Institute for Green Business Certification

STORM WATER TIPS

2011-11-25T08:30:00.000-08:00

By: Garry H. Peterson President IGBC

Have you ever had standing water on your business property or in your back yard and wondered what you could do or who can help? Most water drainage related issues that occur are sump pump discharge, improperly graded or unmaintained (silted) swales, construction/landscaping items within the swale, or leaking irrigation/water supply lines.

It is the responsibility of the property owner to address these issues. The local municipality is responsibilities are limited to damage issues that occur within the road right-of-way or that are associated with cast iron drains and concrete storm pipe that have been publicly dedicated to the ciry/town.

If you have standing water problems, here are a few tips to help you assess the problem:

First, determine if you have a large amount of water regularly backing up during smaller rain events in the vicinity of a storm drain. If this is true, you should call your local municipal authority to report a potential clog within the storm sewer system that may need maintenance.

If you do not have a drain near you, or you do not have water standing near a storm drain, but have water standing in other portions of the drainage easement or the rear or side yard easement, look for a water source such as a sump pump discharge, a leaking water supply or irrigation line, or a buried roof downspout. If the standing water occurs regularly even during dry periods, the problem is most likely related to a sump pump or irrigation/water supply line leak since these can be continual sources.

ENERGY INDEPENDENCE AND SECURITY ACT

2011-11-21T08:30:00.001-08:00

By: Garry H. Peterson President IGBC
Next year (2012) the first phase of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 will take effect, requiring light bulbs to be 30% more energy-efficient and beginning the phase-out of traditional incandescent bulbs.

This means CFL bulbs rather than the ones most people are accustom to purchasing. However, there maybe an alternative to CFL bulbs and they may not be the only option. LED lighting has come a long way, “it’s starting to make a splash” according to people in the lighting industry. Judge for yourself as to what is best for you, the environment and governmental regulations.

Outdoor Retailer Regroups to Remain Green by Tina Marie Bibergall

2011-11-03T11:10:00.000-07:00

Recent green reports indicated that Timberland, the American manufacturer and retailer of outdoor wear, had a carbon footprint that increased by 11 percent last quarter. Alarming news for a company that boasts landing the 78th slot in the 2007 CNN Money “One hundred best companies to work for” list and prides itself on corporate social responsibility.

This news was not taken lightly by the powers-that-be at Timberland, and they had answers for why greenhouse gas emissions increased in the second quarter of 2011 and continued to commit to reducing these emissions in the future.

As the US economy improves, this is a trend we will see more often among even the most earth-friendly companies. As executives at Timberland cited, there is usually a direct correlation between business growth and greenhouse gas emission growth due to factors such as increased energy output to operate new stores or expand operating hours in existing stores, increase in employee air travel, and increased shipping needs to keep store shelves stocked.

As a green-conscious company, Timberland will aggressively monitor greenhouse gas emissions for the remainder of 2011; even though its business forecast predicts continued growth, the goal will be for gas emissions to remain constant.

As a green-conscious company, Timberland will aggressively monitor greenhouse gas emissions for the remainder of 2011; even though its business forecast predicts continued growth, the goal will be for gas emissions to remain constant.

Additionally, Timberland has renewed its previous goal to reduce emissions by 50% (this goal identified 2006 emissions as a baseline and was to be attained by 2010; Timberland fell short but had an admirable 38 percent decline). Taking into account business expansion plans, Timberland extended its 50% reduction goal to the year 2015.

It is noteworthy that although Timberland’s Q2 results feel short of expectations, the company’s overall trends over the past few years showed a steady decline of both emissions and electricity demands. In fact, in 2010 revenue increased while emissions and electricity demand showed little, if any, change.

According to Timberland’s Beth Holzman, Manager of Corporate Social Responsibility and Reporting, Timberland is focusing on four main strategies to reduce their carbon footprint while continuing to enjoy corporate financial growth. They are as follows (as first reported by GreenBiz.com)

1) Targeting the Big Wins: Timberland will target its biggest, most energy-intensive facilities for renewable energy exploration. For example, Holzman pointed out that some of Timberland’s larger European offices can utilize clean energy options from utilities that have the infrastructure to offer it at a reasonable rate. By targeting the biggest companies, emissions would be significantly reduced.

2) Buying Energy in Bulk: If Timberland can purchase bulk energy in the US and Europe, it can then use the cost-saving to purchase clean energy later. Holzman notes that if the company can come up with creative ways to not increase total cost, but reinvent the way it is allocated then the overall footprint can be reduced.

3) Incentives for Less Travel: When business and revenue rises, often so does corporate travel. Timberland must ensure that its worldwide production is meeting company standards, but incentives can be developed to encourage individual business units to prioritize and compartmentalize air travel.

4) Quarterly Reporting: Timberland firmly believes that social and environmental data should be reported on a quarterly basis in order to provide the most up-to-date decision-making tools; this data has been reported quarterly since 2008.

Holzman points out that Timberland treats social and environmental decisions with the same weight as every other aspect of the business. Quarterly reporting lends itself to making necessary mid-course corrections or shifts in priorities on a timelier basis.

In addition, Holzman cited that since 2006, annual savings as a result of Timberland’s environmental program have exceeded $1 million. There is little doubt that being environmentally conscious is an all-around win for Timberland, its consumers, and the environment.

"Army Green" Takes on New Meaning by Tina Marie Bibergall

2011-11-01T10:15:00.000-07:00

The US military has already been actively engaged in efforts to shrink its carbon footprint for several years. Solar-powered water purification systems have been implemented in Afghanistan, and a US Navy jet has been designed to be partially fueled by biofuel in conjunction with a $500 million biofuel investment by the Navy.

Perhaps one of the most innovative attempts for the Army to “go green” however, has been recently unveiled by BAE Systems, one of the defense contractors competing to design a hybrid-electric, next generation Ground Combat Vehicle (GCV). The vehicle would push the Army’s efforts forward in modernizing its armored fighting vehicles.

GCV’s will be different than traditional tanks in that they will offer improved survivability and state-of-the-art mobility and power management functions. The system would be capable of integration with unmanned systems and dismounted soldiers. This requirement – protection and mobility – was outlined in several documents published by the US Army as among the top priorities for the GCV that is expected to begin replacing the M2/M3 Bradley Infantry Combat Vehicle.

Other non-negotiable features on the Army’s GCV wish list: the vehicle must carry a full squad of nine soldiers plus the vehicle crew, must provide flexibility to accommodate technology growth, and must be able to be implemented into the field within seven years. This requirement to design and field a defense vehicle such as the GCV within that short a timeframe, is a tall order.

Expanding on the issue of protection, infantry squads and vehicle crews are more frequently being put into situations in Iraq and Afghanistan where improvised explosive devices (IEDs) are being used as a threat. The GCV’s must be both rugged enough to withstand significant impact, but nimble enough to drive like a smaller or lighter weight vehicle to quickly react to offensive maneuvers.

The benefits of the hybrid fuel system are twofold: additional driving range is gained with the same amount of fuel due to increased efficiency or, alternately, the ability to reduce the amount of on-board fuel requirements but still be able to achieve the same range as a non-hybrid vehicle.

The anticipated fuel reduction over a standard deployment of six months would be approximately 20 to 25 percent. The result is fewer trucks and convoys being put on the battlefield and in harm’s way. Taking into account that a staggering 30 percent of casualties in Iraq were due to convoys delivering fuel and supplies, the benefit of hybrid vehicles reaches far beyond the green implications to actual lives saved.

By implementing these new, state-of-the-art vehicles, the Department of Defense is not only a hero to the environment, but to our heroes as well!

Product Parade by Tina Marie Bibergall

2011-05-28T19:57:00.000-07:00

Picture the following scenario – I walk into the local discount beauty products store with my four kids; I have three teenage boys and a little diva daughter. Their eyes immediately light up at all the “product options”; it is a familiar feeling because my heart also beats just a little faster when I walk into the Disney of beauty products.

My two oldest boys go to the right – directly to the “good” deodorant and body spray that will make the young ladies swoon. It says so in the commercial, after all. My third son heads to the left – he needs the extra-pasty hair stuff that will make his hair REALLY spiky. He wants to look just like the cool kid in the magazine ad he saw yesterday while we waited in the dentist’s office.

My little girl, oh my darling little girl…she doesn’t know which way to head first! Does she need body spray, glitter gloss, glow-in-the-dark nail polish, or just some strawberry- scented hairspray?

As American consumers, we have been convinced by hair stylists, makeup artists, estheticians, Hollywood icons, and even some doctors that the more “product” you purchase and use, the better you will look. We are even sold on the fact that the more of these items we use, the better we will FEEL; we will be healthier, our hair will not gray as quickly, our teeth will be whiter, and our nails longer.

Some of these claims may be true, but at what risk to the environment? In addition, some of these claims may be completely false if you are not carefully checking the ingredients in your products.

If your house is anything like mine, you have several more “products” than you use and just aren’t quite ready yet to dispose of them “just in case” you want to use them in the future. These products are the ones to be especially cautious of because chances are they were manufactured prior to the introduction of a new standard for personal care items.

Fortunately for green-conscious consumers, Green Seal has established a new standard for these personal care products and through its non-profit environmental certification process will make an impact on environmental effects as well as an impact on possible consequences to your health.

The new standard is referred to as GS-50 and affects products that are intended to stay on the body, as opposed to the GS-44 standard for soaps and shampoos that are meant to be rinsed off the body. The reason for the new standard is because the GS-50 products have different ingredients and therefore affect the environment differently.

The strict standard polices everything from product performance, ingredients, and labeling to packaging and social responsibility. Items such as lotions, hair sprays, sunscreens, insect repellants, makeup and antiperspirants have even more specific requirements to be followed.

In addition to the above guidelines, products must be free of animal-testing, carcinogens, and reproductive toxins or other compounds harmful to humans. Surprised that a product you might be using could contain toxic compounds? Think again. Ingredients that are banned under GS-50, but are not banned worldwide are bisphenol (BPA), phthalates, and triclosan.

These products are not only dangerous to the environment, but can be very dangerous to humans and animals as well. Adult men with high levels of phthalates in their systems may experience reduced sperm count and motility and increased damage to sperm DNA. Baby boys that are exposed to high levels of phthalates in utero or while nursing are more likely to have reproductive system abnormalities as adults.

BPA in the blood is a primary cause of polycystic ovarian disorder and recurrent miscarriages in women, and a recent animal study suggests that triclosan can have adverse effects on the thyroid system. When triclosan leaks into tap water and into lakes and streams, it is known to form chemicals that are linked to cancer and a variety of other health problems as well.

These three harmful chemicals can be directly introduced into the human body by using products containing the toxins or from consumption of fish and water that are contaminated from chemical runoff.

These chemicals are in more common products than the average consumer might be aware. Phthalates can commonly be found in any “fragrance” containing product, nail polish, food wrap, toys, detergents, and even pill coatings. BPA is used in hard plastic water bottles, food container liners and beverage cans, dental sealants and baby bottles. Shocked yet? Well, there’s more! Triclosan is found in antibacterial soaps, antibacterial cleaning agents, and even toothpaste!

Imagine trying to protect your family from bacteria and instead introducing a thyroid-damaging product into their bloodstreams. Very scary indeed, and thus the reason that GS-50 is so vital to the protection of unknowing consumers.

In order to meet some of the other requirements of GS-50, companies must have recyclable packaging, a take-back program, or packaging made with 50 percent post-consumer material. All ingredients must be disclosed, as well as documentation for energy and water consumption, air emissions, and trash and waste water generated from the manufacturing process.

The company must demonstrate social responsibility by providing employees the right to join labor unions. In addition, child labor is strictly prohibited and wages and working hours must meet minimum legal requirements or fall within the industry standards.

Green Seal has initiated standards to cover everything from building products to restaurants and continues to strive to make the world a more environmentally-friendly place to live.

HP Remains a Big Player in Tech's Green Movement by Tina Marie Bibergall

2011-05-22T21:22:00.000-07:00

Toshiba recently announced it was expanding its e-waste program to include copiers and printer cartridges; what are other computer industry leaders doing to contribute to the corporate quest for sustainability? For one, HP is making some notable strides with plastic inkjet cartridges.

HP’s PDR Recycling plant (PDR roughly translates from Bavarian as “products from recycled material”) is located in Thurnau, Germany and is nestled among several small and medium businesses that have created many jobs in the area.

At the HP service provider’s facility there, plastic inkjet cartridges are collected and sorted in order to begin the recycling process. Once the cartridges are sorted, any residual ink is removed and the cartridges are shredded. This is a vast departure from competitor’s cartridge recycling programs that mostly involve collecting and refilling the cartridges for redistribution. HP doesn’t believe that method passes their corporate quality standards.

HP collects the recyclable cartridges through three main sources:

- Manufacturing waste
- Non-salable units from resellers or returned and unused products from resellers
- Post-consumer cartridges that have been returned through retail stores or through cartridge collection programs or corporate pick-up programs

When cartridges go through HP’s innovative shredding process, the byproducts are small pieces of steel, plastic, copper and foam; this can vary depending on the exact type of cartridge. The byproducts are then sorted and sent to secondary processing facilities.

Foam and ink byproducts are used in waste-to-energy incinerators to create electricity; some are also sold for other uses on the scrap metal market. The plastic byproduct goes to a separate facility where it is combined with plastic from water bottle recycling and other additives in order to restore it to usable plastic that can be used in new cartridges.

By the beginning of 2011, over 1 billion HP Ink and LaserJet cartridges have been returned and recycled worldwide. This has all been made possible through the HP Planet Partners Return and Recycling program. This program was started in 1991, so in two decades since the program was started the achievements have been extraordinary. The numbers are impressive with regard to components of HP ink cartridges as well; the recycled plastic leaves a 22 percent smaller carbon footprint than its pure plastic counterparts. Fossil fuel is reduced by 50 percent and water consumption goes down by 69 percent per HP’s lifecycle assessment studies.

HP is currently researching ways to improve the recycling process further by separating the recyclable components before shredding. This will more efficiently prepare the components for recycling.

HP’s efforts haven’t stopped with just ink cartridges; the company also provides convenient ways to recycle computer equipment, cell phones, and rechargeable batteries. In most cases, postage-paid packaging can be used to return these items to an HP center.

HP is also passing the benefits of its green initiatives on to customers through its HP Renew Program – several lines of servers and storage options can be purchased to extend the usable life of IT hardware and also make it more accessible to people who might not otherwise have the opportunity to buy new technology.

In today’s age of stricter IT budgets, HP offers a viable option by taking products that are customer returns, cancelled orders, demo units, and lease returns and “recycling” them to consumers. The units are carefully inspected, refurbished or remanufactured as needed, and re-boxed. An HP limited warranty is even offered on these units that have eighteen months or less of original use.

HP performs the same service with several items that are more than eighteen months old: larger servers, superdomes, workstations, business desktops, and business monitors. These programs are offered to customers within the United States; similar programs are offered for customers worldwide.

On a global level, HP is working hard to prove it is doing its part in the industry-wide effort to contribute less e-Waste to the environment.

2011-05-19T09:18:00.000-07:00

Computer Giant Takes A Giant Leap Forward in the Fight Against e-Waste by Tina Marie Bibergall

2011-05-04T20:02:00.000-07:00

When Toshiba launched its electronic recycling partnership with Close the Loop in 2008, did anyone expect that over 90,000 pounds of e-waste would be recycled in less than three years? Probably not! Now that Toshiba’s efforts have paid off and garnered the company recognition as an industry leader in the e-waste effort, the company is setting loftier goals for the future.

Toshiba is joining the industry effort to be recycling 16 billion pounds of e-waste annually by the year 2016. In addition, next year Toshiba will be releasing a new “Voluntary Environment Plan” (VEP) which will expand on its current VEP goals that were last updated in 2008. One of the highlights in Toshiba’s current plan is to reduce Greenhouse Gases from its products by 6.3 million tons in Fiscal 2010 and by 7.3 million tons in FY 2012.

Just last week, Toshiba announced that it is expanding its e-waste return program to include items such as copiers and printer cartridges. The company already increased its e-waste recycling by 400% since 2009; this initiative for expansion will raise that percentage even higher.

Tom Walter, a director of marketing and operations for Toshiba America Business Services, commented that Toshiba’s “Zero Waste to Landfill” recycling program is helping Toshiba take positive steps towards aiding businesses with the recycling of imaging consumables such as toner cartridges. He stated that Toshiba is providing this service “not because we have to, but because it’s the right thing to do.”

While Toshiba moves forward in growing its “Zero Waste to Landfill” program, its partnership with Close the Loop continues to expand. Close the Loop (CTL) uses e-waste to manufacture plastic eLumber which is comprised completely of recycled materials. This plastic lumber can be used instead of wood for park benches, decks, and fences – to name a few. The product has also been used to create garden boxes and other items for Habitat for Humanity.

CTL is not only saving third-world developing countries from receiving harmful e-waste, but it is saving precious forest resources by finding an alternative to wood. Recycling mixed plastics, inks and sponges, and toner powder is not an easy process, but entrepreneur Steve Morriss, founder of CTL, uses state-of-the-art materials separation technology to create a proprietary recycling process. It is through this process that the previously waste materials are converted to eLumber.

Close the Loop, Inc. is one of the top recyclers of imaging consumables worldwide and was founded in Australia in 2000. Toshiba was the first manufacturer of multifunction products (MFPs) to partner with CTL in its “Zero Waste to Landfill” recycling program. Over 600 million imaging consumables are used annually in the US; the majority of these consumables end up in landfills.

With the ingenuity of companies such as CTL and the leadership of industry giants such as Toshiba, the goal of recycling 16 billion pounds of e-waste in the next five years is surely an attainable one.

Green Business Practices by Tina Marie Bibergall

2011-04-28T16:38:00.000-07:00

In recent years, green business practices have become more than just a fashionable trend. Green business practices are a way of life for many companies – a way to increase productivity, save money, and contribute to helping the environment.

There are many things that every business can do to save money while reducing their carbon footprint. Here are five simple and straightforward strategies to start with:

1) Think “outside the box” on how to REDUCE WASTE – Many companies are reducing waste in obvious areas, but how many have analyzed their shipping policies? Choosing the right size box for a package and using packing materials that are recyclable are two key ways to accomplish this.

Companies can choose to participate in programs such as UPS’s Eco Responsible Packaging Program in order to stand out from the competition and demonstrate to customers that they are taking a hands-on approach to conservation. Once a company meets the shipping process requirements of UPS, they are able to label all compliant packages with the “Eco Responsible Packaging Program” logo.

Numerous large corporations are choosing their vendors now based on how well they outrank the competition in their green practices; responsible shipping is one such area that can be measured.

2) Save time and paper resources by going ELECTRONIC – Eliminate the need to print and store invoices by using an online billing system. This not only reduces paper waste, but it increases efficiency when customers’ accounts must be reviewed for past payments, disputes, and shipping data. Postage costs will be reduced and bill reconciliation and reporting will become easier as a result.

3) Shed a little LIGHT on things – Over the past several years, lighting options have changed tremendously for the better. Upgrading old light fixtures with newer, more energy efficient ones can save large companies millions of kilowatt hours annually. Challenge your employees to identify key areas where energy can be saved –turning off lights in vending machines, unplugging automatic coffee makers, and installing automatic bathroom lighting can make a vast difference.

4) ZAP the ENERGY bugs! – Not as obvious as updating lighting choices, updated appliances can also make a large impact on a company’s energy bill. Appliances that meet tough energy efficiency standards from the U.S. government are certified as Energy Star appliances. These updated appliances reduce greenhouse gases and perform more efficiently and cost-effectively than their predecessors.

5) NEUTRALIZE the carbon – There are carbon neutral shipping options that you can choose to neutralize the impact of shipping packages. For as little as 5 cents, a donation will be made to support carbon-reducing efforts such as reforestation, methane capture and conversion of wastewater bio-gas to energy.

Several retailers are already offering carbon neutral shipping to their customers. They can be identified by a logo on websites, brochures, and company catalogs. These companies will definitely have a strategic advantage over their competition with corporate customers that are moving towards “green” vendors.

These five simple tips to help your business improve its green practices are just the beginning of what The Institute for Green Business Certification can do to help your company become Green Certified.

2011-04-25T14:49:00.000-07:00

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Institute for Green Business Certification
Tel: 317-436-8674
garry@gbcertified.com

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The 41st Annual Earth Day - What Did You Do? by Tina Marie Bibergall

2011-04-25T14:44:00.000-07:00

Earth Day – we see commercials about it, Disney releases movies to celebrate it, and everywhere we look there are banners promoting it, but just HOW significant is Earth Day to the average American family?

In my community it is pretty significant, especially if you have school-age children. In my son’s 7th grade class, awareness is being built by going to see the new Disney movie “African Cats” which celebrates the lives of two cat families and how they teach their young to survive in the jungle.

For my 3rd grader things are based around water transportation. His class built boats out of Styrofoam and tinfoil and raced them in a pool of water to demonstrate one of the many reasons our bodies of water are important.

Even my youngest child – who is in 1st grade – came home excited to report that she would be wearing blue on Monday, green on Tuesday, and a shirt with a wild animal on Wednesday to represent water, land, and endangered species, respectively. On Thursday the entire school was challenged to bring a lunch from home that was either made up of completely recyclable materials or packaged in a container that Mom could wash and reuse.

Throughout the community, a recycling drive was organized, a book exchange was promoted, and a kite-flying event was scheduled. Again, these events are keenly geared towards even the youngest consumers to introduce them to green practices at the earliest age possible. My, how far we’ve come!

So how did big businesses do in promoting Earth Day? Many companies hold vendor expos, hands-on lunch workshops, recycling events, and opportunities to give back by volunteering throughout the community.

Some companies will bring in local farmers, solar companies, and other green businesses so that people can get a firsthand look at how green practices affect them close-to-home.

Other companies have gone a step further and instead of just TALKING about Earth Day, they are actually DOING something even more tangible that everyone from upper management to entry-level employees can be involved in.

One example is the Blue Shield Company in California; the company initiated a three-step Green Pledge this Earth Day. The Pledge was derived from a poll of employees and examines major everyday environmental impact items such as energy use and paper consumption.

Unfortunately, even though the majority of people try to contribute something positive to Earth Day, there are still those who blatantly take advantage and use the celebration activities for their own personal gain. One company, Redemtech, has addressed this issue in its blog. Says Bart Porter, “We’re trying to convey that e-waste needs to be properly processed so that it does not wind up overseas, incinerated or landfilled.

Redemtech planned a series of social media messages to bring awareness to the fact that some collectors and dealers will use Earth Day collection events to unload their toxic junk on overseas developing nations. Redemtech is taking this very personally and doing their part by educating consumers as to the critical nature of appropriate electronics recycling.

Other tech companies are jumping onboard as well. Verizon Wireless will provide free recycling of cell phones; all you have to do is drop off ANY brand of wireless phone or accessory at a Verizon retail outlet. There are 1200 locations to choose from across the country so Verizon is reaching a large demographic. The phones will then be recycled, refurbished, or sold. All proceeds support the HopeLine Program’s domestic violence prevention programs across the U.S. Kudos to Verizon for helping the environment as well as providing invaluable aid to a nationwide epidemic – domestic violence.

AT&T Wireless is pitching in on a similar program in conjunction with the Environmental Protection Agency and Keep America Beautiful. Old equipment can be dropped off at any AT&T Wireless location and the profits will be donated to Keep America Beautiful. Donated phones that can be immediately reused are given to the Red Cross and other such emergency relief organizations.

Hewlett Packard is making great strides in the e-waste battle. To honor Earth Day, HP will double its HP Planet Partners e-coupon promotion which will give consumers as much as a $100 credit towards an online purchase during the month of April.

HP provides a Web-based recycling service that allows customers to schedule pickup of unwanted equipment. Again, the equipment is refurbished and reused, donated, or properly disposed of.

Going even one step further, HP sponsors a world-wide laser printer cartridge-recycling program. More than 39 million cartridges have been turned in since the program’s inception 20 years ago. This equates to a savings of 50,000 tons of landfill waste globally.

From school children, to community groups, to big business, Earth Day means getting out there and doing something to stand up for the environment.

So what did your family or businesses do to recognize Earth Day? Do you think it was enough or do you hope to have a bigger impact next year? Please post your comments on our blog to share with our readers YOUR great Earth Day ideas!

FSC or SFI...The Battle Over Our Forests by Tina Marie Bibergall

2011-04-17T16:36:00.000-07:00

FSC or SFI…The Battle Over Our Forests By Tina Marie Bibergall

The “FSC” logo is branded on many paper products and other publications, but how many people know what it actually stands for? “FSC” stands for “Forest Stewardship Council”. The Council was established in 1993 in response to the 1992 Earth Summit.

Different groups such as loggers, foresters, environmentalists, and sociologists came together to discuss the challenges raised at the Summit, and the FSC was formed. FSC’s initial funding came as a result of strong support from private charitable foundations; FSC continues to solicit support from such entities today.

Voluntary, third-party forest certification then began due to market concerns about illegal logging and forest management programs.

The Sustainable Forestry Initiative or “SFI” began in 1994 and its original principles and implementation guidelines were developed in 1995.

The SFI logo can also be found on many paper products and publications. SFI supports similar concerns as the FSC, but has different stakeholders and, of course, represents different opinions on how to manage our forest system.

As of late, the debate over which certification is “greener” and more “authentic” has come under scrutiny. FSC claims that SFI holds strong industry ties within the timber industry and states that the SFI organization is greenwashing. SFI issued a defense statement saying that it has cut industry ties and developed firmer standards than in previous years.

Despite SFI’s rebuttal, there has been considerable fallout in the form of corporate casualties for SFI. As of last week, Aetna; Symantec; Allstate; Office Depot and United Stationers all redefined their relationships with SFI. Joining the Fortune 500 heavy hitters are high-end clothing and home designer, Garnet Hill, and cycling store chain, Performance, Inc.

The actions range from Aetna’s commitment to phase out use of SFI-stamped materials for printed marketing to Allstate using only FSC certified office paper; Garnet Hill and Performance will no longer use SFI-stamped paper for its catalogs, and Office Depot will no longer use the SFI logo on Depot-brand office paper. United Stationers will now use FSC as it procurement benchmark and Symantec will use FSC for paper marketing and packaging materials.

Companies are citing a primary reason for their actions as wanting to be trusted in the environment. ForestEthics Director of U.S. Campaigns, Aaron Sanger, refers to the SFI standard as a “phony standard” and calls out SFI for greenwashing.

SFI is responsible for certifying 184 acres of forest in North America – 58 million in the U.S. and 126 million in Canada. Additionally, the American Tree Farm System and Canada’s National Sustainable Forest Management Standard (both SFI-recognized labels) bring the total to 365 million acres.

SFI President and CEO, Kathy Abusow, fights back by saying that these slanderous claims only serve to do damage to the environment which is far greater than the damage being done to her organization. There are many supporters in the community – landowners, tree growers, loggers, and schools that run educational programs – that comprise the strong network of SFI. By turning their back on SFI, Abusow asserts that these companies are turning their backs on the entire community.

Abusow also notes that SFI is the market leader in certifications, leading over FSC that certifies 333.2 million acres in 81 countries across the world. ForestEthics’ Sanger argues that since the SFI seal is inferior and far easier to obtain, this comparison is an unfair one to make.

On a final note, Ms. Abusow commented regarding SFI, “I think the fact that our program has grown year after year after year speaks for itself.” Further she states, “It is my opinion that when people do their homework they will more likely come away with the impression that ForestEthics’ actions and pressure tactics are quite unethical and oftentimes misleading.”

Let’s hope that the battle between these two companies doesn’t begin to overshadow the real battle that should be the main focus – that is, the one to protect our forests.

Whole Foods for Your WHOLE Health! by Tina Marie Bibergall

2011-04-05T16:02:00.000-07:00

If you’ve ever been inside a Whole Foods grocery store, then you are accustomed to their open and inviting atmosphere, healthy and organic food choices, and innovative approaches to cooking. What you probably have not experienced are all the sustainability benchmarks and green initiatives established by the Whole Foods location in Dedham, Mass.

This store was designed and built as a showcase facility and is utilized to show Whole Food customers, employees, investors, and neighbors in Dedham just how possible it is to maintain leading energy and sustainability practices. Showcase facilities are often used as learning tools to test how the implementation of sustainable business practices can have positive outcomes.

The showcase facility concept is not unique to Whole Foods alone; Procter & Gamble has a manufacturing plant in Maine that is a zero-waste facility. In addition, the iconic Empire State Building uses 100 percent green power under management by Malkin Holdings.

The Whole Foods showcase facility implements sustainable practices from construction to facility operations and store operations to overall culture in the following ways:
- All structural steel is made from completely recycled materials and the building uses an energy-efficient white roof.
- Renewable construction materials include Marmoleum surfaces and Trikeenan wall tiles.
- A 400kWh fuel cell and 80 kWh solar panels are used to provide 90 percent of the store’s energy requirements.
- The refrigeration system’s rejected heat is reclaimed and used to heat water.
- Kitchen exhaust systems are not used continuously and use energy on-demand only.
- In addition to the use of skylights to provide natural light, automated lighting is utilized in many areas of the store.
- 80 percent of store waste is reused.
- Grocery bags and cash register tape are made from completely recycled paper.
- The store has introduced programs such as wine cork recycling and the promotion of multiple containers for meals and lunches.
- The store promotes the use of sustainable cleaning products by providing an in-store cleaning and sink area for customers to “test” the products out before purchasing them.

Sustainability and sound green practices are encouraged throughout the building as related to operations, products, culture within the company, employee habits, and customer interaction.

Whole Foods had a definite advantage that the showcase building was built from the ground up, but they spared no expense in investing in the sustainability of this construction and went above and beyond what most companies have done in the past.

Whole Foods is not only taking an interest in your nutritional health, but in your WHOLE health as well!

Out of Sight, Out of Mind: Three Environmental Catastrophes You’ve Never Heard Of

2011-04-01T09:50:00.000-07:00

by Jeff Hughes

When Rachel Carson released Silent Spring in 1962, which attempted to raise awareness of the dangers of DDT, she touted a world without birds (DDT had been found to cause thinner egg shells and result in reproductive problems and death), a world where chemical industries were misinforming the public about the effects of their products on the public and the public’s environment. The book had an unprecedented effect on the public; it ultimately facilitated the ban of DDT in 1972, and is now widely credited with helping launch the environmental movement.

This was an inspiring story, indeed, but as consumerism and industrialization raced forward without stopping check their blind spots, environmental issues on the scale of DDT seemed to arrive with ever-increasing frequency. Fast forward to modern day and we find ourselves in so much trouble, so often, that it’s difficult for the average citizen to keep up with all of it- so, in an attempt to keep you somewhat above the murk, here’s a list of three “elephants in the living room”, if you will, that you may never have heard of:

1) The Pacific Coast Garbage Patch

This is a patch of floating garbage that stretches from the coast of California all the way to Japan. Conservative estimates place the patch around the size of Texas, while other reports state that it’s the size of a small continent. In some places, the floating debris—estimated to be about 90 percent plastic—goes 90 feet deep. According to the Huffington Post, “…in many areas there are six times more pieces of plastic than plankton, the main food source for many sea animals. Where did this trash come from? Marine biologists estimate that about 80 percent of the litter is from land, either dumped directly into waterways or blown into rivers and streams from states as far away as Iowa.”

2) The Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone

Aptly named, this is a 22,126 square kilometre (8,543 mi) region at the drainage basin of the Mississippi where agricultural and domestic storm water runoff have polluted the water to the point where only jellyfish can live. That’s 8,500 square miles of no marine biology other than jellyfish. These dead zones began as we over-fertilize our soils with nitrogen and other nutrients. As runoff carries these nutrients to the concentrated drainage basin, massive algal blooms occur as the fertilizers reach the ocean; the algal blooms are so massive that they deprive the area of oxygen for any other marine life. There are 146 known dead zones over the globe.

3) E-Waste

E-Waste, or electronic waste, is currently the fastest-growing form of waste on the planet according to Allen Hershkowitz, a senior scientist and authority on waste management at the Natural Resources Defense Council. To give you a small idea of the massive scale of this problem: 426,000 cell phones are retired in the US every day. This waste cannot simply be “thrown away” as it contains a number of harmful pollutants like lead, cadmium, mercury, chromium, and polyvinyl chlorides; many of which are known to cause blindness, infertility, and cancer, among other ills. Many of the recycling companies equipped to safely dismantle this waste are greatly overburdened- to the point where many have been tempted to illegally sell this waste elsewhere. In a report conducted by “60 Minutes”, E-Waste was found to be illegally shipped (by US recycling companies) to parts of China where those in poverty break down our trash, oftentimes with medieval burning techniques, to extract copper, gold, or other valuable metals, meanwhile exposing themselves to all the aforementioned toxins. It was found that in Guiyu, China- a common destination of illegal E-waste trade- seven out of ten children have too much lead in their blood.

There’s no end in sight for these issues and many more like them, as point-source pollution is a relatively new concept in the political sphere, and onlookers often rub them off as inescapable by-products of industrial development. As the middle class skyrockets in developing nations like China and India, there is no better time than now to raise the accountability of the global citizen. We need to keep in mind that as population nears the 7 billion mark and our planet becomes ever more crowded, there is no “away” to throw things to. Regardless of the overwhelming scale of these issues, “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Rebuy” has never been more relevant nor more necessary. All solutions start locally.

Taking Out the Trash at Walmart by Tina Marie Bibergall

2011-03-29T17:14:00.000-07:00

Many of us have heard about the financial success of Walmart and Sam’s Club over the past several years, but it is unlikely that many people have heard about the company’s most recent success.

In 2005, the CEO of Walmart (Lee Scott was the CEO in 2005.) envisioned a program that would make Walmart the first retailer to institute a zero-waste policy. Mr. Scott enlisted the help of Walmart’s Director for Store Innovations and Sustainability to get the job done. Vonda Lockwood went into action and began planning for Walmart’s Zero Waste Program.

Using a baseline of 2008, the first step to zero waste was defined and the wheels were set in motion. Walmart would strive to discontinue 100 percent of waste going to landfills from its U.S.-based operations by the year 2025.

EDF then stepped in to advocate Walmart’s goals, but to also discourage the use of incineration as a means to the end goal. EDF has long taken a strong position on the fact that the detriments of incineration outweigh the benefits. Incineration does not efficiently capture the energy used to make a product, and the infrastructure needed to support incineration is so costly, that the investment recovery process for the equipment is a never-ending process. The equipment is so prohibitively expensive that waste must continue to be burned just to pay the bills. Even if better reuse options come along, incineration must continue. Incineration only adds to air emissions and the need for ash disposal. For these reasons, better reuse and recycling options were investigated.

What Ms. Lockwood’s team came up with is so innovative, it is grabbing attention this week from environmental blogs across the country. For “green” advocates following Walmart’s efforts, the “super sandwich bale” is not an unfamiliar term. For those of us who are not familiar, it may sound like a new deal that Walmart has to feed a large family on a Friday night.

The “super sandwich bale” is, in fact, a tight bundle of waste cardboard that is comprised of 32 items for recycling. This can include aluminum cans, plastic hangers, plastic water and soda bottles, loose plastic wrap, office paper, and paperback books.

In 2009, Walmart was able to alleviate landfill waste by:

- 1.3 million pounds of aluminum
- 11.6 million pounds of mixed paper
- 18.9 pounds of plastic hangers
- 120 million pounds of plastic

Over 4.6 BILLION pounds of cardboard has been recycled as well. Despite these impressive results, Walmart took its efforts one step further and developed new and exciting means of disposing of food waste.

The EPA hierarchy for organic waste disposal (food and other decomposing plant and animal matter) is: source reduction – feed people – feed animals – industrial uses – composting – landfill/incineration. Walmart continues to try to perfect this model.

The Feeding America program, the nation’s largest hunger-relief charity, has received the benefit of partnering with Walmart to provide nearly 200 MILLION meals to food banks around the country. In conjunction with its network of Supercenters, Sam’s Clubs, and Neighborhood Markets, the Walmart Foundation has donated refrigerated trucks and funds to provide fresh fruit to people in need.

Walmart has also found a way to “dispose of” food not fit for human consumption due to time and spoiling; more than 130 wild animal parks around the country are feeding their lions, tigers, and other big cats thanks to Walmart’s efforts. Swine operations are recipients as well.

Organic diversion research has led to advances in the development of a national infrastructure for commercial composting facilities. Anaerobic digesters are being used to consume greenhouse gases and methane and convert it to energy.

Reaching TRUE zero waste is a difficult task; many companies “greenwash” their operations when in reality, only about 20% of waste is burned. Only truly renewable sources such as wind, solar, and tides should be used to produce energy. Trash needs to be dealt with in different manners. If you look to the waste that is produced by any of the U.S.-based Walmart locations, you will see dedicated employees interested in truly green options of redirecting trash in innovative and useful ways. This is even true for some of the Walmart facilities outside of the US.

Just as Walmart has become a leader in value-merchandising in the past several years, the company has become a leader in the quest to eliminate trash from the environment as well. Company shareholders now have at least two things to be very proud of.

WARNING Green Business Call Ceters

2011-03-23T07:04:00.000-07:00

The Institute for Green Business Certification, Inc. (IGBC) has nothing to do with any Call Center calling from a Pennsylvania telephone number: 215.475.5457. This Call Center has a number of complains about their harassing techniques while they claim to be taking a survey for Green Business Certification. They are, apparently, Phishing for account numbers.

Please be careful of giving any personal or business information to any phone solicitors that you are not familiar with.

We state again, the Call Center in question or any call centers doing "Green Survey" are not associated with the Institute for Green Business Certification, Inc., or any of our divisions. We are not sure if they have any association with any Green Business Certification company that we know about!

What on Earth is an FOG? by Tina Marie Bibergall

2011-03-22T12:45:00.001-07:00

Towns across the country – from Fisher, Indiana to Arlington, Virginia and all the way to the Bay Area – are urging residents to help stop the biggest enemy of our sewer lines. Fats, oils, and grease (known as FOG) come from food preparation, kitchen cleaning, and food disposal. FOG can clog pipes so badly that often sewer backups and spills can occur; this can lead to traffic tie-ups, environmental threats, health problems, and flooded homes and basements. As a result, costs incurred by village works and engineering departments rise as well.

FOG can be found in grease, cooking oil, margarine, butter, shortening, food scraps, meat fats, and lard. When items such as these are washed down a drain, they go into the sewer lines and form large, thick clumps of grease that clog the pipes.

Individual homeowners are being encouraged to reduce the improper disposal of FOG through distribution of flyers and articles placed in their village’s newsletters, but oftentimes, it is commercial businesses that are contributing to a greater amount of FOG. The volume of food prepared and disposed of in these businesses requires that special attention be paid to proper disposal or recycling of FOG.

Food service providers are being educated on the possible ramifications of FOG being so serious that consequences will affect wastewater treatment facilities and storm sewers. This goes far beyond the additional costs a business will incur if the FOG that can become cement-like when hardened clogs the pipes and causes backup of raw sewage or water into the business establishment.

There are simple steps that can be followed by individual homeowners to reduce the damaging effects of FOG:

- Do not use a drain or toilet to dispose of grease.
- Scrape plates and cookware thoroughly to remove debris before washing.
- Use a strainer or basket to catch food particles and grease.
- Never use a garbage disposal to drain grease.

Further steps can be taken by food establishments which handle a much greater volume of FOG:

- Install a commercial-grade grease trap/interceptor.
- Use a deep fryer to strain or filter cooking oil and reuse the oil.
- Use a can or barrel to store grease and oil – they can even be recycled!
- Recycle food waste. Avoid using the garbage disposal for food scraps.
- Wipe, scrape, and sweep floors with a dry method first before employing a wet method. This reduces water and sewer use.
- Use rubber scrapers to remove FOG from pans before washing. Dispose of FOG in garbage.
- Use paper towels instead of cloth towels when cleaning up grease. Grease will adhere to cloth and eventually end up in the sanitary drains when washed.
- Use as little dish soap as possible. Dish soap will emulsify existing FOG, allowing it to pass through a grease interceptor and then harden in the drain later.

A large benefit to food establishments using a can or barrel to store their grease and oil is that the FOG can actually be recycled for use in soaps, moisturizers, fertilizers, and animal feeds.

The bottom line is that we can all be more responsible when disposing of FOG. The end result will be money saved on plumbing, protection of local water sources, and prevention of damage to the environment. Exercising more appropriate disposal of FOG is a small effort that will lead to huge results!

The Three "R's" - Not Just for School Kids Anymore! by Tina Marie Bibergall

2011-03-11T15:12:00.000-08:00

Imagine coming up with a business idea that helps to make the planet a little “greener” and makes you some money! Here is an example of a company that is capitalizing on this concept.

UsedCardboardBoxes.com specializes in the concept of “rescue, resell, recycle” by purchasing a large volume of used boxes from businesses and then making them available to the general public for personal use.

A several-step process is followed by the company from start to finish. First, they market to businesses that may have a large volume of boxes to be purchased with the following advertising: “Please help us keep the trees in the forest and boxes off our streets! If you are a business that collects at least 1,000 of the same size quality used boxes on a monthly basis, we can often purchase your boxes at a higher rate than your existing recycler.”

Once UsedCardboardBoxes.com (UCB) has “rescued” a truckload of quality used boxes from a large company, the boxes are brought back to a regional distribution center for inspection. There, boxes are sorted by size and shape. If they meet strict quality standards, the boxes are then packaged into “stacks” and “kits”; these packages come with packing accessories as well.
UCB will then “resell” those packaged boxes to customers across the country via their UsedCardboardBoxes.com website. Free 2-business day delivery is included, and rates are very competitive.

UCB’s motto is “You don’t have to cut down a tree to make a cardboard box!” UCB.com takes pride in its efforts to be a no-waste company. Any boxes that don’t meet UCB standards are “recycled” (now the “3 R’s are complete – Rescue, Resell, Recycle) through traditional recycling methods.

Most people don’t think about the fact that a cardboard box can be used more than once before sending it to be recycled. Although recycling is far better for the environment than simply sending boxes to the landfill, it is still not the optimum process. When consideration is given to the energy and chemicals used and the emissions created by the traditional recycling process, it is definitely more environmentally-conscious to reuse boxes at least once. This also cuts down on the number of trees that must be cut down to create new boxes to replace the ones that are being discarded. Even items that contain “some recycled materials” use at least a portion of new materials as well.

So the next time you need boxes, consider purchasing them from UCB.com. They will help you “SAVE TIME, SAVE MONEY, SAVE TREES”.

U.S. Falling Behind

2011-03-10T10:22:00.000-08:00

by Jeff Hughes

According to a 2009 poll by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, only 35 percent of Americans believe climate change is a serious problem-- and who can blame them? America is one of the only developed countries that does not have an official policy outlining how to mitigate and adapt to climate change and its economic impacts. The Clean Air Act, passed in 1963, amended in 1970 and again in 1990, actually exempts a large portion of the Oil and Gas industries from environmental regulation. This exemption has allowed for hydraulic fracturing; a practice where oil companies are allowed to buy the rights to drill in your backyard. Hydraulic fracturing is suspected by a number of sources to be the direct cause for 42 of Pennsylvania’s wells exceeding the federal limit for radium contamination anywhere from 20 to 1500 times.

Senior vice president of the World Bank, IG Patel Professor of Economics and Government, Chair of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics (LSE), and 2010 Professor of Collège de France (whew!— a reputable source if there ever was one), Nicholas Stern, in his book The Global Deal, purported that the cost of significantly effective action against climate change would be around 1-2% of global GDP. He estimated the price of inaction anywhere from 5-20% of global GDP.

So it is not as though we have any doubt that climate change will greatly affect us, nor is there any doubt that the world economy stands to benefit by taking immediate action; on the contrary, at the Rio summit, at the Copenhagen summit, and the Cancun summit, American policy held with the unanimous decision that maintaining a two degrees Celsius increase from pre-industrial times is absolutely necessary to maintain stability. So why is it that so few Americans consider climate change a serious dilemma?

The answer seems to stem from the establishment of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). From the perspective of the UN, the difficulty in tackling climate change often lies in creating policy that can be unanimously accepted and equitable- developed countries are mostly responsible for our current predicament, so why should developing countries be hampered? Two of the three reasons the Bush Administration refused the Kyoto Protocol is that it 1) did not oblige developing countries to cut their greenhouse gas emissions, and 2) it does not allow industrialized nations to comply through investing in reductions in developing countries (the third reason was simply that the policy proposed action ahead of research; we wanted to wait to determine the very best solution).

In place of Kyoto, America and the EU have established the Clean Development Mechanism: a medium in which wealthy countries can support sustainable design in developing nations through donation, under the premise that we protect our industry and economy from crippling regulation while still contributing to emissions reductions. Mexico has been one of the forerunners in taking advantage of this funding: Mexican Oil Company (PEMEX) is undergoing a conversion to natural gas, it is re-powering thermoelectric plants on the Pacific Coast, and it is modernizing their oil refining process. Mexico is installing 7,000 MW of renewable energy capacity to generate 16,000 GWh total per year. They are aiming to increase the areas under sustainable forest management by 2.6 million acres per year. All of these are measures that aim to reduce CO2 emissions in Mexico by 50,000 tonnes annually. Mexico, China and many other nations are improving their energy efficiency all through the funding provided by the CDM- sounds like a win-win situation, right? The EU and the USA are contributing to emissions reductions without hampering their own industry, and developing countries are stabilizing their industry in the process.

But critics of the CDM suggest that this is the very reason why Americans don’t take climate change seriously; the CDM is essentially a form of nimbyism (not-in-my-backyard-ism). According to the measures that both the IPCC and Stern suggest, the CDM comes nowhere close to reducing emissions to “safe” levels; the cumulative emissions from established countries are already too much- reducing developing nations’ emissions can only help to a certain extent. We need to bring the message to our citizens that mitigation and adaptation is imperative. Jonathan Lash, President of World Resource Institute states that the development of climate change policy “…will be remembered not for the treaties, the commitments, or the declarations it produced, but for the first stirring of a new way of governing the global commons—a shift from the stiff formal waltz of traditional diplomacy to the jazzier dance of improvisational solution-oriented partnerships that may include non-governmental organizations, willing governments and other stakeholders.” America’s 35% recognition rate of climate change suggests that we be should be mindful of this shift- careful not to let the most appealing improvisation shake us in to a false sense of security.

Thinking Outside the (Cardboard) Box by Tina Marie Bibergall

2011-03-09T12:38:00.000-08:00

It is fairly logical to most people that cereal and cracker boxes can be recycled, but how many people actually realize that items like shoe boxes can be recycled as well? What about those inserts that come inside items like backpacks and purses? These can all be recycled!

How often do you open a package and find that the contents are padded and protected with another type of cardboard? This corrugated cardboard – the kind that has an extra ruffled layer between two flat pieces of cardboard – is used in packing boxes and can also be recycled.

Often referred to as “corrugated board”, it will most often be used for shipping, packaging, and – you guessed it – pizza boxes! Corrugated board is naturally biodegradable and completely recyclable. The one drawback with pizza boxes is that the cardboard must not be wet due to food or grease/oil residue.

Here are some simple steps to recycling both types of cardboard:

1.Determine if your local curbside recycling program will take both flat and corrugated cardboard. If you are unsure, then call your local Public Works office.

2.After breaking down the boxes, be sure they are flat and in a stack. Some recycling programs require that the cardboard be put into a brown paper bag; others prefer it be included with other mixed paper.

3.If your community program does not accept one or the other type of cardboard, you can take the boxes to your local supermarket. Most supermarkets are happy to take boxes, but you may want to call ahead to confirm the supermarket you go to can accept the boxes.

4.Inquire as to whether your local program will accept waxed cardboard that is used for milk and juice cartons; some communities prefer to have a designated drop-off center for this third type of cardboard.

5.Contact (800) CLEANUP for recycling information specific to your state.

6.Contact the Corrugated Packaging Council for info on recycling corrugated cardboard in your community.

If you start thinking beyond the norm of what you are accustomed to recycling (thinking “outside the box” so-to-speak), you will be amazed at what items in your daily life can contribute to the Green efforts being made in our communities every day.

The State of Green Business, 2011: Giants Awaken

2011-02-07T17:18:00.001-08:00

by Jeff Hughes

February 1, 2011, Joel Makower, chairman and executive editor of GreenBiz Group, producer of GreenBiz.com and other websites, events, and business information services, posted his annual The State of Green Business Report. Amidst the economic recession, he opens with the gloom and doom reality that the media is hard at work creating a harmful dichotomy between sustainability and prosperity. While consumers take small but meaningful action, ‘Saving the earth’ has taken a back seat to simply saving the day. The politics of the moment seem to have made clean air, clean water, biodiversity, and planetary survival a controversial thing -- something we can afford only in "good times."

In a much more inspiring notion, however, Makower states that the push for environmentally sound practices among businesses has never been greater, “…it's hard to find a big company these days that isn't engaged in environmental issues in a meaningful way…even during these challenging economic times, many have doubled down on their sustainability activities and commitments.”

Some particularly notable actions made by leaders in their sector include Wal Mart’s pledge to sell $1 billion of fresh produce sourced from 1000 small- and medium-sized farmers- a move that aims to strengthen local economies while reducing food miles (the average mouthful of food coming from a field in Iowa travels an estimated 1400 miles to reach its destination). Additionally, Proctor & Gamble has made a commitment to power all of their factories with renewable energy within the next ten years, while FedEx committed to improve vehicle fuel efficiency by 20 percent by 2020, and Hasbro promised that 75 percent of its paperboard packaging will come from recycled materials in 2011. The list goes on: “…a new wave of water footprint assessments by several large companies; zero-waste accomplishments by GM, Kraft, and others; a new generation of green chemistry coming from Dow, BASF, and others; plant-based plastics being used by several major consumer packaged goods companies.”

In the 2011 Green Business Report, Makower and company identify ten key trends among businesses and measure the greening of the U.S. economy through 20 indicators, from carbon intensity to cleantech investing to corporate reporting. Chiefly obstinate among those are 7 prevailing vehicles for sustainability that have reached widespread use, while the report suggests that 2 were “sinking” in significance and 11 were “just hanging on”.

The trends are inspiring, and the prevailing mediums appear very attainable; among the 7 resilient mediums are green office space, packaging intensity, energy efficiency, cleantech investments and much more- all of which seem within reach even for the small business owner. Perhaps most notably of all among these trends and mediums for sustainability is that of “Transparency”; many companies that haven’t promoted their efforts towards sustainability are “…only recently discovering that modesty is no longer an asset in a world that increasingly demands transparency.” Going out on a limb, it might not be a stretch of the imagination to suggest that consumers will increasingly look to suppliers to meet their sustainable demands vicariously- as opposed to the consumers themselves changing their habits. For example, “Burger King and Nestle, both under fire from activists, agreed to stop purchases of palm oil from unsustainable sources, while agricultural business giant Cargill agreed to initiate a review of its palm oil sources.” Wal Mart, surprisingly ahead of the curve in many of its efforts, agreed to using 100 percent sustainably sourced palm oil by 2015.

The report is downloadable at http://www.greenbiz.com/state-green-business-2011/download with the completion of a short background survey.

Better Living Through Chemistry?

2011-01-21T14:11:00.000-08:00

by Jeff Hughes

This past week I found myself lost in the supermarket, searching amidst the endless brands of personal hygiene products that all claim to do the same thing better than the other, so I decided to look past the holographic packaging and do a little research on what really makes one brand different from another. What I found was much more than I bargained for.

One of main active ingredients in most toothpaste brands is sodium fluoride. Fluoride has been sold and advertised individually in the form of mouthwash, since the 1930’s it’s been added to our nation’s water supply, and recently it’s been added the bottled water under the claim that it is “…a convenient, satisfying way to help your child build strong teeth,” (Dannon). But amidst all this searching, I found a recent article by the NYTimes that stated the EPA has granted their first ever objection (made by advocacy groups Fluoride Action Network (FAN) and Beyond Pesticides) to a pesticide- sulfuryl fluoride, which degrades to fluoride, contaminating the water supply.

So why the sudden 180 to fluoride as a contaminant? Science Health Institute states:

“…according to the largest study ever conducted on fluoridation and oral health. 39,000 school children in 84 areas around the U.S. were studied in the mid-80's, and the results showed no statistical difference in tooth decay rates between fluoridated and non-fluoridated cities.

Meanwhile, tooth decay trends tracked by the World Health Organization from 1970 to the present show that the incidence of decayed, missing or filled teeth has been steadily in decline with each passing year in the U.S., France, Germany, Japan, Italy, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway, The Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Austria, Belgium, Portugal, Iceland and Greece. And why are the numbers of decayed teeth on the decline? Better oral hygiene and improved dental practice is the most obvious answer. It's certainly not the fluoride. Because of all of those countries, only one adds fluoride to the public water supply: the United States.

…And finally number of different studies have linked fluoride to as many as 10,000 cancer deaths per year, with a high incidence of bone cancer among men exposed to fluoridated water.”

What I’ve since come to terms with is that the fluoride instance is not isolated; on the contrary, it is a lens into an international movement that seeks to address the potential adverse effects of so many miracle products associated with industry that has become so reliant on synthetic chemicals. Anti-perspirant has been linked to brain cancer and Alzheimer’s, BFRs (brominated flame retardants, which we douse most industrially produced goods in) are a neurotoxin, certain sun-tan lotions are linked to cancer, reproductive toxicity, immunotoxicity, endocrine disruption, and almost ALL of these detrimental products are subject to persistence and bioaccumulation. Bioaccumulation and runoff is what has lead to the 146 (and growing) dead zones around the world, the largest of which is 27,000 mi^2. Bioaccumulation is also what has led human breast milk to be the most contaminated food source of all (Child and Adolescent Health and Development/World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland).

In short, as our fascination fades and we begin to acknowledge many of the paradoxical adverse effects ‘better living through chemistry’ promised us, we’re going to see a big change in the products consumers choose to purchase. While the successful NGO Objection against the EPA pronounced one potential impact, the strength of this movement will likely draw from concerned citizens- mothers who seek the best for their children may lose trust in the plethora of surface claims made by brands, and this broken faith stands to radically alter the composition of our everyday products.

Obama's Renewable Energy Agenda Takes a Step Forward by Tina Marie Bibergall

2011-01-14T06:36:00.000-08:00

President Barack Obama enjoyed Christmas a bit more this year knowing that his ambitious renewable energy plans got a positive nod from supporters last month.

The United States government not only designated several new solar energy development zones, it also approved $50m in funds to aid in solar energy projects, and secured a $1.3bn loan to build one of the world’s largest wind farms.

An initial Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) was drafted by U.S. Energy Secretary, Steven Chu, and Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar. The PEIS identified several “solar energy zones” on public land in six western states. The six states were chosen based on having the best characteristics to house utility-scale solar energy plants.
Included in the list are: Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah.

In a bold statement of faith in the U.S. and its abilities, Chu said, “Our country has incredible renewable resources, innovative entrepreneurs, a skilled workforce and manufacturing know-how. It’s time to harness these resources and lead in the global clean energy economy.”

Chu confirmed both the $50m fund to help developers realize the goal for solar energy and also a portion of the $1.3bn loan to finance the project at Caithness Shepherds Flat.
The farm is planned to bring 845MW of technology to Eastern Oregon. Investors are Caithness Energy and GE Energy Financial Services.

An added benefit to the construction of the wind farm is that it will create jobs for 400 workers during the construction phase and permanent jobs for 35 employees once operations commence. The wind farm will also hold the designation of being the first in the world to utilize GE’s 2.5xl wind turbines which are designed to boost efficiency, reliability, and grid integration.

Senator Ron Wyden was eager to note how positively the farm would influence the Oregon economy with the added jobs and that Shepherds Flat will “put Oregon on the map as a leader in green energy.”

The $1.3 bn loan is the largest of its kind and will be funded by a group of 26 institutional investors, including Citi, Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, RBS Securities and WestLB Securities.

The US renewables sector continues to receive favorable support and approval from Senate that will help push the U.S. to be a leader in solar energy over the next few years.

The Movement to Reform the Grid & its Impact on You

2011-01-05T13:00:00.000-08:00

By Jeff Hughes

For the last half century the American power grid system has remained largely untouched. Carol Browner, director of the White House Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy states "We have a very antiquated (electric grid) system in our country, the current system is outdated, it's dilapidated." In Chicago, the coal-powered Fisk and Crawford power plants, grandfathered into the Clean Air Act contribute 17,000 tons of deadly toxins and consequently, as a Harvard School of Public Health study found, causes more than 40 deaths, 550 emergency room visits, and 2,800 asthma attacks annually. The power generated in these plants is not even used in Chicago; it is inefficiently shipped elsewhere, losing electricity along the way.

Long-since dilapidated, insufficient, and greatly in need of an update, Washington has finally taken notice as Obama designated $3.4 billion of the economic stimulus package towards 100 projects aimed at modernizing the grid. The program will be matched by $4.7 billion in private investments, the officials said, with the smallest grant being $400,000 and the largest $200 million. Examples such as the installation of 18 million smart meters in about 13 percent of America’s homes, and funding for manufacturing processes suggest that we will directly feel the tangible impacts of these efforts.

Furthermore, to address issues such as those presented by the Fisk and Crawford power plants, the EPA has announced that they intend to produce new emissions standards for by 2012, as power plants and refineries are still responsible for around 40 per cent of US greenhouse gas emissions. While republicans and private companies are eager to fight against these potentially detrimental rulings, an article by BusinessGreen.com provides a case that they may very well become a reality:

“…the United States Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia rejected a raft of cases brought by business groups arguing that the EPA had overstepped its authority in introducing regulations designed to curb carbon emissions…the court said in a statement that none of the challenges met the strict standards required for a stay pending court review and that the companies have not shown that the harms they allege are 'certain', rather than speculative.”

Chris Huhne, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, dismissed the same fears in regards to Britain’s £110bn of investment in low carbon energy by stating that according to government projections, the reforms will lead to an increase in average domestic electricity bills of £160 a year in real terms by 2030, but that represents a £30 saving compared to the level bills would have reached under the current market arrangement. The question of how to refresh our energy infrastructure has undoubtedly been raised, and low carbon energy appears to be a big part of the answer.

Winter Energy-Saving Tips by Tina Marie Bibergall

2010-12-31T13:33:00.000-08:00

Winter months in the Midwest bring with them the dreaded heating bill. Fortunately, there are some fairly easy and low-cost (or even no-cost) measures you can take to help lower your heating bill.

Here are 12 energy-saving tips for increased energy efficiency this winter:

1) Pay attention to the sun. Despite misconceptions, the sun will still warm your home during the winter. Open the curtains on the sunny side of your home, but be sure to close them when the sun isn’t shining!

2) Dress for the weather. Put on some extra layers and turn down the thermostat a few degrees. For every degree you turn it down, you can save up to 3% on your bill!

3) Pile on some blankets. Adding an extra blanket and putting on your winter jammies will also allow you to turn that heat down. Just don’t lower it more than 15 degrees because condensation can form on your walls if you do.

4) Reduce the temperature on the water heater. Many homeowners do not realize how much cash is spent heating water. As long as your dishwasher is self-heating, you can turn your water heater down to 120 degrees. If you have a non-heating dishwasher, then keep the water heater at 140 degrees. If you can wash your clothes in cold water, you will save even more money.

5) Don’t heat unoccupied rooms. If a particular room is not being used, then close the vents and the door. It only takes about 15 minutes to heat an average-sized room when you want to warm it up.

6) Service your furnace. Not only is this important for safety reasons, but cleaning your furnace and the accompanying filters frequently in the winter months will keep it working at top efficiency. Replace or clean the filter monthly unless your unit calls for something different, and have it professionally tuned up annually.

7) Install a programmable thermostat…and program it! This inexpensive, yet effective, tool will serve as your memory when you are away from home. Keep it cooler during the day when your family is at work and school, a bit cozier in the evening, and tailor it around your family's weekend schedule.

8) Close the gaps. Caulk and weather-stripping can be your heating bill’s best friend! Drafty areas around doors, windows and electrical outlets can cause as much as a 10% increase in your energy output. To pinpoint these problem areas, take a non-toxic smoke stick on a windy day to determine where the heat is escaping. For electrical outlets, purchase foam inserts from any hardware store and install them under the faceplate. A simple task that can save you a bundle!

9) Insulate those windows! If you have single glazed windows – those with only one layer of glass – add another layer to keep the heat in…and the cold out! There are inexpensive choices like kits that include a layer of plastic to cut down, adhere, and shrink-to-fit with a blow dryer. If you have a little more in your budget and would like a long-term improvement, consider purchasing glazing panels that you attach to your current frames and remove later for cleaning and extra ventilation. These can be used year after year.

10) Heat rises so insulate the roof! Up to 25% of a home’s heat can escape through the roof – that’s a lot of money! Especially in older homes that have only a single layer of insulation, add the equivalent of a 10-inch thick layer of fiberglass. If you have a basement, insulate where the bottom of the house frame meets the home’s foundation. If you want to invest for long-term savings, having insulation blown into the walls will cost more upfront, but the savings over time will be huge.

11) Update. If your furnace and/or water heater are more than 15 years old, chances are you are missing out on a ton of efficiency. The improvements that have been made in newer models will offer you considerable savings over time so do some research and choose which model will best serve your home’s needs.

12) Rehab or replace? If your windows are the older, wooden kind, then they may need to be refitted to compensate for expansion, shrinkage, and shifting over the years. If you are fortunate enough to have original wooden windows, count your blessings because most were built with far better quality their modern counterparts. Consider adding storm windows to improve efficiency. If you are in the unfortunate position of having the single-glazed metal windows of the 1950’s and 60’s, your best bet is to just replace them with some new double-glazed windows.

It’s going to be a long, cold winter but it definitely doesn’t have to be such an expensive one! Even if you choose just a few of the tips above, you are sure to see some savings on that heating bill. Now get to work…and stay warm!

Christmas Came Early This Year...by Tina Marie Bibergall

2010-12-29T12:07:00.000-08:00

Christmas came early this year for the Carbon Trust-backed Partnerships for Renewables (PfR) when a 19 million British Pound investment was secured from a Canadian pension fund.

The investor is OPTrust Private Markets Group (OPT), affiliated with a major Canadian pension plan; OPT will receive a 33 percent share in the renewable energy project. In addition to OP Trust, Carbon Trust Enterprises and HSBC Environmental Infrastructure Fund are the two other major investors in the company.

Stephen Ainger, the CEO of PfR noted that the investment offering drew a great deal of interest and was optimistic about the impact on the future growth of the company.

One major planning application already filed by PfR would allow installation of up to three 2-3 megawatt wind turbines on the Isle of Sheppey Hill, which is also home to the Standford Hill prison. The turbines could potentially provide electricity to 2200 households annually.

Spokespeople for OPTrust noted that the relationship was a good fit in light of the fact that many OPT pension holders were retirees from the public sector.

Following the installation of the feed-in tariff earlier this year, the government is actively promoting the growth of renewable energy technology across the public sector.

The OPT investment will help PfR deliver the economic and environmental benefits of utilizing renewable energy to an increasing number of public sector bodies; the additional support of the government couldn’t come at a more opportune time for PfR.

Sustainability & Green Business Proving Themselves Far More than Fad

2010-12-21T13:13:00.001-08:00

by Jeffrey Hughes

With the close of the UN Cancun Summit, the unveiling of Mexico’s “world’s first” climate adaptation plan, and clean energy policies being included in the bipartisan Reid-McConnell Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010, we are offered some solid reassurance that not only is the push for sustainable practices an internationally resilient issue, but that this issue is being addressed with unprecedented, increasing urgency. Perhaps more impressively, policy makers are beginning to recognize that mediums for clean energy, such as extending tax credits on alternative fuels, are the smart move for both our environment and our economy.

Many looked to the recent Cancun Summit as a true test of the UN’s capability to produce tangible progress, as we draw dangerously close to the main summit in South Africa next year. The more significant results we can infer from this year’s summit is that governments not only agreed to continue set priority in pursuing emissions reductions established by last year’s Copenhagen summit, but that the current plans are not ambitious enough. Under the present policy, the projected increase in average global temperature is up to 4 degrees Celsius, a change that would have dire ramifications on coastal property and agricultural production. Any attempt at unanimous policy reform will now operate under this awareness.

CEO at the Climate Group think tank, Mark Kenber, states: "Cancun sends a clear message to businesses that this is not going to go away... it confirms there will be public sector support for leveraging private investment, which means there will be opportunities for the private sector. After Copenhagen people were asking if this was ever going to happen; Cancun shows that it is happening."

James Murray, one of the UK's leading commentators on the low carbon economy, notes “Equally, industrialised nations have little problem agreeing in principle that they should provide $100bn (£63.42bn) a year in climate financing from 2020, but it remains to be seen if they will prove quite so committed to the concept once the details are finalized and they have to stump up.”

And while unanimous acceptance of the extension of the Kyoto Protocol is unlikely given the opposition of the US congress, this ironically brings up another example of how sustainability is seeping through the folds, finding its way even into Republican agendas. In an effort to quell distraught liberals, the bipartisan Reid-McConnell Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010 includes numerous measures regarding clean energy policy. According to an article by freelance technology and environmental journalist Dan Bradbury, the bill includes:

“…the extension of a $1 per gallon production tax credit for biodiesel, along with an agri-biodiesel producer credit of 10c per gallon. Similarly, an equivalent $1 per gallon production tax credit for biomass-based diesel will also be extended. In addition, ethanol producers will enjoy an existing per-gallon tax credit from next year, along with the extension of existing tariffs on imported ethanol, and a 50c per gallon alternative fuel tax credit will stay in place next year…energy-efficient residential homes would also benefit from a tax credit extension, and a credit for energy-efficient existing homes would be reinstated. Similarly, a tax credit for the US-based manufacture of energy-efficient appliances would also be extended.”

With this example we see that the connotations of clean energy & sustainability are transforming into that of universal appeal. There is a new approach budding among both local and international groups that counters the old mindset of sustainability being costly; on the contrary, the economic benefits of sustainable practices may be the key to its growing predominance in our world.

Are You Familiar With the Production Tax Credit?

2010-12-12T07:53:00.000-08:00

Many people are probably not familiar with the Energy Policy Act of 1992; therefore, they are also unfamiliar with the potential benefits of the Production Tax Credit (PTC). The PTC has been extended, modified, and even included in other Acts since its origination in 1992.

The current PTC came out under the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009 and sets guidelines for wind facilities operational by December 31, 2012. It will also provide possible credit for biomass, geothermal, hydropower, hydrokinetic, landfill gas, and municipal solid waste facilities in service prior to December 31, 2013.

The exciting thing about this particular credit is that it is available to ALL taxpayers; therefore, investors in smaller efforts such as S Corps and partnerships are provided incentive to take part in such projects. The credit can be used retroactively one year and can be carried forward up to 20 years to offset future income taxes.

The amount of the credit will be adjusted for inflation each year, and is currently 2.2 cents per kWH of electricity produced.

A simple example to illustrate the potential tax credit from the PTC would be as follows:

If in 2010, Plant A produces 200,000,000 kWh of biomass electricity, then the potential available credit would be $4,400,000. This is determined by taking 200,000,000 (plant production) x 0.022 (2010 PTC rate) = $4,400,000

As with any tax law, there are multiple provisions to consider with each person’s individual situation and it is always advisable to consult a tax professional before making a decision to invest in a renewable energy project. Additionally, the legislation on the PTC is continuously changing and being updated. A tax professional will have the most current information on the policy.

THE SOLAR RUSH OF CORNWALL by Tina Marie Bibergall

2010-11-03T10:09:00.000-07:00

Most Americans have heard of the Gold Rush, but how many are familiar with the “solar rush”? That is what the residents of Cornwall, UK are dubbing the trend in the farming countryside of England since permission has been granted to begin planning the UK’s first purpose-built solar farm. In addition, a 14m British Pound loan was granted for a second, and larger, solar farm nearby.

It is now forecasted that several more applications will be presented to the Cornwall Council, which gave the loan, in the 18 months ahead. The Council intends to invest a billion British Pound in the county.

This trend was started by the introduction of a feed-in tariff last spring; the tariff will pay anyone who Most Americans have heard of the Gold Rush, but how many are familiar with the “solar produces their own “green” electricity up to a certain amount. The infrastructure to produce the “green” electricity must be operational by April, 2012.

The Council is so encouraged by the response of local farmers, that it has allocated six planning officers to manage paperwork generated by loan applications in the next several months. Thus was born Cornwall’s “solar rush”.

Last month, the Council approved a five-acre facility at Wheal Jane, a former tin mine nearby. It will generate 1.3MW of electricity from 6,000 photovoltaic panels; the panels can be angled towards the sun as the sun moves across the sky to harness the solar power.

Unlike previous “green” initiatives in Cornwall, this was surprisingly met with reasonable support from neighboring towns. This support is quite contrary to the outcry that usually comes with projects of such magnitude. The first wind farm in the UK was built in Cornwall in 1991, but usually large ground turbines bring protest due to the detraction they cause from the landscape.

The Council is hopeful that the solar farms can provide a trouble-free option in the quest for renewable energy.

WIND ENERGY TAKES OFF by Tina Marie Bibergall

2010-11-01T18:56:00.000-07:00

As solar-power becomes a hot topic in the UK, wind energy finally “takes off” in Scotland. E-Gen Energy has secured funding from Rockfield Energy Investments to erect hundreds of small-scale wind farms across the Scottish countryside over the next two years.

Four sites are already in the planning phase and “gentlemen’s agreements” have been made with landowners for twenty-five more sites across Scotland stretching from Inverness-shire to the Scottish borders.

The terms of the deal call for e-Gen to cover the front-end costs of turbine installation and also to pay an annual ground rent to the landowner. The rent will be calculated according to the number of turbines constructed. For its efforts, e-Gen will be granted a 20-plus-year lease of the farmer’s land. E-Gen will benefit due to revenue generated through the Scottish government’s feed-in tariff.

E-Gen has the ability to identify areas with the most advantageous wind speeds and grid connections due to the utilization of a unique constraint mapping tool.

Tom Forsyth, chief executive of e-Gen, cites that the community-scale project takes advantage of planning consents that are often faster and less complex and that the visual impact is minimal as compared to larger wind farm projects. Those factors, combined with the investment and partnership from Rockfield Energy, will enable e-Gen to move quickly and efficiently so that landowners can take advantage of feed-in tariffs before they are reviewed in 2012.

Niall Stuart, the chief executive of Scottish Renewables, is enthusiastic that the wind energy model can help realize the full potential economic and environmental benefits of Scotland’s wind resource.

He stated, “A model that takes the risk away from landowners and farmers but gives them a guaranteed annual return will no doubt be attractive to many.” The question is whether e-Gen will be able to fulfill their commitment to match supply with the landowners’ demand.

Following the British Carbon Tax by Tina Marie Bibergall

2010-10-27T19:44:00.000-07:00

Prior to Wednesday’s introduction of a billion British Pound per year carbon tax, many of the largest businesses in the UK were led to expect the government would pass back the revenue raised via this tax to those organizations affected by the plan.

The government had initially planned that the amount of payments passed back to the organizations would be directly linked to the company’s performance in an energy efficiency league table. The most efficient performers would be given back everything they spent plus a bonus; the worst performers would receive only a portion of the money back.

In reality, the Department of Energy and Climate Change has confirmed that the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) will now serve as revenue to the Treasury to support spending on the environment and other public needs.

The tax is expected to raise a billion British Pound by 2014/15 by taxing companies and public sector bodies that use greater than 6,000MWh of electricity a year. These companies will be forced to purchase carbon allowances equivalent to the amount of energy they consume annually.

While environmental groups and green businesses will likely applaud the tax, some business groups will unquestionably be vehemently opposed to the move. Many of these groups have previously complained that the CRC puts too much extra expense and burden on their companies due to the major increase in energy bills they will experience.

There is sure to be much controversy in the weeks and months ahead over how these companies bear the burden of the new tax and continue to enjoy profits.

WANTED: A VISIONARY LEADER

2010-10-12T23:16:00.000-07:00

By: Grant Deliberto

The civil rights movement had Martin Luther King. “Peace and Love” had John Lennon. JFK pushed us to the moon. Today, our nation has Barack Obama. Who does the Green Initiative have?

An article posted on Businessgreen.com brought up such a question and its open answer is unsettling. They mention that the Green initiative is going to need someone, “With the courage and wisdom of JFK.” This person must be political and interested in business, since the Green issue deals with conflicts both economical and philosophical.

The article highlights that our dependence on oil, (and many other countries for that matter) is debilitating at best. In causing such a scramble to get it, the economy is actually taking a hit. When the price of oil gets too high, the economy tanks, and we start fighting over the bare necessities of life.

Other critics agree, saying the same things about today’s culture. I heard one radio broadcaster say “We just don’t have a John Lennon of this time period” and it’s true. Our culture has turned its values upside down. Sex, money, and power is now the American Dream, and our role models seem to be non-existent.

Who then, should we depend on? Should we wait for someone to magically appear? Should we cry “Help, Superman”? The leader of this movement is among us, but hasn’t stepped up to the plate. Every single one of us is responsible, and every single one of us could step up and be the guiding voice in the Green initiative.

IT'S CALLED A GARBAGE CAN!

2010-10-12T23:14:00.000-07:00

By: Grant Deliberto

I live in the city of Chicago, and it’s a pretty dirty place. I know that in comparison to New York and Los Angeles, Chicago is pretty clean. In and of itself, however, it’s a mess and there are steps we can take, as citizens of Chicago (and people in other big cities as well) to make an impact.

Almost everywhere you walk downtown, garbage cans can be seen. I know I’ve written profusely about recycling and I’m not trying to discredit its importance in the Green initiative. If you’re downtown, however, and don’t have any other option, at least make sure your trash isn’t flying all over the street!

Is this even necessary to say? Do I need to remind adults, as if they were little children, to throw away their trash? I can’t tell you how many times I see people just thrown their garbage on the ground; food wrappers, left over food, package wrapping, soda cans and bottles, etc. In the worst possible scenario, it takes 3 seconds to find a garbage can! A lot of places have recycle bins in their offices, so if you wait a couple minutes, you can actually recycle once you get to work.

The idea is incredibly simple and would take anywhere from 3 seconds to 1 minute out of your day. Every major city could benefit from these kinds of efforts, so encourage your friends and relatives. There is no excuse for littering anymore. I feel like this message is redundant, but evidenced by the trash in our cities, we have a ways to go.

Bicycles: The Green Machine

2010-10-08T09:16:00.000-07:00

By: Grant Deliberto

So I’m passing through the campus at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and something seems to stick out. I see a whole lot of people between class, walking in the quad and trying to get to different buildings. I also see a lot of people riding bicycles. For some reason, a light bulb clicked in my brain. Usually, I curse at these bikes when I’m driving my car, or when they cut me off on the sidewalk, but this simple machine was doing so many great things at once. I couldn’t believe I hadn’t realized it before. I thought I had to devote an article. How couldn’t I? Bikes are the secret weapon of the Green movement, at least they should be. Just…follow me on this one.

Let’s look at the output of one bicycle: transportation, physical exercise, no toxic fumes into the environment, and little to no maintenance fees (none compared to a daunting visit to the mechanic). Now let’s look at what you have to put into it: nothing! No fuel whatsoever is required! You can literally get to work, not have to pay for parking, get exercise, an not spend a dime. Not to mention, you are reducing your share of toxic fumes to nothing.

The bicycle should be the entire symbol of the green movement, and for the little cost involved with buying a bike, you get tremendous payoffs. This epiphany may seem trivial, even over enthusiastic, but the many benefits of a bike never stood out so strongly. Hopefully you can get something from this article too. Hopefully you’ll go out and buy a bike in an effort to be healthy, environmentally friendly, and save money. Hopefully I pointed out the blatantly obvious, and made you look at the simplicities of life a little differently. I don’t care if you own a corporation, anyone can benefit from a bike! Don’t let the obvious stupefy you again!

P&G Paves the Way to Sustainability by Tina Marie Bibergall

2010-09-30T09:12:00.000-07:00

Procter & Gamble presented a webcast Monday morning featuring Bob McDonald (CEO) and Len Sauers (VP of Global Sustainability) of P&G; and Carter Roberts, President and CEO of the World Wildlife Fund.

The webcast was designed to unveil plans for P&G to achieve “complete sustainability” over the long-term. The goals set forth are lofty, yet attainable and will ultimately result in the following:

- All P&G factories will utilize renewable energy.
- All P&G products and packages will be manufactured using 100% renewable or
Recycled materials.
- Zero consumer or manufacturing waste will be sent to landfills.

This vision has been set up to be achieved via a series of 10-year goals, but will be reported annually in P&G’s yearly sustainability reports. For the record, P&G is not putting a definitive number on “when” they expect to attain the goal of “complete sustainability”, but P&G commits to continually move towards that ultimate goal.

The goals to be achieved over the next ten years include:

- Replacing 25% of petroleum-derived raw materials with sustainably sourced, renewable materials
- Reducing packaging by 20% per consumer use
- Powering company operations with 30% renewable energy
- Reducing waste from manufacturing to less than 0.5%

The vision for these goals was derived from meetings with outside consultants in the field of sustainability combined with input from P&G employees at every level and function. The goals took a year to develop and will require support and partnering on many levels, not just within Procter & Gamble. Like many companies that are choosing a “greener” path, P&G will have to carefully choose suppliers and look for support of retailers and consumers, as well.

One partnership that has been formed to support their sustainability goals is the one highlighted during the webcast today. P&G has partnered with the World Wildlife Fund to focus on renewable materials and sourcing, paper and packaging, energy and water, and overall conservation efforts.

WWF CEO Carter Roberts was quoted as saying, “As the largest consumer products company in the world, P&G has a special responsibility to take a hard look at its unique footprint and take steps to mitigate the associated impact on the health of the planet.”

He did not end the webcast without noting that, “what is good for the planet must also be good for the bottom line.” Sounds like good advice for everyone.

Recycling to Create New Jobs

2010-09-18T12:23:00.001-07:00

by: Grant Deliberto

The UK has some new prospects ahead. According to an article posted by Business Green.com, a potential 50,000 jobs could be created in dealing with recyclable materials. This seems too good to be true.

The site continues with the following facts; these jobs can be created if the UK recycles 70% of waste from the local councils. Also, roughly 20,000 more jobs could be created if they recycled commercial and industrial waste at the same percentage.

Supporters of the green movement are always looking for a ways to make environmentally conscious choices in an economically feasible manner. There are usually many obstacles that include large support and even a bit of money to invest with. Finally, we are seeing ways that not only help the environment, but the economy too.

I am sure the United States has many people employed to deal with recycling. This opportunity in the UK, however, is a sign of affirmation and perhaps even a cheer of encouragement. Why not elaborate on our own system, and find new ways to make recycling jobs? I am sure this could apply to the government, huge corporations, and even small businesses.

Anything that can be done to encourage environmentalism and do so in a way that helps the economy is an opportunity that serves numerous causes at once. Perhaps even the political right can agree on this one. Recycling can be good for the economy.

Please DON'T Get in the Habit

2010-09-18T12:16:00.000-07:00

by: Grant Deliberto

So, there’s this guy I know that has gotten himself into a really bad habit. I won’t name him, because that wouldn’t be fair. I will, however, use him as an example.

This kid bought a huge bag of Styrofoam plates. He also bought a huge bag of “Solo” cups, and put them on the counter of our dorm room. These, he said, were because he didn’t like cleaning dishes. I almost had a heart attack.

Whether you’re at home or in the office, there’s always the lure of disposable kitchenware. You could be planning a birthday party, office party – or use them everyday to avoid any dishes at all. Either way, using disposable plates, cups, and silverware is extremely wasteful and damaging to the environment. On occasion the use of these “party utensils” serves a very valid purpose, but once you start using them because there’s nothing else around, we’re calling Houston because we have a problem.

Quite literally, this kid used Styrofoam plates for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Throw in a “Solo” cup to house his beverage, and we’ve got a massive pile of trash every DAY just for him to get through basic meals. The price at which one could buy re-washable plates and glasses is seemingly nothing compared to the price of having to buy disposable plates and cups every time you run out. We’re not even mentioning the hundreds of years it takes each cup and plate to disintegrate into the Earth. Landfills are being filled by countless other things. Do we really need to use brand new, disposable plates every day?

My point is that this example is extreme, at least I hope it is. My message needs to ring clear to those who think it isn’t: Where have you been for the last 20 years? Where have you been for the whole concept of recycling? Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle! Using disposable kitchenware this way does catastrophic damage to the environment, both adding to the already overflowing landfills and the problem of decomposition. Make a $50 investment and get yourself a set of plates, silverware, and some cheap, re-usable plastic cups. This would even work around the office. You’d never have to buy anything for parties again.

My message applies to everyone everywhere, whether you’re running a business, planning an office party, or trying to relax in your home. We’ve got to stop pitching unnecessary trash into garbage, and pitch into the effort to eliminate waste and recycle.

Button-Up, It's A Windy Day Across the Pond! by Tina Marie Bibergall, Independent Writer

2010-09-13T11:31:00.000-07:00

National Grid, one of the world’s largest utilities, advertises being focused on delivering energy “safely, efficiently, reliably, and responsibly.” Last week, the company delivered what it advertises.

Record levels of output were reached when 40.5 GWh out of a total 809.5 GWh came from wind farms over a 24-hour measured period. During its peak output period in the evening hours, the wind energy sector was providing energy that could rival three nuclear power stations – remarkable.

One Grid spokesperson noted this was a “pretty big landmark for the industry”. Wind power, second only to biomass in the UK as a source of renewable energy, continues to grow with the opening of two new wind farms this past April, 2010. Gunfleet Sands and Robin Rigg wind farms contributed to the milestone of 1 GW of installed offshore capacity in the UK.

UK wind farms are expected to rise in number, largely due to the British government’s energy policy strongly supporting new renewable energy generating capacity. As of September 1, 2010 there were 264 operational wind farms in the UK, with several more under construction and still more in the approval phase.

On the contrary, Britain’s “role model” country of Denmark has suddenly shifted its attitude on production of any additional onshore wind farms. Due to protest by large public-interest groups claiming that the noise and unsightliness of the giant turbines is having a negative impact on property values, state-owned Dong Energy is abandoning any future plans for onshore wind farms in Denmark.

Obviously, this change in attitude raises questions as to whether the UK will now abandon plans to build 10,000 more onshore wind turbines or if they will stay the course despite what the country of Denmark is doing. The possible outcomes are sure to have turbine investors on both sides of the pond talking!

Traveling Green: Tips for Choosing Green Accomodations by Garry H. Peterson, CEO, IGBC

2010-09-12T18:37:00.000-07:00

Historically, hotels and motels have been major contributors to pollution, but recent trends towards “Going Green” have dictated a need for change.

Anyone who has traveled in the past decade has likely seen some type of sign or door hangtag suggesting that guests participate in the hotel’s effort to save water by reusing their towels and/or sheets. What the average traveler may not know is that many of the hotel chains have aggressive programs and policies in place that don’t stop with linen recycling. These practices greatly reduce the hotel’s carbon foot print.

Naturally, it is prudent for environmentally conscious travelers to support facilities that have such programs in place, but what are some good indicators to look for?

· Does housekeeping request reuse of towels rather than daily refreshing and that bed linens be changed every three days? This step alone conserves almost 30% in water usage and a large amount of detergent going into the water system.
· Are complimentary sundries (shampoo, conditioner, body lotion) Eco-friendly?
· Is the room equipped with aquamiser filters on the faucets and showers?
· Are the cleaning chemicals classified as environmentally friendly? This is one of the most important indicators and difficult to discover without asking. The majority of pollutants generated from hotels/motels are from the chemicals used to clean rooms.
· Is there a voluntary recycle program for guests in the common areas?
· Are the lights in the rooms CFL’s or are incandescent light bulbs still being used?
· Are the fluorescent lights low mercury? The easiest way to tell is to look at the end of the bulb and look for a green end or green printing on the side of the bulb.

There are many factors to qualify a hotel/motel as being truly “Green”; therefore, the easiest way to find out just “how green they are”, is to ask what third party certification they have.

There are only two companies that can provide extensive Green Certification to hotels/motels. GreenSeal deals primarily with the chemicals these facilities are using. The Institute for Green Business Certification (IGBC) examines all areas of a hotel/motel. So in the future travel safe, travel smart, travel Green!

POP TOPS AND BEER BOTTLES

2010-09-01T15:03:00.000-07:00

by: Grant Deliberto

Hold up! Before you throw that pop can in the recycle bin, you should look a little closer. Right next to the pop-top may be a Michigan or Iowa abbreviation. If you can look at your pop cans and find these symbols, you might rack in a couple extra bucks each month.

In most cases, Iowa offers 5 cents per can, and Michigan offers a dime. Just bring your collection of pop cans to their respective states, and see what kind of money you can get.

Now I know you’re thinking – it would take a million cans to get anywhere. You’d actually be surprised how quickly those cans add up. Think about how many you drink in a week. For those who aren’t crazy about pop, maybe 3 or 4 a week is average. Now multiply that by the number of people in your house. I bet you’d get at least 12 a week for your household.

Let’s say you like to drink a lot of pop. I know some people who drink 3 or 4 cans per day. Multiply that by 7 days in a week – and then by the number of people in your household. You might hit around 20 to 30 cans in one week. Think how much you could get in one month!

Granted, you’re won’t be a millionaire by 30, but you might be able to make an extra twenty bucks. That’s twenty dollars to go see a movie, buy fast food, or even impulse buy a cute shirt that catches your eye in a department store.

Most Wal-Mart stores in Iowa and Michigan will take these cans for you. Even some beer cans (some long neck bottles included) can be turned in for cash.

If you’re not living in the Midwest, and your state does not accept pop or beer cans, you can find a local scrap yard or metal recycler, and they will pay by the pound for cans.

So, before you just toss your cans and beer bottles, think about how much you could make each month. For some it may be twenty dollars. For avid pop-drinkers it may be a little more. Hey – you’re even helping the environment at the same time!

FRANCE TAKES INITIATIVE

2010-09-01T15:00:00.000-07:00

By: Grant Deliberto

Sources confirm the French government is set to start 10 wind farms in the next month or two. Supposedly, 600 wind turbines are to be constructed over the next couple of years. The French, like the British, and the United States, are really starting to take notice of the environment.

This project in France is supposed to provide 3,000 Megawatts of new wind energy. The French have, for a long time, relied on nuclear energy and consequently released very little carbon pollution into the atmosphere. Their government has also taken initiative to use marine power, geothermal energy, and solar energy.

This is a wonderful occurrence. On a global level, people are finally acknowledging the need for alternative sources of energy. Not only are they acknowledging it, they are actually doing something about the problem.

We need more countries and across the globe to start realizing the potential for alternative sources of energy. The leaders like the United States, Britain, and now France, are helping show that this can be done.

Saving Company Profits While Saving the Environment by Tina Marie Bibergall

2010-08-25T19:16:00.000-07:00

The trend towards green initiatives across all industries is definitely on the rise. These companies focus on everything from recycling to reducing their carbon emissions as a way to decrease their footprint, but often overlook an obvious item of impact.

DOCUMENT OUTPUT: what image do these two words immediately conjure up to most people? Another trip to the copier with a stop at the water cooler, more paper shooting out of a printer to push around the desk into various “organized” piles?

To most companies, “document output” (which includes printing and photocopying) means an average expenditure of $1000 per employee annually. Oftentimes, this is equivalent to between 1-3% of a company’s revenues. The irony is that most companies have not traditionally measured this expenditure while analyzing their IT function. The reason is because they are simply unaware of the amount of waste that is happening right in front of them.

Whether an organization has 10 employees or 10,000 employees, overall document output practices can be improved beginning with a few fairly simple steps.

1) What type of equipment is currently being used? If multiple inexpensive or outdated printers are being used across a company at individual workstations, the overall cost in both ink and electricity is increased tremendously. A cost analysis should be performed to determine the feasibility of implementing current, standardized equipment that are utilized only at centralized locations.

2) How are supplies and equipment being recycled? There are government tax
incentives in place that company leaders may be unaware of to stimulate the recycling of many IT items.

3) What expectations are set forth for company employees? If employees are unaware of the amount of money that is being wasted in excess printing and photocopying, they are unlikely to change their habits. Educating employees in reducing paper waste by using double-sided printing as the default setting on printers, printing only web data relevant to their work, and utilizing email as a primary communication tool are all excellent ways to reduce paper waste.

Of course, these are just three basic items that can be considered in an effort to improve the bottom-line of a company’s document output process. For companies that are ready to take a major step, there are consulting firms available that can help streamline a company’s printing function to achieve optimum performance results over an extended period of time.

No matter which route a company decides to take, the most important bottom-line is perhaps the one that helps profits while also helping our environment!

OK, So Why Should I...?

2010-08-21T11:58:00.000-07:00

by Grant Deliberto

I was just reading an article about incentives for big corporations to go Green, and it really got me thinking. What we must focus on is the balance between the cost of going Green and the great benefit it will provide. Of course, this is easier said than done. Many have reservations about corporations, and many corporations have reservations about going Green.

Many think that corporations just don’t care. They’re bringing in billions of dollars a year so why should they think about what they’re wasting or emitting into the environment?

Another argument deals with the cost, and how it’s not always economically feasible. We can definitely leave it to the businessmen and economic advisors at these companies to say this, I’m sure they’ve already come up with exact figures.

The following information, however, may bring the balance between cost and savings closer together than ever before. An article from GreenBiz.com, the “Business Voice of the Green Economy,” this summer states, “Ball, one of the largest packaging companies in the world…has managed to improve its net earning by 21.4 percent while also reducing electricity by 5.7%.” The article goes on to say that SABMiller (Miller Genuine Draft, Pilner Urquell, and others) has reduced the water they use when making the beers. Their company’s CEO was “one of six business leaders to launch the CEO Water Mandate in 2007.”

Now I’m really interested because this data shows, despite many arguments against going Green, or at least taking Green initiatives, that these major corporations have been able to go Green and SAVE money. They are actually benefitting from making these changes – the way one would hope. Perhaps this show of figures will start to convince other businesses to do the same.

Another avenue to show distaste with the long and delayed process many corporations are taking is publicly boycotting certain products. Whatever is done, companies need to be shown that going Green CAN financially affect their company. Even though the starting statistics may be small, they will continue to grow and help the environment.

BRITAIN TO GET SURGE IN ELECTRIC CARS

2010-08-20T09:15:00.000-07:00

By: Grant Deliberto

Sources say that Britain may get a new surge in electric cars. Not only are there incentives to buy them, including money off their purchase, but networks to re-charge the cars.

The electric car network has gained popularity in places like the West Midlands and the Lake District, among other places, and has been a prime factor in passing this legislation. The British government is trying to get more funding for the network.

Perhaps this exemplifies procedures that need to be taken in the United States. The one continual problem we face when dealing with the electric car is how to re-charge it. Even if they were sold to people today, their use would be limited to the traveling distance a single battery charge offers. Looking to the British example may give us an answer.

Incentives like this would surely help the United States in its transition to better means of transportation. Before electric cars can become universal, however, we need to find incentives not just from our government, but between ourselves as citizens. Businesses need to see that people are demanding them… and the supply will come.

Once again, Britain jumps ahead in the progressive movement. Before the United States, they've passed legislation on gay marriage, Health Care, Energy Solutions, and now electric cars. What's next for Britain? More importantly, what's next for us? Maybe this step will show America that these solutions are possible.

2010-08-19T09:09:00.000-07:00

New EcoPure Biodegradable Plastic Solution!

Your company can be part of the solution in stead of the problem when it comes to disposal of plastics.

This groundbreaking additive makes regular plastics biodegradable within 1-5 years, whether in a landfill or compost pile. Your product, like bottles, bags, shoes, toys and millions of other products can now be biodegradable. Now you can keep the blessings of plastics and lose the curse. Whether you use PET, PE, PP, PVC or EVA and this is just a partial list, EcoPure will work with your products.

Your product, like those above, can be made to break down into organic components with as little as .7% (by weight) of EcoPure and it is easy to use. Just add it in to your production process the same way you would add color concentrate. No need to re-engineer your product. No new materials to struggle with. No flaking or shortened shelf life. Your final product will be essentially indistinguishable from your current product. But when it’s finally discarded it will return to the cycle of life.
GoGreen the EcoPure way!

For more information go to http://globalgardenfriends.com/ecopure/

2010-08-16T17:52:00.000-07:00

DEMANDING NEW STANDARDS FOR CELL PHONES
BY TINA MARIE BIBERGALL

Most people have seen boxes set up promoting “Cell Phones for Soldiers” over the past few years. More recently, numerous charities have been set up to aid donations to the elderly and to women’s shelters due to the fact that cell phones can always dial “911” even when they have been deactivated (an FCC mandate).

Despite efforts by the groups supporting these causes, it is estimated that discarded cell phones account for nearly 65,000 tons of toxic waste annually and that every single cell phone improperly discarded can pollute up to 132,000 liters of water.

In addition, upwards of 500 million deactivated cell phones are sitting in kitchen drawers, thrown in closets, even ending up in toy boxes. These phones are seeping hazardous lead, mercury, cadmium, brominated flame retardants, and arsenic into the environment! Sound scary? You bet it does!

UL Environment, the environmental evaluation branch of Underwriters Labs has initiated a sustainability standard for handheld consumer devices. First on the list – mobile phones.

The standards will evaluate items such as the life cycle of the products, energy efficiency, recycled content, packaging, and other environmental data.

Sony has already taken its own green initiative with its GreenHeart phone line; although this represents only one manufacturer and not an industry standard.

In the European Union (E.U.) market, cell phone chargers have also become the topic of debate. Last year, the European Commission reached a voluntary agreement with the largest electronics manufacturers to produce a universal cell phone charger in an effort to reduce the several thousand tons of waste produced each year by unwanted chargers. It is expected that by 2011, Europeans will enjoy the convenience and reduced environmental impact of a one-size-fits-all charger.

Not so for Americans. A government agency has not mandated a deadline so it is at the discretion of the handset manufacturers to determine the availability of a single charger. So far, both Samsung and Motorola have expressed a desire to support the universal-charger efforts, but Apple and Research In Motion are stiff holdouts. Ultimately, the switch to a single charger is inevitable; the question is how many single-model chargers will end up in landfills in the meantime?

LIGHT INSIGHT

2010-08-07T09:51:00.000-07:00

by: Grant Deliberto

How many times have you walked in a room and looked at the light bulbs? Perhaps now is the time to start noticing. The advantages are amazing and even save money!

First, you should check the type of bulb you have. The most inexpensive kind of light bulb is the incandescent light bulb, and it’s also the worst kind to use. The best way to describe an incandescent light bulb is by comparing it to a McDonald’s hamburger. It’s cheap, hot, and takes care of the job. It’s not really good for you, is it? For a bit more money you could get a really nice hamburger, with real meat, that’s flame-broiled and loaded with flavor. The same thing applies to light bulbs. For a little more money, you could buy a compact fluorescent light bulb that helps the environment, uses ¼ the amount of electricity, and saves money on your electric bill.

The next step is to take control of your lighting. Things like sensors, delay timers, time clocks, and dimmers give you control of light intensity and when your lights turn on. You can even buy a Sola Tube (see previous article “Common Sense Solutions”) and use completely natural sunlight! Anything you can do to control the amount of light is advantageous to your electric bill and the environment. Why keep a light on at full blast?

Lastly, after you have installed your light bulbs, make sure you dust them from time to time. Turn them off before doing so, of course, but make sure dust doesn’t accumulate for too long. Dust can create a film on the bulb and actually limit the bulb’s light output.

I know it’s not paramount on your list. Between work, paying the bills, doing the laundry, and trying to enjoy your life, light bulbs can appear insignificant. If you really think about it, your lights are with you all the time. They help you see during the night and even sometimes during the day. You turn them on when you come home from work, when you get back from the grocery store, and when you need to see in the laundry room. Do yourself a favor, and make it easier on the environment and your pocket book. Make sure you’re not wasting the light you get.

VEHICLE EMISSIONS

2010-08-06T09:49:00.000-07:00

By: Grant Deliberto

Look at a highway. Look how many cars drive on it. Look how much waste comes out of each exhaust pipe. Is all this really necessary, or could we, as a nation, get it under control? These gases are destroying our environment. How much time is left – even if we want to fix the problem?

Vehicle emissions are formed when gasoline and diesel are not fully combusted in the engine. Let me give you a list of some things that enter the atmosphere, and consequently, the air we breathe; carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons, sulfur oxides, and VOC’s (Volatile Organic Compounds). I don’t want those things in my lungs.

A multitude of things can be done in response to this problem. Carpooling and public transportation are the two most direct, feasible options. They can be implemented immediately and have a considerable effect. Just taking the train every morning instead of driving is monumental. On average, two tons of auto exhaust are released, per person, each year.

The next level of attack directly involves the mechanics of your car. Make sure you have routine maintenance done. Tires need to be rotated, oil needs to checked, and you need to meet certain emissions tests. If your tires don’t have enough air pressure, you get fewer miles per gallon. Even air conditioning effects gas mileage. Air conditioning causes a vehicle to use 20% more fuel. (Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, par. 1-2).

If you want to take a bigger step, buy a Hybrid car. These cars produce very low emissions and get great gas mileage. Even a Lexus or Cadillac can come in Hybrid form! On top of that, you get money back. As of 2009, a $2000 tax refund comes with the purchase of any new hybrid vehicle.

The next time you’re on the highway staring at the endless stretch of road, take a second to look around. Every car is giving off toxic gases. Could you play any part in reducing that?

RECYCLED CONTENT CONTRIBUTES

2010-08-06T09:44:00.000-07:00

by: Grant Deliberto

I’m sure you’ve come across recycled content without knowing it. Napkins, paper towels, boxes, just about anything can be made from recycled material. In fact, over 4,500 recycled-content products are being manufactured today. When you walk into a restaurant, use a bathroom, or read a brochure, odds are the product is made with recycled materials.

Most recycled-content (a.k.a. post-consumer material) is made from plastic and paper. For some things, wood and metals can be used. The trick is finding material that uses enough recycled content. For businesses or for the novice purchaser, a product with 30 -100% recycled material meets optimal levels.

Recently, McDonalds has been one of the leading corporations usingd post-consumer material. They have purchased over $3 billion worth since 1990. Places such as UPS and USPS have started also. Most of their boxes are recycled.

Offices can go a step further and purchase recycled laser and copier toner. Besides the obvious – recycled paper – offices really have the ability to save money and help the environment at the same time.

Stressing the availability of post-consumer material makes recycling more and more important. Your next napkin or paper towel could be made of something you recycled!

COMPOSTING 101

2010-08-04T18:27:00.000-07:00

by: Grant Deliberto

Not only can you recycle plastic bottles and cardboard boxes, but leftover food as well! Composting consists of taking food scraps and returning them to the Earth. This enriches the soil, acts as a natural fertilizer, and reduces the amount of waste. Have you ever thrown away banana peels, eggshells, coffee grounds, corncobs or apple cores? These are just a few examples of what can be put aside for composting. Why let them take up space in a landfill when composting actually helps you?

Russell Deliberto, a previous Lombard local, has been composting for over 35 years. He first started by putting food scraps in his garden to help flowers and plants grow. The results he found were both personally fulfilling and environmentally conscious.

“I’m sort of an organic person, and I don’t have a lot of money. I could have gone all commercial and bought fertilizers – like Miracle Grow and all that, but I decided to use what was available in nature,” Russell says, “It’s cost effective and returning to nature what nature provided in the first place.”

Now I’m sure when most of us think of composting, we imagine a big pile of trash that’s slowly deteriorating and smelling. There are, however, many different ways you can go about it. Some people have a compost pile, which requires watering and airing, but Russell built what is called a “raised garden” and buries the left over food scraps there.

“Just about anything you can eat is recyclable,” Russell enlightens me. This includes, but is definitely not limited to: egg shells, apple cores, orange peels, banana peels, coffee grounds – even left over watermelon and cantaloupe. “The banana peels are especially good for roses,” says Deliberto.

You can even include grass clippings and leaves in your composting efforts. The main thing to remember, whether it’s left over food or leaves and grass, is that you want to get them to the smallest size possible. Leaves, for instance, will push together and remain moist if not ground to tiny pieces. Food scraps also need to be cut down to the smallest size possible.

“Many composters don’t like to put in animal meat,” Russell warns any new composters, “It might attract wild animals.”

So let’s review what composting achieves. It reduces waste, helps the environment, and saves money when it comes to fertilizers and disposing of leaf and grass clippings. Could you think of a better, more 3-dimensional way of being environmentally conscious?

Russell offers these last words to anyone who’s on the edge: “It’s just a moral and ethical thing to do. Instead of putting it off, do it on a small scale. Just save your table scraps – start small.”

So take Russ’s advice. Start small, and see what a big difference you can make!

THE PAPER PANDEMIC

2010-07-27T15:33:00.000-07:00

by: Grant Deliberto

< - - - Does your desk look like this?

... or even worse, does this all end up in the trash?

We have a tragedy on our hands! No, Juliet hasn’t found her dead lover outside her tomb, Hamlet isn’t considering suicide, and Macbeth isn’t doing – well, whatever Macbeth is doing. Believe it or not, these books are directly related. Almost every office in America is wasting dangerous amounts of paper. Huge amounts of paper are being thrown in the trash, not recycled, and not being capitalized on their full potential. Makes you think, what is the value of all those Shakespeare plays, and books in general? People are treating the simple commodity of paper like it’s worthless. What are we doing, and why do Americans seem to care so little? Why are we on the road to making books and paper more of a luxury than a commodity?

Paper waste makes up 40% of the solid waste in landfills across the United States. That’s dangerously close to half, and even worse because of the ease with which paper can be recycled. In fact, it’s one of the easiest things to reduce, reuse, and recycle! In 2003, California examined how much paper was wasted from office buildings and corporate businesses. I’m going to ask you to sit down and possibly grab a damp, cool towel to place on your forehead. They determined 785,147 tons of paper was wasted. You can go ahead and faint now. You know how little a single piece of paper weighs…

Now this problem has a simple solution, however its implementation is where the complexity arises.

1. RECYCLE the paper you use! Don’t throw it away! Nearly every single piece of paper can be reused and recycled. Take 3 seconds and put it in a separate bin.

2. Make use of Technology. Instead of sending a printed memo or leaving post-it notes, send your memos or notes in an email. Make sure everyone in the office has an office email and don’t waste the ink or paper. This is one of the positive things the advent of email can be hailed for!

3. Use a Bulletin Board or Dry Erase Board if something needs to be posted or seen on a larger scale.

4. Buy Recycled Paper. Come on now, who really needs perfect, bright white sparkling COPY paper? Buy some recycled paper and help support the companies and places that take the time to give paper its deserved second use.

The solution is simple, it’s just the ease with which these principles can be ignored that is daunting. Take a stand and use the things you now know to prevent wasting and adding to a gruesome statistic.

2010-07-22T08:45:00.001-07:00

What to Expect From the U.K in the Months Ahead

By Tina Marie Bibergall

After a Budget address that was initially disappointing to Green supporters in the U.K., Chancellor George Osborne has since redeemed himself by making several low-carbon policy announcements in support of his government’s pledge to become the “greenest government ever”.

Plans for massive energy reforms have been discussed in order to set the carbon price and stimulate nuclear and renewable energy investment.

There has also been widespread talk of a green investment bank; however, there is a rather large gap in the start-up time recommended by leading financiers and that supported by government. The key financiers are urging the government to have the institution fully operational within six months – the government did not intend on releasing detailed proposals on the bank until at least November of this year.

A win-win situation is expected for companies in the green vehicle sector due to company tax reforms that will make it more attractive for firms to purchase low and zero-carbon vehicles. The manufacturers of these vehicles will, no doubt, benefit as well.

Another positive highlight is that homeowners can expect to receive incentives to make their homes more green-friendly by offsetting their initial investment in energy-saving products. Once again, the industries that manufacture these products will be stimulated as well.

Perhaps the most controversial proposal mentioned is the Air Passenger Duty (APD). The APD is a tax that is charged to passengers flying from an airport within the United Kingdom on an aircraft that has more than twenty seats or an authorized weight of more than ten tons. The actual tax levied is based on distance, with longer flights having an increased tax.

Many in the tourism industry in both the Caribbean and the U.S. are vehemently opposing the tax, arguing that it will price most people out of flying with the fallout being a declining tourism industry in an already suffering economy.

The APD tax is scheduled to become effective November, 2010, so major opponents such as Ryanair of Ireland are at the 11th hour to “air” their grievances and accept their “taxing” fate!

2010-07-22T08:28:00.000-07:00

CAN YOUR COMPANY AFFORD NOT TO BE GREEN BUSINESS CERTIFIED?

By Tina Marie Bibergall

Does the concept of large companies taking green initiatives sound exciting? Absolutely. Does the notion of these same companies enjoying larger profits as a result of their environmental consciousness grab attention? Definitely.

Then along comes a skeptical analyst who attributes a company’s existing profitability to its ability to invest in green initiatives. In other words, “What came first, the chicken or the egg?” One has to wonder.

Recent reports may offer some strong insight into this exact question. Companies from several major sectors – from Pharmaceuticals to Food and Beverage – have released their own solid proof supporting the benefits derived from their environmental successes.

It is a new day, and the tides are turning on the cynics. Perhaps if only a few small companies from one sector released reports using varying criteria to define their achievements, this would not be the case; however, these companies have used standard benchmarks of carbon footprint, energy and water use, waste and packaging.

A few of the companies whose reports were taken into consideration for this article and at least one example of their recent achievements are as follows:

AT &T, the telecommunications giant, reduced its amount of electricity consumed by 23.8 percent. The company is working towards its goal of putting into service 15,000 alternative fuel vehicles (AFV’s) over the next decade. As of the end of 2009, AT&T has completed 970 vehicles.

Ball, one of the largest packaging companies worldwide, has both reduced the weight of its products AND enabled consumers to boost recycling efforts by increasing the recyclable content in its PET bottles by 6.5 percent.

In addition, Ball has achieved an electricity usage reduction of 11 percent since 2007. Its water consumption went down over the same period by 8.6 percent. Finally, Ball’s net earnings went up by 21.4 percent in 2009; more proof for the green initiative skeptics?

Baxter, the medical supplies distributor, has reduced the amount of their absolute greenhouse gas emissions by 5 percent since 2005. Their greenhouse gas intensity has fallen 26 percent during the same timeframe, and approximately 17 percent of the overall electricity output at Baxter comes from renewable energy sources. In addition, Baxter has cut absolute waste generation by 7 percent since 2005.

These internal initiatives that Baxter has achieved are commendable, but the initiatives that Baxter is taking among its suppliers are tremendous. By 2015, Baxter will survey 100 of its top suppliers on green-relevant criteria such as greenhouse gas emissions, natural resource use, and packaging take-back programs. Baxter will also evaluate the suppliers’ future plans for reductions of emissions and waste.

This initiative by Baxter is a key example of how companies will benefit now and in the future by obtaining Green Certification by companies such as the Institute for Green Business Certification (IGBC).

The Institute for Green Business Certification is believed to be the oldest international organization of its kind to certify business environmental practices. IGBC is a third party accrediting organization that serves North, South and Central America and is making strides to enter Asia, South Africa, and Europe.

IGBC provides environmental internal management, sustainability consulting and training to individuals, businesses and organizations. Their 38-page Audit defines what it means to be a “Green Business” and is becoming the standard for the industry.

In a world where the trend is environmental awareness, where industry giants like Baxter will award contracts based on green initiatives, and where the government will provide more and more incentives based on green-compliance the question becomes….

CAN YOUR COMPANY REALLY AFFORD NOT TO BE GREEN BUSINESS CERTIFIED?

THE DAY YOUR FAUCET RUNS DRY

2010-07-21T11:36:00.000-07:00

by: Grant Deliberto

Walking inside after a long jog, you move to the kitchen. Breathing heavily you open the cupboard, remove a large glass and place it under the faucet. You lean against the counter and take another breath. A bead of sweat drops from your face into the sink. One deep breath later you lift the lever on your faucet. Nothing. You push the lever down with a quizzical look. After a split second, your hand lifts the lever, but again in vain. Angrily, you take another gulp of air and move to your bathroom. You throw the door open, placing your glass under its faucet. As you pull up, no water falls. You vehemently pull up and down, until you rip the lever clean off. Where has your water gone?

46% of people on Earth don’t have water piped to their homes. This number could soon include you. 83 million new people are born each year. Where do you think they’re water supply is coming from? Shockingly, Americans use about 100 gallons of water at home each day. At this rate, with the inevitable increase in population, there will be none left for your house! The numbers are staggering. In about 15 years, 1.8 billion people will live in a region of severe water scarcity.

The first thing you should know is that humans can only drink freshwater. Automatically, that eliminates most major oceans as water sources, because their water is filled with salt. This leaves just a small majority of the water for us to drink and bathe in, let alone water flowers, fill swimming pools etc.

So the question begging to be asked is can you limit the amount of water you use every day? Many of the world’s poorest people live on fewer than five gallons a day. Can you at least limit yours to 60 gallons? Maybe even 50 gallons a day?

You can start by taking shorter showers and turning off the water when you brush your teeth. Most water consumption comes from showering. If you think about it – how many people in your house have to shower EVERY DAY? Multiply that by the people on your street. Then by the number of people in your neighborhood. Kind of insane, isn’t it? You can also help by re-thinking your lawn-care system and all the extra water you’re using.

Time is not on our side, even if the Rolling Stones say it is! Water will not keep re-generating itself. For your posterity, and your life in the very near future, ensure there is still some water left for yourself and those who need it. Think about the water you’re using – but more importantly, think about the water you’re not.

WIND ENERGY

2010-07-20T15:38:00.000-07:00

By Grant Deliberto

The simplicity, productivity, and overall cleanliness of wind energy is mind-boggling. So is the potential for this energy around the entire country. It’s probably one of the most environmentally friendly and promising sources of the near future.

You’ll never have to worry about an oil spill, by-products of coal, or even where to dump nuclear waste. These wonderful machines use something the earth will produce naturally and eternally: Wind.

Globally, wind power provides less than 2% of electrical power, but it’s growing the fastest. The current leader in wind energy use is Europe. They have the equivalent to 66 coal-fired plants of wind. (25,000 megawatts).

Unfortunately, North America is in second. We, however, only generate 6,000 megawatts. Our country in particular has the most potential for growth in this kind of energy. Just about every part of the country, except some parts of the deep south, are capable of acquiring wind energy.

The energy generated by wind can also be used for other things. Wind power can be turned into hydrogen and ethanol, or used to compress air.

This source of energy will prove to be the most important in the coming years mainly due to its cleanliness and ease of acquisition. Part of President Obama’s energy plan includes efforts to start producing many more wind turbines around the entire country.

So, the next time you are passing a corn field, or out in the rural areas of your state, look at the seemingly endless skyline of farming land and open area. Imagine what good some wind turbines could do. They don’t bother anyone, and they generate energy for free. Wind could become our new best friend.

CRASH COURSE ON TRASH!

2010-07-19T08:18:00.000-07:00

by Grant Deliberto

For those of you who are a little out of the loop, aren’t Kosher with this “Recycling” thing, or just need a little more information – Listen up! You’re gonna get a crash course in the basic ideology behind the “Save the Earth” movement, and if you like what you read, go ahead and jump on the bandwagon!

Ok, here are the basic principles to Recycling:

- Reduce

- Reuse

- Recycle

You’ve probably seen this logo in various places around the office, a classroom, or even outside on your neighbor’s blue recycling cans. Each arrow stands for one of the three bullet points next to it : Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. These three ideas are central to the concept of recycling and keep earth a viable place for human beings to continue their existence.

On average, our country produces 250 millions tons of garbage each year. Pop cans, plastic bottles, and packaging makes up about 30% of that garbage. Get this: those white, foamy cups that so many people use at parties, or at office functions, known technically as “polystyrene cups” each take more than 500 years to decompose. Forget your banana peels, package rapping, dirty diapers, and anything else you toss into the garbage – those white cups are enough to ruin the environment for all of us!

So, how can you help, you ask? Let’s start with that wonderful logo, and the three steps it implements, our core “ideals” for basic recycling:

REDUCE: The first step is becoming conscious of the things you are throwing away. Do you use a lot of plastic cups, plastic silverware, or paper plates? Are you throwing huge volumes of things away? Take a look at what you let fly out of your hand and into a garbage can. Do you really need to throw that away? Do you really need to use that much? Have you even used it to its fullest potential?

REUSE: Ok, so you like plastic silverware, paper plates, and foam cups because they’re easy to clean up. That’s fine for the occasional party, for Timmy’s Graduation (when the whole family packs in the house) or things like that. But on a regular basis, don’t get in that habit! Try to use the silverware, plates, and cups that you can put in your dishwasher and use over and over again. You’re actually saving money and you don’t have to add to the landfills. Also, find ways to reuse other things around your house instead of tossing them away. Could you use this item for something else? Could you get more use out of it? It’s just like the potential you see in kids. You tell them to do well in school, get good grades, and apply themselves because you don’t want them to waste their potential. It’s the same with stuff around your house!

RECYCLE: Ok, so let’s say you drink a lot of pop, and you have cans sitting around. The LAST place they belong is your garbage can. Cans and bottles are one of the easiest things to recycle. Get a blue recycle bin – heck, get ANY bin or box – and start loading. You don’t have to be “official,” quite yet, just start by differentiating between your trash. Plastic bottles also belong in this box, and even some glass (if it isn’t broken, of course). Plastic packaging also can go right in, and bottle caps. It takes 1 second to throw a can or bottle into a separate receptacle as opposed to the garbage can right next to it. Eventually, get a blue recycle bin from your community/garbage pick-up.

If you can start implementing these simple steps, you have become a Recycler! It’s easy, takes little effort, and goes a long way towards the longevity of our resources. If you ever forget, or need to be reminded from time to time, pin this logo on your bulletin board or stick it on your refrigerator : Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle!

Sometimes it’s hard to believe these simple steps can make any real difference in the world. The answer has a little depth if examined. While YOU alone can’t solve the crisis of our resources, you can set an example. The idea is to get EVERYONE on board, and the sooner it becomes “normalized” and everyone sees it as OK, the bigger the impact it will have on the Earth. So take a giant leap for yourself, for everyone who looks up to you, and for the Earth. The power is really in your hands.

COMMON SENSE SOLUTIONS

2010-07-19T07:57:00.000-07:00

By Grant Deliberto

Walking into their house you wouldn’t perceive that the Pizzotti’s, an elderly couple located in Lombard, Illinois, would have any interest in Green initiatives or environmentalism. The ambiance of their bigger-than-average home is peaceful. You can hear the tick of a large grandfather clock from the foyer, and diffused smells from one of Barbara’s wonderful meals is usually lingering in the air. The house is clean but not pretentious, homey but not unorganized, and makes you feel comfortable from the second you enter.

A very tan, very Italian man greeted me upon entry with a warm smile. He looked good for 72 years of age.

“Hey, Grant, why don’t you come on in.”

I followed him down to the lower level of their roomy, split-level house and opened my notebook. After a few cordial greetings, I began asking him about the installment that was saving money and supporting a cause that perhaps he wasn’t even aware of.

“It’s called a SolaTube.” he said.

Back in 2005, Jerry and Barbara Pizzotti decided to install a “SolaTube” in their upstairs bathroom. A “SolaTube” is a device that uses reflective metal tubing to direct sunlight into your house. It’s installed into the ceiling, connected to a reflective tube, and pops out about 4 inches from the top of your roof. The small dome on the top diffuses sunlight, reflecting it down the tube and into your designated area. Without electricity or a light switch, an entire room can be lit with natural, every-day sunlight.

“All the grand kids, when they were little, would be in and out of the bathroom. We’d always have to ask them to turn the bathroom light off, and we were the ones who usually ended up doing it. Then we saw the SolaTube and didn’t have to turn the light on ever again,” says Barbara Pizzotti, with three daughters and 7 grand kids, “It’s been really nice.”

For about $250, they purchased a 10” SolaTube that lights up their entire bathroom, and even a large part of their hallway.

“It’s great for any dark hallway or bathroom with no windows, or even a living room,” says Jerry Pizzotti, who was able to install the SolaTube all by himself. “Sometimes when there’s a bright moon, you even get moonlight.”

When you look at it, it looks like an illuminated plastic disk, glued to your ceiling. It’s flush with the ceiling and doesn’t stick out, its edges even paintable to add to its unassuming position. The metal tubing is concealed by your attic and drywall.

“It’s very convenient, and once you have it, you love it.” Barbara says.

3 years after their initial purchase they decided to buy another SolaTube for their kitchen. This one is a bit wider, 14”, and lighting up about 150 square feet.

“That one ran about $400. Then we paid $200 for the installation. So, in total, the second one cost about $600. The guy who installed it was in and out in about an hour. He came in, went on the roof, put the tube in, and didn’t get one spec of dust on the floor. For the extra $200, it was worth it,” Jerry and Barbara described to me, finishing each others’ sentences. It seemed they liked their second installation more than the first.

The harsh reality of the SolaTube is that the initial cost is a bit steep. It’s nothing compared to a Solar Panel or Wind Turbine, but if you’re shopping on more of a restricted budget, buying two of these is about $800. The flip side to this reality is the ease with which you make money back.

“I’d say it saves us about $100 a year in the electricity bill. So for the first one, I got all my money back in about 2 years.” says Jerry.

So, in relation to the size of the SolaTube and the number of them you choose to install, your money (though a tiny investment – probably one of the smallest initial costs of any Green effort out there) will be made back in a couple years. After that, you’re in the surplus.

I must say, I was really shocked. I have known these people for most of my life. I knew they recycled and were mindful about disposing of things, but I never thought of them as “Green” activists. The funny part is, I don’t think they do either.

“It’s very economical,” says Jerry Pizzotti, “Nothing mechanical about it. It’s just natural sunlight.”

And with that I closed my gaping jaw. A simple, unassuming couple who was looking for a way to simplify their lives had made one of the simplest, easiest, and cost-efficient choices they could. So as I left their house I thought to myself, “Maybe I should get one of these!”

You don’t have to be a green activist, and you’d probably save more money than you ever imagined. So tuck one of these babies into your ceiling, and see what new light shines on you!

2010-07-08T07:42:00.000-07:00

ADDING TO YOUR ANNUAL MAINTENANCE PUNCHLIST
JULY ACTION ITEM

You do not have to be an electrician to perform this simple once-a-year safety check that takes about 5 minutes per outlet, but can save you the cost of electrical shock or a fire.

The issue found most frequently with outlets is called “reversed polarity”; this is where the black and white wires are reversed at the point of connection to the outlet. Unfortunately, appliances will continue to function but the risk of electric shock goes up considerably.

There are some easy steps to check the outlet safety:

Inspect the actual outlet – not the outlet plate – for any physical damage. At the same time, check for damage to the sockets, outlet box, or wiring. Tape over any cracked or broken outlets to prevent usage until they are fixed by a licensed electrician.
In an undamaged outlet, place a 3-prong socket tester into it and wiggle the tester to see if the outlet is loose. Any loose outlets should be repaired.
Check the indicator lights on the tester. Two green lights indicate the outlet is functioning properly and is safe to use. One green light indicates the outlet has power, but is not grounded. It is safe to use for a 2-prong plug, but not for a 3-prong plug. Again, consult with a licensed electrician to use 3-prong appliances in the future.
A red or amber light on the indicator means “STOP”! There is a serious fault in the outlet that needs to be corrected. DO NOT attempt to use the outlet until you’ve consulted an electrician.

NOTE: If there is NO power to an outlet and the circuit breaker and fuse have been checked and are properly working, then there is a problem with the outlet that needs to be repaired. In this case, please consult a licensed electrician.

Tina Marie Bibergall
July 7, 2010

AIR CONDITIONER CRAP OUT!

2010-06-23T08:44:00.000-07:00

Air Conditioners in the summer are a vital part to your life! We all know how nice it is to come in from a hot day and fell the nice wave of cold air hitting our faces. Ensure it stays that way, and you can help the environment with our even knowing it!

The outdoors condenser of you air conditioner is very important and should be checked in the summer, and to be safe, the spring. Remember, if something is wrong with it - don't try to fix it yourself! There are dangerous refrigerant materials that could enter the atmosphere if you or dad tries to experiment.

Follow these simple steps to ensure everything is OK:

1.When the air conditioner is running, check the refrigerant lines.
A. Look for crimping in both refrigerant lines. They are most vulnerable where they leave the condensing unit and where they go through your exterior wall.

B. The larger tube should be cold and insulated. Check that the insulation is in good condition, without wear or cracks.

C. The smaller tube should be warm along its entire length.

2.Use a carpenters level to check whether the condensing unit is slanted.
3.Cut back plants near the unit to improve airflow.

Remember, you’re not only helping ensure your tranquil summer nights, you’re helping the environment too!

Green Hotels and Motels:

2010-04-30T11:44:00.000-07:00

Naturally, it is prudent for environmentally conscious travelers to support facilities that have programs in place, but what are some good indicators to look for?

Does housekeeping request reuse of towels rather than daily refreshing and that bed linens be changed every three days? This step, alone, conserves almost 30% in water usage and a large amount of detergent going into the water system.
Are complimentary sundries (shampoo, conditioner, body lotion) Eco-friendly?
Is the room equipped with aquamiser filters on the faucets and showers?
Are the cleaning chemicals classified as environmentally friendly? This is one of the most important indicators and difficult to discover without asking. The majority of pollutants generated from hotels/motels are from the chemicals used to clean rooms.
Is there a voluntary recycle program for guests in the common areas?
Are the lights in the rooms CFL's or are incandescent light bulbs still being used?
Are the fluorescent lights low mercury? The easiest way to tell is to look at the end of the bulb and look for a green end or green printing on the side of the bulb.

There are many factors to qualify a hotel/motel as being truly "Green"; therefore, the easiest way to find out just "how green they are", is to ask what third party certification they have.

Water

2010-03-15T16:42:00.000-07:00

Nearly 70 Percent Of The World's Fresh Water Is Locked In Ice
Most Of The Rest Is In Aquifers That We're Draining Much More Quickly Than The Nature Recharge Rate
Two-Thirds Of Our Water Is Used To Grow Food
With 83 Million More People On Earth Each Year, Water Demand Will Keep Going Up Unless We Change How We Use It

Americans Use About 100 Gallons Of Water At Home Each Day&

Many Of The World's Poorest Subsist On Fewer Than Five Gallons
46 Percent Of The People On Earth Do Not Have Water Piped To Their Homes
Women In Developing Countries Walk An Average Of 3.7 Miles To Get Water
In 15 Years, 1.8 Billion People Will Live In A Region Of Severe Water Scarcity

U.S. Vacationers Rank Going To The Beach Or A Lake Their Favorite Outdoor Activity...

More Americans Fish Than Play Golf Or Tennis
The U.S. Boating Industry Generated $33.6 Billon In 2008
In Florida, 3,000 Gallons Are Used To Water Grass For Each Golf Game Played
U.S. Swimming Pools Lose159 Billion Gallons To Evaporation Every Year

Business Drain

2009-02-28T05:57:00.000-08:00

American business is teching-up like never before, with shiny new toys that suck electricity in huge amounts. The average American small business has more than 44 electronic devises according to the Consumer Electronics Association.

The fallout: Electronic device usage is one of the fastest-growing categories of electricity with consumption by small business have increased from 6% in 1980 to more than 18% today. By 2015 it is estimated to be closer to 25% for many small businesses.
What can a small business do?

When purchasing new tech products, it is good to be aware of the greener options. Programs like Energy Star and Natural Resource Defense Council have done considerable work to encourage manufacturers to deliver more energy-conscious products. "Green" appliances that meet the new standards, compared to the older models sold five years ago, will save five (5) billion kWh a year in the U.S., preventing the release of about 3.8 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions, according to the NRDC. That's the equivalent of removing 600,000 cars from our roadways.
Buy only Energy Star rated devices and appliances.
Turn off computers and other electronic equipment when not in use.
Connect a power strip/surge protector to all electronic equipment. It is one of the most useful tools in business energy conservation. When you think you are powering down an appliance, the device may still consume electrical power. The proper use of a power strip/surge protector will enable a company to turn off the drain vampires, reducing power consumption and CO2 emissions by a considerable amount.
Link all computer speakers, printers, scanners, and chargers to a power strip/surge protector so that when you turn off the power strip at the end of the day you will stop the drain of energy.
Unplug external power suppliers such as chargers for everything from cell phones and BlackBerrys to computer printers and digital cameras. They may be small but they can become a major energy drain when not in use. They draw power 24/7 while converting a lot of wasted power to wasted heat.
Consider waiting until July to buy that new computer. That's when some of the industry's most energy-efficient computers hit the market, thanks to a new specification from Energy Star. Desktops and notebooks that meet the spec will use 30% less energy, on the average, than current models.
Get rid of screensavers on existing computers. A screensaver serves no useful purpose and eliminating them could save between $50.00 to $100.00 per computer.
Consider a laptop. Laptop's may use four (4) times less energy than an older computer with an LCD monitor. " Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps.
As fluorescent bulbs burnout, replace overhead fluorescent light bulbs with low-mercury, eco-friendly fluorescent bulbs. They use less energy, are brighter and last longer while reducing mercury pollution.
Install a programmable thermostat and do not allow employee access to it. If properly set, it can save up to 30% on heating cost.
Install motion detectors in bathrooms and low traffic areas so that lights are automatically turned off when the area is not in use.

DO’S AND DON’TS OF RECYCLING

2009-01-01T05:39:00.000-08:00

We all do it but do we do it right?

Mixed paper / fiber products
	Include:	Don’t include:
	Newspapers and all inserts Computer and color paper (no carbon paper) Junk mail and envelopes Telephone books Cardboard Corrugated (flattened; pieces may not exceed 2’x2’) Chipboard / paperboard (flatten and remove windows, liners and handles)	Hard or soft covered regular reading books Pizza boxes
Co-mingled rigid products – plastic, cans & glass (All items must be rinsed for recycling)
	Glass bottles and jars: (clear, brown and green colors) Cans (tin and bi-metal Aluminum (cans, foil and trays) Plastic (#1 through #7, beverage rings)	Plastic caps or bags Styrofoam Light bulbs Plate or ceramic glass; Pyrex

Motor Oil & Car Batteries
Used motor oil must be contained in a clear plastic jug (milk jug) and must not contain any other type of liquids.

Place at curbside next to the recycle cart (not inside it)
Place car batteries next to your cart at curbside

GOING GREEN $aves You Green

2008-03-12T05:33:00.000-07:00

When trying to appease the environment, it has been the case, historically, that such a lofty pursuit drives up the cost of doing business. There is growing interest in a voluntary kind of environmental work that is still in its infancy stages in Indiana.

Lower operating cost and increase asset value
Reduced waste sent to landfills
Less energy and water consumption

It might be presumed that installing environmentally friendly measures will escalate cost, but according to a 2007 study, there is no dramatic difference in average cost between green and non-green. The country's largest general builder Turner Construction Corporation is at the forefront in green building. Mike Kaiman, vice president/general manager of Turner Corporation's Indianapolis office, said green building cost one-half to 5 percent more than non-green construction.

Going Green has a remarkable financial advantage in operational cost.

"People start out thinking they will Going Green for the environment, it makes a lot of business sense as well. You are spending less on your operational and maintenance cost, and therefore profits are going up," said Bill Barnard, vice president of architecture at The Troyer Group.

It's hard to overlook, among the many striking advantages to Going Green, particularly how it takes less time to pay back upfront, cost compared to non-green building. Robert Koester, director of Center for Energy Research Education and Services at Ball State, said, the return in investment when green is around 7 percent, an amount that's consistent with stock, bonds, and DCs.

Not only is there a long-term cost saving by going green, there are other benefits. Studies have illustrated employee productivity and academic performance increase when working in a building where the air in cleaner and there's natural light. As a result, morale improves, absenteeism decreases, there are fewer sick days and health costs go down. There's also evidence to support claims that retail sales jump in stores where there's more natural light, and hospitals with elements of sustainable design experience earlier discharges, according to Koester.

"You are using less electricity and there's a reduction in your energy bill. When you go green, it pays for itself in the short and long term," he said.

Kaiman of Turner Construction predicts that 50 percent of all new commercial and industrial construction across the country within 10 year certified. Turner Construction believes its role as a green building to be critical in making sustainable design mainstream within the estimated $1 trillion building industry.

"We take pride in leading initiatives and being cutting-edge," Kaiman said. "We can be part of the future of having less waste going into landfills, using less energy and better utilization of resources. It's just the right thing to do."