Greening Your Company

Personal Narrative

Why we're interested The history of our involvement /

interest in workplace 'activism'

Why it’s important to campaign at work Develops personal campaigning skills Networking Showing interest in workplace can be good for

your job prospects (if done well) Can reduce workplace costs OH&S benefits Gets others involved who are usually too busy

in their everyday life Integrates the macro & micro (i.e. small

changes fit into bigger picture of environment movement).

Make your campaigns SMART

Specific Measurable Achievable Relevant Time bound

Develop a Mission Statement An example is:

“To operate as an environmentally aware carbon-neutral company by 2011.”

General outline could be as follows: Phase I: To reuse and recycle all material waste

produced through our business activity within the first quarter of 2010

Phase II: To reduce all energy waste produced through our business activity within the second quarter of 2010

Phase III: To expand our mission into the community through the participation / creation of eco-friendly events.

Changes to look at - general

TWS fundraising / awareness Procurement policy Ethics Workplace culture / sustainability

Changes to look at – consumption

Water usage Paper usage Plastic usage Carbon emissions Energy use Recycling

Reduction of consumption Energy

Hibernate / turn off all computers and peripherals when not in use.

Adopt the use of energy-efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs. Install lighting censors to turn lights out in rooms not in use. Optimise A/C usage by setting A/C on timers to reduce

consumption in off hours. Paper

Use only recycled paper. Print in double-sided / duplex mode whenever possible. Encourage paperless meetings. Distribute interoffice memos electronically rather than in hard

copy. Eliminate the use of paper plates in your employee lunch area. Encourage employees to buy takeaway coffee in their own mugs.

Reduction of consumption (cont’d)

Plastic Discourage the use of or eliminate the use

of plastic bottled beverages. Eliminate the use of plastic utensils and

plates your employee lunch area. CO2 Emissions

Encourage employees to use alternative modes of transportation – such as bus, train, bike, or walking – when possible.

Encourage ridesharing by designating premium parking spaces nearer the entrance for those who carpool.

Recycling Lots of things can be recycled. In addition to paper, plastic, and

aluminium, you can also recycle: Batteries Ink and toner cartridges Computer equipment Mobile phones Light bulbs Cleaning products Styrofoam

Place recycling bins in accessible, high traffic areas and provide clear information about what can be recycled.

Once you’ve established a way to collect your recyclable materials, make sure your cleaning staff understands how to handle your recyclable waste. It doesn’t do any good to separate your recyclables if they aren’t disposed of properly.

You should also consult your local council for recycling centres that can handle special recyclables like computers, cell phones, batteries. You can even open it up to your employees to bring recyclable items from home and make your impact even greater.

Offset your company’s carbon footprint Your “carbon footprint” is the measurement of the

amount of carbon dioxide you release into the atmosphere through your activities. Even conscientious companies with conservation policies in place will still produce carbon emissions. You can determine the volume of carbon dioxide emissions your organization produces through the calculating:

Electricity usage Employee commuting Employee air travel Other carbon-emitting activities

Organisations such as www.carbonneutral.com.au help you calculate your carbon footprint and make donations to offset it

How to implement changes

Dialogue with employees, clients or management

Assemble a volunteer team of people Posters Information sheets Emails Join your union

Things to consider Target audience’s concerns / interest in

the issues Pros / cons of suggested changes Obstacles Which tactic/goal is most likely to succeed Specificities of workplace Amount of energy required Likely outcomes

Develop a plan

Use resources – TWS letter writing kits

Paper brochures Go to

www.greeningyourcompany.weebly.com

Strategy and tactics Be positive, consistent, don’t nag Know your subject / co-workers / management

well Know where your power lies Offer resources and information Subtle tips in the right direction Offer to get involved Join a committee Recognise workplace culture shifts take time Enter “carbon-neutral companies” and similar

into Google and tell management about the companies you find. It may make them feel competitive.

Most importantly … change your own actions ‘From little things, big things grow’ See 10 tips To Make Your Day Eco-

friendlier brochure on www.greeningyourcompany.weebly.com

Overall picture Link to TWS campaigns – forests, paper

awareness, community interest in TWS, etc Get involved in other community initiatives

such as Clean Up Australia day and tree plantings – these can be excellent for team-building exercises.

Encourage your business partners to adopt similar environmental policies and practices