computers are as common in our offices as telephones. Faster, more powerful machines quickly replace each other, with

“upgrade” cycles of two or three years. Most equipment is designed for disposal; it does not come apart easily, and parts

cannot be upgraded separately. Units may not be recyclable if the materials are hard to separate. The result is large

amounts of electronic junk, even with re-furbishers, recyclers and donations diverting some electronics from trash. Be-

sides wasting materials, the manufacturing and disposal processes may release pollutants to air and water and affect

human health. The costs of frequent replacement, plus hazardous waste disposal for some items, can add up quickly.

What looked like a good price to buy equipment may carry significant hidden costs.


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Energy Efficiency

If your computer has the

USEPA 'Energy Star' or some

other 'power save' feature,

make sure it is activated;

equipment is often set up

with it disabled.

Encourage staff to switch their equipment off before

they go home. It can be difficult to get staff motivated

to turn equipment off, so consider running a 'Switch

Off' campaign and make sure staff receive feedback as

to its success, or otherwise, to encourage further pro-

gress.

If the IT departments requires that you keep the com-

puters on at all time for software updates, request that

the updates be done only once a month or every other

week or only as necessary. This way you can power

down your PCs every night.

Make the best use of computer equipment by upgrad-

ing and reusing old machines for low power work, e.g.,

as print servers.

Personal Computers

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What’s the hazard in a computer? Lead, Cad-

mium and Mercury can cause brain and kidney

damage. Manufacturing and burning plastics as

garbage can release toxic fumes. Flame retar-

dants are linked to long term toxic effects.

“Product Stewardship” means manufacturers and

suppliers take responsibility for the environmental

impacts and costs from the manufacture, use, and

disposal of their products.

When selecting computers and monitors:

• Follow the general

principles for buying

green office equipment

• Consider buying a lap-

top, since a laptop is

much more energy- and

materials-efficient than

a desktop computer and

monitor

• Consider buying LCD-

type flat screens for

desktop computers, as

they are more energy- and space-efficient than stan-

dard monitors

When using computers and monitors:

• You can switch off the monitor if a computer is being

used as a server and the monitor is not required

• Enable Sleep Mode or hibernate for your computer

whenever you are away from your desk for an hour

or more or for whatever shorter time you find con-

venient

• Experiment with your power management time set-

tings to find the shortest convenient times that suit

you.


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Printers, Fax, Photocopiers

Purchases

When selecting a photocopier, follow the general prin-

ciples for buying green office equipment.

1. Think of longevity, reusability and recyclability

when buying office equipment such as printers, scan-

ners and photocopiers.

2. How was the product manufactured? Could you

buy something that does the same job but that carries

less of an environmental impact?

3. Does it contain harmful chemicals or toxins?

Many office products contain chemicals that are quite

toxic and that can leach into our waterways once

dumped into landfill.

4. Is it made of recycled material? Buying recycled

helps reduce your own environmental impacts as well

as encourages suppliers to supply recycled products.

5. Do you really need it? The best way of conserving

our natural resources is not to use them in the first

place!

6. Energy Saver : Look for a copier with an “energy

save” button in addition to programmable power man-

agement features so that users can put the machine

into low power mode as soon as they finish copying.

7. Automatic Power Saver: Choose a copier with a

seven-day clock that allows you to program it to turn

off when it isn’t needed at the end of each work day

and on weekends.

8. Reduction : Unless you are buying a small format

photocopier, choose one with the capacity to reduce

from Legal size to Letter size.

Energy Efficiency

Ensure power saving features

are set up correctly to achieve

the most efficient use of en-

ergy; equipment is often set

up with it inactivated.

Switch off machines when-

ever possible but remember it takes time for some

equipment to warm up when switched on. Frequent

switching off may reduce energy efficiency too far or

increase wear on equipment. Ask you supplier or the

manufacturer for advice.

Some equipment may have to be left on perma-

nently, such as telephone exchanges and fax ma-

chines. Put warning stickers on such equipment, and

then any other machines can be switched off by secu-

rity or cleaning staff in the evening.

Purchase timers for office equipment (laser printers

and photocopiers) that do not need to be left on out-

side office hours. Check with your supplier or the

manufacturer that mains cut-off will not damage the

equipment.

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Waste Minimization

Where practical, use the reduction feature on your photocopier to fit more

on a piece of paper.

Ensure that all staff using the photocopier knows how to operate it prop-

erly to help reduce paper waste.

Consider asking your photocopier supplier to provide a brief training ses-

sion for all employees.


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Printers, Fax, Photocopiers

PRINTERS

Choose a printer that can print double-sided and consider installing a third paper bin for networked printers so that

you can print drafts and internal documents on paper that is already printed on one side.

For small-volume printers that don’t have the ability to print double-sided, make

sure odd and even pages can be printed easily. Use software that enables you to

easily print on both sides.

Before you print, think about whether you really need a printed copy. Whenever

possible, communicate by email instead. For those documents you do need to

print, here are some energy and paper saving tips:

• turn off the printer when you’re not using it and at the end of the working

day (make sure no-one else wants to use it first, particularly if it’s part of a

network)

• set sleep mode default times to the lowest available setting that is convenient

for your needs

• Set the printer to print both sides by default. If users need to print on one

side only, they can specify it before printing. The majority of documents

printed are for internal use and two sided is ok.

FAXING

Before faxing something, think about whether you can communicate using email instead. If you can’t, here are some

energy and paper saving tips:

• Ensure fax machines are set so they do not produce unwanted header or report sheets.

• Design fax cover sheets to have adequate space for messages so that you don't have to attach a separate letter or

note.

• if you have many fax machines, divert calls to a few units after hours and turn the rest off

• set sleep mode default times to the lowest available setting

• fill the paper bin/cartridge with paper that is already printed on one side

• adjust your margins and type size to fit more on the page

• use ink and toner saving settings

• recycle and refill toner and ink cartridges.

• Install faxing software that will enable you to fax directly from your computer and include the documents as at-

tachments. You can also receive faxes directly to your computer and

view them on the screen without printing. (You’ll need a direct connec-

tion to a phone line from your PC)

• Another way is to use faxing companies to whom you email the docu-

ments attached and they will automatically convert them to fax and

send to the number you provide.

• Almost all phone companies can now enable your phone number to re-

ceive faxes which you can view online

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Myths and Realities

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MYTH When equipment is turned on, or powers

up from sleep or suspend modes, there is often a

current surge. The energy consumed during this

current surge is so large that leaving your

equipment in normal operating mode wastes

less energy than turning it off or using power

management features.

Reality Start-up current surges are of very

short duration and at most they consume a few

seconds of average running time energy. When-

ever your equipment is not being used for more

than a few minutes it makes sense to turn it off

or switch to a lower power setting.

MYTH Turning off computers crashes the hard drive.

Reality Switching off computers will have no significant

effect on the useful lifetime of the hard disk. In the past

larger hard drives were degraded by mechanical stress.

Today some manufacturers specify a life of 40,000 power

cycles for their hard drives. That is equivalent to 30 stop/

start cycles for each working day over five years.

MYTH Screen savers save energy.

Reality Screen savers are energy wasters. Most com-

puters use about twice as much energy lighting up

the screen as they use for processing. Originally,

screen savers were designed to stop screens being

burnt by a constant image, but they aren’t needed for

modern screens. Not only can screen savers use as

much energy as a full screen of work, but many re-

quire considerable processing energy as well. If you

want to save energy you can set your screen saver to

‘none’ or ‘blank screen.’

MYTH Turning off or power managing computers

and printers causes network problems.

Reality Major network software suppliers say that

if networks have been properly set up there should

be no problem with turning off or power managing

computers and printers in the network. If you are

installing or upgrading a network, you can save

energy by making effective power management ca-

pacity a mandatory condition of the contract. While

servers need to be left on, they don’t need their

screens on after hours to assist processing.

MYTHMYTHMYTHMYTH Refilled toner or ink cartridges leak every-where and make an incredible mess. Reality Reality Reality Reality As with recycled paper, this problem is avoid-able and manufacturers and suppliers should be pre-pared to guarantee effective performance

MYTH Printing double-sided and/or using recycled

paper causes photocopiers to jam and makes you

use more paper.

Reality Many of us have had these experiences cer-

tainly, but they are quite avoidable in modern equip-

ment. When buying new photocopiers and printers,

ensure that manufacturers and suppliers are pre-

pared to guarantee effective performance in these

areas. Some copier manufacturers (e.g. Canon and

Fuji Xerox) will specify the brands of recycled paper

they approve.

People often use office equipment in what they believe is a cost-effective and environmentally friendly

way when in fact what they are doing is exactly the opposite. Often they are acting on widely believed

but wrong information, or they’ve had a bad experience with older models of equipment and don’t real-

ize that the problem doesn’t apply to the newer models. Here are some of the more common polluting,

dollar- and energy-wasting myths and the realities behind them.

MYTH Power managing equipment in winter means

it will generate less heat in the office and the heating

system will need to run longer.

Reality True, but it is far more efficient, cheaper and

more environmentally sound to heat your building

with a purpose-built heating system than have ineffi-

ciently operating office equipment leak heat into the

workplace. In fact, most commercial office buildings

use much more energy for cooling than for heating and

power management of equipment can reduce the need

for cooling considerably.


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Pa

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PAPER

Many of the world's biologically-rich forests are disappearing at

an alarming rate.

Each year an area of tropical forest the size of New York state is lost. A major cause is

the expansion of industrial tree plantations, which supply pulp to meet worldwide de-

mand for paper products.

Papers are often bleached with chlorine or chlorine derivatives. The byproduct dioxin is

then released into waterways, poisoning fish and the animals (including humans) that

consume them. For this reason, it is important when buying paper not only to look for

products that are chlorine-free. There are two designations for chlorine-free papers:

• TCF, or totally chlorine free, meaning paper that is made without chlorine or chlorine

derivatives. This applies to virgin paper.

• PCF, or processed chlorine free, which means much the same as TCF, except that it

applies to recycled paper.

The benefits of producing paper from recycled fibers are many: fewer trees cut down,

less water and energy consumed, less pollution generated. And now that studies have

shown today’s recycled paper products are comparable to conventional products in

quality, performance, and cost, the case for buying recycled is stronger than ever. To

help expand this market while meeting your needs and budget, ask these questions

when shopping for paper products:

What is the percentage of recycled content? What is the percentage of recycled content? What is the percentage of recycled content? What is the percentage of recycled content? Recycled paper contains varying percentages of postpostpostpost----consumer consumer consumer consumer waste (paper that has been used and recycled by the consumer); the remaining recycled content derives from miscel-laneous paper mill scraps. While any recycled paper is generally better than non-recycled, paper with a higher percentage of post-consumer content is the best choice. If a percent-age is not listed, contact the manufacturer.

Where did the paper originate?Where did the paper originate?Where did the paper originate?Where did the paper originate? If you cannot buy a paper product that is 100 percent recycled, look for the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) cer-tification label. This paper comes from forests managed in an environmentally responsible manner.

What about “treeWhat about “treeWhat about “treeWhat about “tree----free” alternatives?free” alternatives?free” alternatives?free” alternatives? Paper doesn’t have to come from wood pulp; fibers from hemp, kenaf, flax, cotton, banana stalks, and other plant-based materials can be used to produce paper with fewer chemi-cals and less energy. Tree-free paper is gen-erally more expensive than its conventional counterpart, but is available from a variety of companies. As with conventional paper, look for a product with high post-consumer recycled content. Look for products labeled either processed processed processed processed chlorine free (PCF)chlorine free (PCF)chlorine free (PCF)chlorine free (PCF) or totally chlorine freetotally chlorine freetotally chlorine freetotally chlorine free (TCF). This is valid for any type of paper, not only printing paper: napkins, toilet paper, table covers, plates, cups, lids, food containers, etc…


16

Pa

per

PAPER

Waste MinimizationWaste MinimizationWaste MinimizationWaste Minimization Collect scrap paper (e.g., photocopier mistakes, superseded drafts, obsolete file copies, etc.) and use the clean sides for draft printouts, internal correspondence and fax transmission sheets, then recycle. Use scrap paper for notes and messages, and encourage others to do the same. Investigate having wastepaper bound as note and message pads at a print shop. Use waste paper wherever possible instead of self-adhesive notes since glued paper cannot be widely recycled. Provide staff with ongoing feedback about the recycling scheme with information on the amount of paper collected. Consider setting a target for everyone to work towards, for example, '20% reduction in waste paper by the end of the month'. Avoid 'memo mania'. If your office has an e-mail system, use it to send messages wherever possible instead of written memos. Substitute telephone calls for memos where practical. Reduce the number of copies made of standard documents, memos, etc., wherever possible. Distribute only one copy with a circulation list. Make an additional copy to post on a central notice board; these copies can be kept in a central file or binder for future reference. Avoid overproduction of marketing and publicity material by reviewing distribution lists and regularly updating da-tabases. Avoid unnecessary packaging, paper grocery bags, boxes, wraps. Reuse or recycle boxes from received packages etc..

• Avoid paper filingAvoid paper filingAvoid paper filingAvoid paper filing: investigate using and compact disks or tape instead of paper filing systems

• optimize electronic communicationoptimize electronic communicationoptimize electronic communicationoptimize electronic communication methods including email, forms and transactions.

• Reduce paper handouts: Reduce paper handouts: Reduce paper handouts: Reduce paper handouts: most of the papers handed out in meetings are generally trashed once the meeting is over. Use on screen presentations and email file to attendees to view on their screens after the meeting.

• reduce margin settings and typereduce margin settings and typereduce margin settings and typereduce margin settings and type sizessizessizessizes on your computer so that the printer uses less paper. Common default set-tings for computers are 12 point type and 3.175 cm (1.25 inch) left and right hand margins. Using 11 point type and 2.54 cm (1 inch) left hand margins and 1.27 cm (0.5 inch) right hand margins can increase the amount of in-formation you can fit on a page by up to 27% and save paper. This still allows ample margins for binding and hardcopy filing.

• Default duplex Default duplex Default duplex Default duplex – ensure that all printers and work stations are set to print duplex as default

• Go PaperlessGo PaperlessGo PaperlessGo Paperless: Turn your bank statements and utility bills to paperless statements and pay your bills online

Promote recycling by putting up posters and providing bins next to the equipment, explaining the types of paper that can be recycled. Stop all unsolicited mail and advertisement.


17

Working with Printing Services

Pri

nti

ng

Ser

vic

es

The Costs and Impacts of PrintingThe Costs and Impacts of PrintingThe Costs and Impacts of PrintingThe Costs and Impacts of Printing The mechanics of most types of printing haven't changed much over the past half century. Lithography and gravure printing-the methods used to print most books, magazines, and catalogs-employ printing plates, which are used to ap-ply ink to paper, sometimes through intermediary rollers. For most printers, the chemistry behind these processes hasn't changed much, either. Typically, it involves a variety of inks, solvents, acids, resins, lacquers, dyes, driers, extenders, modifiers, varnishes, shellacs, and other solutions. Only a few of these ingredients end up directly on the printed page. The balance are used to produce films, printing plates, gravure cylinders, or proofs, or are used to clean printing plates or presses. Many of these components contain hazardous materials. For example:

• etch baths etch baths etch baths etch baths for making printing plates may contain hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, and heavy metals;

• solutions solutions solutions solutions used in plate making film processing may contain silver, lead, chromium, cadmium, toluene, chloroform, and methylene chloride;

• printing inks printing inks printing inks printing inks may contain a variety of toxic metals, such as chromium, lead, and cadmium, along with hydrocarbon solvents, plasticizers, barium-based pigments, and acrylic copolymers

• cleanup washes cleanup washes cleanup washes cleanup washes may contain ethyl alcohol, benzene, toluene, xylene, methyl ethyl ketone, perchloro-ethylene, carbon tetrachloride, and kerosene.

Chlorine bleaching of paper is increasingly linked to cancer-causing effluents. Waste inks and solvents often must be disposed of as hazardous waste. Bindings, ad-hesives, foils, and plastic bags commonly used in print-ing or packaging printed material can render paper un-recyclable at most facilities.

Cleaner SolutionsCleaner SolutionsCleaner SolutionsCleaner Solutions Whether you print in-house or contract with outside printers, look into environmentally friendly printing products and processes. Whenever possible :

• Seek out printing companies that use water-based press cleaners and soy- or other vegetable-based inks as well as recycled paper that is bleached without use of chlorine. When designing printing projects, avoid elements that reduce recyclability, such as foil stamping, adhesives, and plastic bags.


18

Stationary and supplies

Sta

tio

na

ry—

Su

pp

lies

The stationery cupboard can have an extraordinary effect on people in the office. No matter who you are, The stationery cupboard can have an extraordinary effect on people in the office. No matter who you are, The stationery cupboard can have an extraordinary effect on people in the office. No matter who you are, The stationery cupboard can have an extraordinary effect on people in the office. No matter who you are, or what your position, the chances are you'll get the same enjoyment from unwrapping the cellophane or what your position, the chances are you'll get the same enjoyment from unwrapping the cellophane or what your position, the chances are you'll get the same enjoyment from unwrapping the cellophane or what your position, the chances are you'll get the same enjoyment from unwrapping the cellophane from a brand new box of Postfrom a brand new box of Postfrom a brand new box of Postfrom a brand new box of Post----it™ notes as the next person. It's a good place to cut down on the amount of it™ notes as the next person. It's a good place to cut down on the amount of it™ notes as the next person. It's a good place to cut down on the amount of it™ notes as the next person. It's a good place to cut down on the amount of waste your office produces and save on costs too. waste your office produces and save on costs too. waste your office produces and save on costs too. waste your office produces and save on costs too.

Understand your impact. Understand your impact. Understand your impact. Understand your impact. Conducting a lifecycle assessment looks at the “cradle-to-grave” impacts of your products — from the raw materi-als to their manufacture, sale, use, and disposal. Life-cycle assessments can help you identify opportunities to improve efficiency, reduce waste, improve quality, save money, and provide products that are more environmen-tally appealing to customers.

Waste MinimizationWaste MinimizationWaste MinimizationWaste Minimization Discourage excessive use of stationery by imple-menting an ordering system or by requiring staff to sign out any stationery they use. This may al-low you to target high use areas more effectively. • Reorganize office supply cupboards to provide

a central deposit for used 'old, but still good' office supplies.

• Hold a regular 'stationery amnesty' by asking staff to hand in all their unused equipment for reuse.

• Do not use “throw away” items like one time use pens or highlighters. Purchase refillable pens, use colored pencils.


19

Lighting

Lig

hti

ng

Use energy-efficient lighting. There are thousands of lighting products available, many of which offer significant energy savings and improved light-

ing. Examples include occupancy sensors for frequently vacant rooms; ballast upgrades and reflectors for fluorescent

fixtures; compact fluorescent lights in place of incandescent bulbs; timers to turn off lighting at fixed times; and en-

ergy-efficient exit signs. Many of these can pay for themselves in as little as a few months.

• Use natural light wherever possible. Encourage staff to open the blinds rather than turn lights on. Make sure

lights can be switched off manually, particularly near windows.

• Run a 'Switch Off' campaign. Contrary to popular belief, it is always cheaper to switch off

lights, however short the time period.

• Ensure that lighting levels are not excessive. You may be able to reduce the level of back-

ground lighting in your office by removing alternate tubes.

• Consider the installation of presence detector lighting controls in places not in constant

use, such as lavatories and meeting rooms.

• Ensure that occupants are well briefed on automatic control systems and how to get the most efficient lighting

performance from them. Staff need to understand what the control system is trying to do, and how best to interact

with it.

• Fluorescent lamps will last longer the less they are used. Don't forget to use

natural light wherever possible and remember it is always cheaper to switch off

lights, however short the time period ...

• Compact Fluorescent lamps contain mercury, make sure you dispose of them ap-

propriately through a hazardous waste disposal site.

• Use "task" lighting where extra light is needed, rather than lighting an entire

area.

• Rearrange workspace to take advantage of areas with natural sunlight, and design for increased natural light-

ing when remodeling.


20

Bathrooms and Water

Energy

Ensure extractor fans do not operate outside the peri-

ods when buildings are occupied. The system could be

operated by the same presence detector controls that

operate the lighting in the bathroom.

Post up 'Switch Off' reminders in the bathroom. It is

always cheaper to switch off

lights, however short the time

period.

Reduce hot water temperatures

(to a minimum of 120°C to avoi

breeding bacteria).

Water

Consumption—Check your water me-ter readings carefully. If you are paying

for water you cannot account for you may

have a leak.

Report Leaks – a dripping tap can waste up to one gallon of water a day! Re-

port leaking taps, toilets, urinals or pipes

to maintenance.

Don’t leave the tap running – reduce your water use when washing up, use a plug and don't leave the water run-

ning. A tap left running uses approximately 2.5 gallons of

water a minute.

Use the half flush option - Replace existing higher consumption toilets and urinals with Ultra Low Flush

(ULF) toilets and urinals which use 1.6 gallons per flush

(gpf) and 1.0 gpf respectively.

Reduce and conserve water. Promote water-efficient landscaping, called xeriscaping. Other outdoor water-saving

practices include mulching, timed irrigation, and nighttime

irrigation. Use “dry sweeping”, to clean concrete or asphalt

surfaces.

Install water-efficient fixtures. Consider low flow aerators for faucets, and “dams” or other devices for toilets.

On toilets that use a spring-loaded lever instead of a han-

dle, install water saving diaphragms. When building or re-

modeling, seek out low-flow appliances and devices.

Reuse water. Collect rain water for irrigating or other non-potable uses. Reuse water in manufacturing and rins-

ing procedures.

Toilets: If only replacing a limited number of toilets, replace heavily used fixtures lo-

cated in high traffic areas first.

Encourage water conservationEncourage water conservationEncourage water conservationEncourage water conservation • Increase public awareness with bathroom mirror

stickers • Post signs showing your building-wide commitment to

saving water. • Encourage water conservation at home as well.

Towels

• Use 100% recycled toilet paper

• Use 100% recycled paper towels

• Use only two paper towels for your hands, just give’em a

little shake first.

Benefits:

•

One Boston facility took advantage of renovations

to the building to replace 126 existing 3.5 gpf toi-

lets with 1.6 gpf toilets. When completed, the

change will reduce total water use by 15%. With

an implementation cost of $32,000 and estimated

annual savings of $22,800, payback occurs in 1.4

years.

•

By installing 30 faucet aerators, a commercial

building in Brookline could reduce water consump-

tion by 190,000 gallons per year. The cost of the

devices and labor is

approximately $300

and the savings for

the retrofit are esti-

mated at $1,250 per

year -- a payback of 2

months.

Ba

thro

om

s a

nd

Wa

ter

Bathrooms can be the source of large consumption of water, energy and paper.


21

Kitchen – Vending Machines

Waste MinimizationWaste MinimizationWaste MinimizationWaste Minimization If you bring your lunch to work, pack a 'waste-free' lunch in a reusable container (for example, a washable rigid plastic container). Bring a drink in a thermos or reusable glass bottle instead of using single serving juice boxes or milk cartons. Use a cloth napkin instead of a disposable paper towel or serviette. Use refillable containers of sugar, salt & pepper, etc. to avoid individual condiment packets If your office has a kitchen, collect compostable food waste in a covered container for a volunteer to take home daily. A keen gardener may welcome the addi-tional compost supply. It may be possible for charities and other local groups to reuse white goods, such as refrigerators and ovens, which you no longer require. In some ar-

eas, for example, there are projects that collect white goods for distri-bution to low-income households.

The office kitchen has real potential for improving the environmental performance of your business, from reducing your waste production to increasing energy and water efficiency, so it should certainly be included as part of your green office. Plastic or polystyrene cups from drinks vending machines usually end-up in the bin within minutes of being dispensed. It is one of the few waste streams that can be eliminated en-tirely with little effort, dramatically reducing the amount of waste you produce. Purchase timers for appliances that do not need to be left on outside office hours. Check with your supplier or the manufacturer that mains cut-off will not damage the equipment.

BioBioBioBio----degradablesdegradablesdegradablesdegradables • Use biodegradable ware, plates and bowls used for

take-out only made mostly from starch

• Items that are compostable are also biodegradable if not composted

• Purchase items that uses less energy to produce than paper or polystyrene containers

• 100% recycled unbleached napkins

• 100% recycled wax paper cups for cold drinks

• 100% recycled paper cups for hot drinks

• 100% recycled paper containers

• Wood stirrers for hot drinks

• Recycle plastic and glass bottles and aluminum cans

• Use your own hot mug K

itch

en -

Ven

din

g M

ach

ines

Bringing lunch to work in reusable containers is likely the greenest (and healthiest) way to eat at work. Getting delivery and takeout almost inevitably ends with a miniature mountain of packaging waste. But if you do order delivery, join coworkers in placing a large order (more efficient than many separate ones). Also, bring in a reusable plate, utensils, and napkins.

Rule of thumbRule of thumbRule of thumbRule of thumb: If your non-recyclable trash can is fuller than the re-cyclable trash can, you are most likely not paying enough attention to your purchases as well as your recycling methods.


22

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Set up a workplace recycling system for paper, plastics, aluminum, and glass. Remember that wasted materials are

wasted money.

Be innovative: Examine manufacturing processes for opportunities to increase materials-use efficiency; rethink prod-

uct packaging; consider composting food waste; and research recycling programs for unwanted electronic equipment.

Encourage all employees to reconsider operations with reducing, reusing, and recycling in mind.

1. Every desk should have a paper recycling box. All

paper types can be recycled through this system.

2. Cardboard is recycled - by breaking down boxes and

stacking them next to the recycling bins or your work sta-

tion. Note: cleaners will only recycle folded, neatly stacked

boxes.

3. Toner cartridges can be recycled - Toner cartridges

contain harmful chemicals that can leach into our water-

ways from landfill. Keep them out of the ground by having

them refilled.

4. Avoid, reduce, reuse and then recycle – while recy-

cling is important, avoiding the use of a product that has a

lower environmental impact. Where you can, avoid buying

a product you don’t need, then reduce, reuse or recycle.

Red

uce

, R

euse

, R

ecy

cle

ELECTRONIC RECYCLINGELECTRONIC RECYCLINGELECTRONIC RECYCLINGELECTRONIC RECYCLING As we become more dependent on elec-tronic products to make life more con-venient, the stockpile of used, obsolete products grows. Although used elec-tronics represent less than two percent of the municipal solid waste stream, if we continue to replace old or outdated electronic equipment at our current

rate, that percentage will continue to grow. In 2005, used or unwanted electronics amounted to ap-proximately 1.9 to 2.2 million tons. Of that, about 1.5 to 1.9 million tons were primarily discarded in landfills, and only 345,000 to 379,000 tons were recycled. Computer monitors and older TV picture tubes contain an average of four pounds of lead and require special han-dling at the end of their lives. In addition to lead, electron-ics can contain chromium, cadmium, mercury, beryllium, nickel, zinc, and brominated flame retardants. When elec-tronics are not disposed of or recycled properly, these toxic materials can present problems. Extending the life of your electronics or donating your most up-to-date and working electronics can save you money and saves valuable re-sources. Safely recycling outdated electronics can promote the safe management of hazardous components and sup-ports the recovery and reuse of valuable materials.

See the EPA for: http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/recycle/ecycling/index.htmhazwaste/recycle/ecycling/index.htmhazwaste/recycle/ecycling/index.htmhazwaste/recycle/ecycling/index.htm

• Basic InformationBasic InformationBasic InformationBasic Information about reducing electronics waste

• Frequent QuestionsFrequent QuestionsFrequent QuestionsFrequent Questions and answers about elec-tronic waste

• Regulations/StandardsRegulations/StandardsRegulations/StandardsRegulations/Standards for handling electronic equipment

• PublicationsPublicationsPublicationsPublications that offer valuable information about electronic waste

• Related LinksRelated LinksRelated LinksRelated Links that include resources for recy-cling and donation programs Market TrendsMarket TrendsMarket TrendsMarket Trends in electronic waste generation and recovery


23

Heating and Cooling

In medium to large offices, the number of people and presence of equipment and lights all generate extra

heat. This adds to the load the cooling cycle of air-conditioning systems has to deal with.

Older office buildings were not designed to cope with the high density of office equipment they now have

to deal with. The result is that many buildings cannot be cooled enough to deliver comfortable working

conditions throughout the year. This leads to either discomfort and lowering of staff morale and produc-

tivity, or very costly replacement or augmentation of air-conditioning systems.

Be smart with heating and cooling. Make sure your building has proper insulation and double-paned windows,

and fix your building’s air leaks. Simply maintaining your heating and cooling systems can reduce your heating and

cooling bills. A poorly maintained heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system uses more energy and wastes

money. Systems that are checked annually and kept in good condition use less energy and last longer.

Using energy-efficient equipment will give you bonus savings on your air-conditioning bills because you are generat-

ing less heat that has to be cooled.

Dress appropriately for the season. No rocket science here! Make sure that you adapt yourself to your environ-

ment, not the other way around.

Hea

tin

g a

nd

Co

oli

ng

WINDOWSWINDOWSWINDOWSWINDOWS During Use - Energy Efficiency

If your office is equipped with blinds or curtains, shut them at the end of the day in winter to keep heat loss down. In

summer, use them to prevent your office from overheating.

Encourage staff to open the blinds rather than turn lights on. Make sure lights can be switched off manually, particu-

larly near windows.

Ensure that windows are not opened while the heating or air conditioning is still on. Make an adjustment to the ther-

mostat or air conditioning unit instead.


24

Indoor Pollution

Cleaning Chemicals Commercial cleaning products — disinfectants, degreasers,

drain openers, polishes and waxes, window cleaners, caustic

cleaners, and toilet cleaners, among many others — are among

the most common sources of employee exposure to toxic chemi-

cals. Yet very little testing has been done on how their use, es-

pecially in combination, affects human health, and even less on

how these products affect the environment.

Solution: Use Eco-Friendly cleaning solutions and work with

janitorial companies that only use eco-friendly products.

View Guide: Toxic

Chemicals, Our

Health and the

Environment.

Ind

oo

r P

oll

uti

on

Toxic and Hazardous

Substances

Find alternatives to toxics. Even an

office operation can use toxic substances

in the form of computer or copier toner,

cleaning supplies, glues, batteries, and

other supplies. Evaluate all parts of

your company, from the front office to

the loading dock to the factory floor, to

identify opportunities to reduce the use

of toxic substances. Talk with suppliers

about alternatives to solvents, paints,

cleaners, and other products that may

contain toxic substances.

Properly dispose of toxics.

Create a plan to ensure that all

employees safely dispose of toxic

substances, including batteries,

copier toner, paints, motor oil,

dyes, solvents, and other sub-

stances. Check with your city or

county office to locate hazardous

waste disposal facilities in your

area.

View toxic disposal cites at the

end of this booklet.

It has been estimated that most Americans spend up to 90% of their time indoors, often in synthetic environments filled with chemicals and poor light-ing that compromise their health.

Many of today's furnishings and other office mate-rials contain numerous toxins. The glues used to hold together pressed wood furniture and building materials, adhere laminated surfaces to furniture, and keep floors and carpets in place often are poi-sonous. Paints, particularly those that are oil-based, can be another source of toxins in the work-place. The toxins emitted from carpets, furniture, and plastics through "offgassing" can create a vari-ety of health problems in anyone exposed to them. Other toxic materials include cleansers (bathroom, kitchen, wall, and carpet), chemicals used in manufacturing or other processes, perfumes (some airlines actually deny rides to overly perfumed cus-tomers), and biocides (pesticides, rodenticides, and insecticides).

In many buildings, the air intake (which is sup-posed to pull fresher, outdoor air inside) is placed by the loading dock. As a result, fumes from deliv-ery trucks and other vehicles are left to circulate within the buildings. It's no surprise that indoor air pollution can be 10 times worse than that found outdoors.

The Unhealthy Office


25

Transportation

A large amount of air pollution comes from personal transportation. A large amount of air pollution comes from personal transportation. A large amount of air pollution comes from personal transportation. A large amount of air pollution comes from personal transportation. Millions of vehicles registered across the country emit tons of air pollutants and gases annually. While automobile manufacturers have made significant improvements in tailpipe emissions over the past two to three decades, the ever-increasing number of vehicles on the road reduces these benefits. Moreover, there is an increasing shift towards pur-chases of sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and minivans that can emit up to 40 per cent more pollutants than the average car. Also adding to the smog problem is the “single-occupant vehicle” which represents the most inefficient use of transportation energy. If more people carpooled and took public transit – particularly for commuting to work – trans-portation emissions would be dramatically reduced. Long commutes, research has shown, can lead to loss of shortLong commutes, research has shown, can lead to loss of shortLong commutes, research has shown, can lead to loss of shortLong commutes, research has shown, can lead to loss of short----term memory, more days of missed work and such ail-term memory, more days of missed work and such ail-term memory, more days of missed work and such ail-term memory, more days of missed work and such ail-ments as higher blood pressure, muscle tension and an accelerated heart rate.ments as higher blood pressure, muscle tension and an accelerated heart rate.ments as higher blood pressure, muscle tension and an accelerated heart rate.ments as higher blood pressure, muscle tension and an accelerated heart rate. Ultra-fine particulate matter has been linked with premature death, cardiovascular disease and respiratory illness, according to the California Air Resources Board. Though it takes Ameri-cans an average of 25 minutes to drive to work, according to 2005 U.S. Census Bureau figures, the board estimates that over 50% of a person's daily exposure to ultra-fine particles can oc-cur during a commute The only commutes found to be low in diesel exposure were those on electric-powered subways and commuter trains, buses running on alternative fuels or retrofitted with diesel particu-late filters, and in cars traveling with little truck traffic.

Tra

nsp

ort

ati

on

TravelingTravelingTravelingTraveling One of the dirty little secrets of environmental business conferences is that the environmental impacts of the partici-pants' travel often negate any benefits resulting from the gathering itself. The precise environmental costs of travel and meetings are elusive at best, but the point is not: business travel is not particularly environmentally friendly. The impacts come principally from the fuel used by planes, trains, and automo-biles, and from the solid waste and other emissions associated with the $175 billion business travel industry.


26

Transportation

Tra

nsp

ort

ati

on

Providing office facilities and Providing office facilities and Providing office facilities and Providing office facilities and eeee----mail connectionsmail connectionsmail connectionsmail connections Give your employees the option of telecommuting, putting in a re-duced workweek, or working variable hours. Studies show such programs improve employee productivity and retention. When ap-propriate, allow employees to work at home one day a week. Ar-range for computer hookups, extra phone lines, or other low-cost technologies to allow employees to “plug in” to the main office from

Walk, cycle or catch public transport instead Walk, cycle or catch public transport instead Walk, cycle or catch public transport instead Walk, cycle or catch public transport instead Even if you drive one less day per week, you’ll significantly reduce your impact on the environment. Improve facilities for cyclists and walkers by providing secure bike racks, showers and lockers. Not only will the demand for parking be reduced, but your employees will be healthier and therefore more productive.

Carpool with a workmate Carpool with a workmate Carpool with a workmate Carpool with a workmate It’s a great way to save money, reduce your emis-sions and get to know your workmates.

Plan your day effectively Plan your day effectively Plan your day effectively Plan your day effectively Have a meeting? Plan it for the beginning or end of your day to reduce car trips.

Encourage alternative transportation. Encourage alternative transportation. Encourage alternative transportation. Encourage alternative transportation. Your people have to travel, but they don’t have to pollute. Get behind an employee vanpool or car pool program, and offer those who don’t drive in-centives to take mass transit. Also, provide environmentally friendly op-tions for those who drive, such as transit subsidies, preferred parking for carpoolers, and racks or lockers for bicyclists.

Green your fleet. Green your fleet. Green your fleet. Green your fleet. Purchase or lease vehicles with the highest possible fuel economy, or those that use alternative-fuel sources, such as electric, hybrid, or fuel-cell vehicles. Whatever ve-hicles you use, have them tuned regularly. Keep tire pressures at rec-ommended levels, in order to in-crease fuel efficiency. When having vehicles serviced, make sure mechan-ics dispose of used oil, brake fluid, and other substances properly.

Reduce fuel consumptionReduce fuel consumptionReduce fuel consumptionReduce fuel consumption Careful monitoring of fuel consumption could bring considerable savings for your company, allowing poorly per-forming vehicles and drivers to be iden-tified. Driving technique can have an important bearing on the vehicles envi-ronmental impact. You may want to consider offering training in defensive and fuel-efficient driving and environ-mental awareness to fleet users.

Make your meetings matter.Make your meetings matter.Make your meetings matter.Make your meetings matter. Minimize the need to travel, particularly for meetings, by increasing the use of com-munications technologies such as e-mail and video conferencing rather than travel to a meeting; if you absolutely need the face time, stay in green hotels. Another way to offset the eco-ills of business travel: invest in a program that will plant trees to absorb the carbon dioxide created by your trips. Host environmentally aware meetings and events. While you’re at it, reduce your travel and conference budget, and impress on clients and stake-holders your widespread commitment to sustainability.


27

Green your building

Environmentally conscious design and construction can reduce a building’s life-cycle costs — the total cost of building, owning, and maintaining the structure. Techniques begin with the building’s sitting — its relationship to the sun, trees, and other things — and can include all of the building’s materials and systems. There are literally thousands of environmentally preferable building items to choose from, ranging from structural products made from recycled mate-rials to flooring made from nontoxic or renewable materials. A 1% increase in worker productivity can provide a company with savings that exceed its entire energy bill, according to a report from the Rocky Mountain Institute, which makes a case for energy efficiency as a way to boost productivity and increase a company’s bottom line. The report looks at design changes -- improved lighting, heating, and cooling -- that yielded increased productivity and energy savings for eight U.S. companies. For example, an upgraded light sys-tem in a Pennsylvania Power and Light drafting facility produced energy savings of 69%, a 13% increase in employee productivity, and a 25% decrease in absenteeism.

Gree

n

yo

ur

Bu

ild

ing

The Big PictureThe Big PictureThe Big PictureThe Big Picture Because traditional buildings consume large amounts of en-

ergy and other natural resources and can harm the environ-

ment around them, there's a swelling interest in building and

occupying more eco-sensitive structures. By integrating natu-

ral resource, human health, and community concerns into

building design and construction, architects and designers

can create buildings that are cleaner, healthier for occupants

and the environment, and which deplete fewer resources.

ContextContextContextContext Commercial and residential buildings use one-third of the en-ergy consumed in the United States, and two-thirds of all elec-tricity. Buildings produce roughly a third of carbon dioxide emis-sions and other emissions that harm air quality. Additionally, buildings generate waste during construction and operation; can have poor indoor air quality, affecting worker health; and often don't consider the impact made on the community through in-creased transportation, sprawl, and cultural and historical im-pact. Green buildings address a wide range of topics, including:

• water conservation

• waste management

• renewable energy sources

• non-toxic materials

• recycled/reused materials

• energy efficiency

• reduced environmental impact on the building site

• wise use of space/reduced building size

• balance of environmental and economic considerations

• consideration for cultural and historical factors of the site

• proximity to transportation sources

The UpsideThe UpsideThe UpsideThe Upside • Financial savings Financial savings Financial savings Financial savings resulting from energy-

efficient and water-saving practices and wiser use of resources. Material costs can be lower if reusing materials. Waste disposal costs also may be lower, both during construction and operation.

• Tax incentives Tax incentives Tax incentives Tax incentives offered by some cities, coun-ties, and states for energy efficiency and green building.

• Reduced environmental impact Reduced environmental impact Reduced environmental impact Reduced environmental impact from using fewer resources and producing less waste.

• Improved worker productivity and health Improved worker productivity and health Improved worker productivity and health Improved worker productivity and health from more efficient lighting, improved air, less-toxic chemicals, and improved employee satisfaction and well-being.

• Higher building value Higher building value Higher building value Higher building value from lower operating costs, reduced turnover, and increased prop-erty value.

• Increased sales and customers Increased sales and customers Increased sales and customers Increased sales and customers if the facil-ity is a more pleasant place to shop or if cus-tomers choose to do business with an environ-mentally conscious company.


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Green your building

Reality CheckReality CheckReality CheckReality Check Initial capital costs of green building can be higher than for traditional building. A short-term building occupant may not see any payback, as savings generally match the original investment in three to five years. The design and con-struction process can take longer than in traditional building as the participants become familiar with and implement green building practices.

Gree

n y

ou

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Specific green building ideasSpecific green building ideasSpecific green building ideasSpecific green building ideas: • Choose a building site with access to natural light and shade.

• Implement day lighting, sloped ceilings, inner windows/atriums, and other pas-sive solar techniques.

• Install motion-sensitive lights that automatically shut off and task lighting at each desk so individuals can control their own light.

• Use native plants for landscaping.

• Investigate the local watershed and where runoff/pollution from construction will flow.

• Use recycled-content products.

• Install energy-efficient appliances.

• Reduce dependence on air conditioning and heating systems by using natural light and shade as well as building features to store heat and cold.

• Install recycling facilities in the building.

• Reuse building components, fixtures, and furniture.

• Utilize water conservation prac-tices, such as use of rainwater for irrigation.

• Avoid building materials with volatile organic compounds.

• Ensure an adequate fresh air sup-ply.

• Supply adequate acoustic control, such as white noise generators.

• Consider how employees will travel to the site, availability of bike and bus routes.

• Pay attention to the culture and history of the community as well as past uses of the building.

• Research regulations that facili-tate green design and financial incentives.


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Taking the Next Step

Exploit corporate social responsibility

Make the most of your corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities by publicizing them. Ensure that customers, sup-

pliers and the local community know what you are doing. CSR lends itself to good news stories.

Publicity like this can be a key part of using CSR to win contracts. People want to buy from businesses they respect.

CSR can be particularly effective for targeting ethical companies, the public sector and not-for-profit organizations.

At the same time, you should see CSR as part of a continuing process of building long-term value. Everything you do

should help improve your reputation, and encourage customers and other stakeholders to want to be involved with you.

A business that buys recycled paper - but exploits its customers and ignores the community - has missed the point.

Effective CSR like this helps you continue to differentiate yourself. Even with dozens of competitors, a real commit-

ment to CSR lets you stand out. Commitment to CSR feeds through into customer service, sales and profits. As well as

affecting the way you behave, CSR can lead to new products and services that reflect your values. Over time, it can all

add up to a powerful brand - and a winning business.

Seek recognition for your environmental effortsSeek recognition for your environmental effortsSeek recognition for your environmental effortsSeek recognition for your environmental efforts Apply for corporate environmental awards to benchmark your successful sustainability efforts.

Take advantage of financial incentivesTake advantage of financial incentivesTake advantage of financial incentivesTake advantage of financial incentives Investigate state and local initiatives that provide finan-cial incentives for environmental efforts. Other programs might offer extensive hands-on assistance for corporate environmental efforts.

Offset environmental impactsOffset environmental impactsOffset environmental impactsOffset environmental impacts Calculate your carbon emissions and work to offset them through tree planting, forest protection efforts, energy-efficiency projects, and other offset projects.

Share your experience with other companiesShare your experience with other companiesShare your experience with other companiesShare your experience with other companies If you’ve gotten this far, chances are you and your busi-ness are a useful resource on how to work cleaner, leaner, and greener. Put your knowledge and experience to work by developing or participating in a corporate en-vironmental mentoring program. Mentoring will help reinvigorate your company’s environmental efforts, en-courage the growth of new ideas, and provide opportuni-ties for effective networking.

Talk to your co-workers about greening the workplace

You can share this toolkit with friends and family as well

Ta

kin

g t

he

Nex

t S

tep

Implement change in your lifestyleImplement change in your lifestyleImplement change in your lifestyleImplement change in your lifestyle Show that you care as an individual, not only as an em-ployee or member of an organization. Bring the changes into your home, talk to your friends and family.


30

Hazardous Waste Disposal - San Francisco Bay Area

Alameda County

• Recycling Hotline (TOLL-FREE) (877) STOPWASTE

• Home Composting Information Hotline (510) 444-SOIL

• Household Hazardous Waste (800) 606-6606

Contra Costa County

• Recycling (925) 335-1225


Marin County

• Recycling (415) 499-6647


Napa County

• Recycling (707) 257-9292


San Francisco City & County

• Recycling (415) 554-6193


San Joaquin County

• Recycling & Household Hazardous Waste (209) 468-3066

San Mateo County

• Recycling (888) 442-2666


Santa Clara County

• Recycling (800) 533-8414

• Home Composting (408) 918-4640


Solano County


Sonoma County


State of California California Integrated Waste Management Board

• Recycling Hotline (916) 341-6000

• California Materials Exchange (CALMAX) (877) 520-9703

• Department of Conservation Recycling Hotline (800) 732-9253

Ba

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Wa

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31

Useful Links

Lin

ks

Bay Area Recycling www.bayarearecycling.org

Business For Social Responsibility www.bsr.org

California Consumer Energy Center www.consumerenergycenter.org

Center for Sustainable Innovation www.sustainableinnovation.org/

Cleaning Products Facts www.cleaningproductfacts.com

Computer Take Back Campaign www.computertakeback.org

Conscious Consumer newdream.org/consumer/

Coop America Green Pages www.coopamerica.org/

CSR Europe www.csreurope.com

Direct Computer Disposal www.directcomputerdisposal.com

E Cycling www.eiae.org

Earth 911 www.earth911.org

Employee Transportation Handbook www.provokare.com/guides/EmployeeTransportationHandbook.pdf

Environment California www.environmentcalifornia.org

Environmental Working Group www.ewg.org

EPA Electronic Recycling www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/recycle/ecycling/index.htm

EPA: Compliance and Enforcement www.epa.gov/compliance/

EPA: Environmental Preferable Purchasing www.epa.gov/epp/

EPA: Small Business Assistance Program www.epa.gov/smallbusiness/help.htm

Ethical Corporation www.ethicalcorp.com

Flex You Power www.fypower.org

Green Biz www.greenbiz.com

Green Guide www.thegreenguide.com

Green Light Office Supplies www.greenlightoffice.com/

Green Line Paper www.greenlinepaper.com

Green Office Guide www.egeneration.co.uk

Green Office Supplies www.dolphinblue.com/

Greener Buildings www.greenerbuildings.com

Greener Cars www.greenercars.com

Greener Computing www.greenercomputing.com

Greener Printer www.greenerprinter.com

Greener World Media www.greenerworldmedia.com

Healthy Building Network www.healthybuilding.net

Joel Makower - blog makower.typepad.com

Natural Resources Defense Council www.nrdc.org

OSHA www.osha.gov/dcsp/smallbusiness/consult.html

Responsible Shopper www.responsibleshopper.org

Safer Products Project www.safer-products.org

Small Business Journey www.smallbusinessjourney.com

Smart Office www.smartoffice.com

Spare the Air - Bay Area www.sparetheair.org

The Green Office www.thegreenoffice.com

Tiny Footprints www.tinyfootprints.org

Toxic Environment www.provokare.com/guides/OurHealthandtheEnvironment.pdf

Union of Concerned Scientists www.ucsusa.org

Water: Use it Wisely www.wateruseitwisely.com

World Business Council on Sustainable Dev. www.wbcsd.org

Yahoo Green Car Center autos.yahoo.com/green_center

Building Green www.buildinggreen.com


32

Cover Title Author

Strategies for the Green Economy: Opportunities and challenges in the world of business

Joel Makower

Green to Gold: How smart companies use en-vironmental strategy to innovate, create value and build competitive advantage

Daniel C.Esty—

Andrew S Winston

The Ecology of Commerce Paul Hawken

Green Business: A five-part model for creat-ing an environmentally responsible company.

Amy K., Ph.D. Townsend

Building the green economy: Success sto-ries from the grassroots

Kevin Danaher, Shannon

Biggs, and Jason Mark

Corporate Social Responsibility: Doing the most good for your company and your cause

Philip Kotler and

Nancy Lee

Recommended Reading


33

Subject Reference

Social Responsibility • Business For Social Responsibility: www.BSR.org

• Business in the community www.bitc.org.uk

• Coop America www.coopamerica.org

• CSR Europe www.csreurope.com

All other sections are a combination of the information gathered from the following papers, websites and books. They were compiled and put into different sections by subjects.

• EPA Compliance and Enforcement

• OSHA

• GreenBiz.com

• GreenOffice.com

• The Green Office Manual www.ecu.edu.au

• Guide to Environmentally Preferable Computer Pur-chasing

• Employee Transportation Handbook—Online

• Waste At Work Council of the Environment—NY

• Green Business by Amy K. Townsend PHd

• Green to Gold by Daniel C.Esty and Andrew S. Winston

• Re-Think your Bottom Line Alameda County waste management

• Measuring Eco-Efficiency, A guide to reporting com-pany performance. World business Council

• Water Alliance for Voluntary Efficiency

• The Better World Handbook by Ellis Jones

• Clean Air Council www.cleanair.org

• Union of Concerned Scientists

• NRDC—Nature Resource Defense Council

• EPA—Environment Protection Agency (Various sites)

References

Ref

eren

ces


34

This booklet was developed based on the research from various websites, books and magazines. All information is duly referenced and available in more extended formats.

Produced by


For presentations and speeches contact:


Roberto Giannicola

www.provokare.com

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