Going Green At The Office-Tips To Help Businesses Go Green

Author: Bennetta Elliott

While in the past many people were not thinking about the environment, especially at work, increased awareness of the importance of conservation and saving the environment has even made business owners begin to take a second look at practices they can change to improve the environment. If you haven’t considered how your business is affecting the environment, it may be time to consider what you can do to operate a little greener. Today it is becoming more and more popular to go green at the office and it is relatively easy to use great policies at work that can help the environment and make your business more successful as well. Not sure where to begin? Well, here are a few tips to help you out.

Tip #1 Go with Green Vendors: If you want to go green at your office, it’s going to be important to go with green vendors for your needs. Find out if vendors have green policies of their own in place already. Each vendor your use, such as your office supply company or even the bank you use should have green policies to help with the environment. Find out which businesses do use green policies and then support them and their choices by giving them your company’s business.

Tip #2 Make Donations: Another thing that you can do to keep your office environmentally friendly is to make some donations. All the pens, phones, books, computers, and other supplies that you have at the office that are no longer being used can be donated. You’ll find schools, libraries, charity stores, and nursing homes will be glad to take them off your hands. This way someone else can get some use out of them and you won’t be throwing them away.

Tip #3 Purchase and Plant Trees around Your Business: Trees are great for helping the environment by releasing oxygen into the air. Why not plant some trees around your business. Perhaps start an initiative at your office for people to earn their “own tree.” You may even want to set a special day aside for planting some trees. This will be great for the environment and it can be excellent for your business promotion as well. Purchasing some small saplings should not be all that expensive to do, and consider even using these trees as awards or incentives in the office instead of paper certificates.

Tip #4 Put in Electric Hand Dryers: Many businesses go with paper towels in their bathrooms, and this promotes the use of natural resources that could be saved. Instead of using all that paper, why not invest in some electric hand dryers for your bathrooms. This will save on using paper towels, and not only is it great for the environment, but it is also going to be cost effective as well, since you’ll save quite a bit on the cost of the paper towels.

Tip #5 Go with Recycled Products: There are a variety of different recycled products that you can use for your business that will help you in your pursuit of going green at the office. Some of the recycled products that you can use include recycled paper goods, recycled toner and printer cartridges, and even recycled plastics. You should recycle yourself, and also use recycled products as much as you can.

Tip #6 Purchase Personalized Coffee Mugs for Your Employees: How many Styrofoam cups do you go through a day at the office? If you have many coffee drinkers in the office lounge, more than likely you go through quite a few. Why not go ahead and purchase some personalized coffee mugs for all of your employees. This is a great gift that you can offer and they’ll be able to use their mugs over and over again instead of having to actually use Styrofoam cups, which are not great for the environment.

As you can see, there are many things that you can do that can help to improve the environment. Going green at the office is actually a lot easier and cheaper than you probably thought it would be; in fact, it can even save you money in the long run. So, if you’re ready to start taking care of the world you live in, consider using these tips at the office to make it as green as you possibly can.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/going-green-at-the-office-tips-to-help-your-business-go-green-467992.html">href="http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/going-green-at-the-office-tips-to-help-your-business-go-green-467992.html">http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/going-green-at-the-office-tips-to-help-your-business-go-green-467992.html

About the Author:
Bennetta Elliott, CEO Personalized Gift Express, offering a great selection of unique favors and personalized gifts for all occasions.

Going Green is not Just for Big Business-You Can Grow Eco-profits, Too!

Author: Ruth Klein

The world of big business is making daily headlines by "going green" after discovering that what's good for the planet is also proving good for business.

IBM recently announced "Project Big Green," a $1 billion initiative to reduce energy consumption by offering new lines of energy-efficient IT products.

Wal-Mart is adding solar power to more than 20 stores.

PepsiCo is buying renewable energy certificates to offset its carbon footprint. Even major banks and energy firms are being asked by shareholders to prove that they, too, are going green.

It's not just the biggest businesses that are attracting new customers and shareholders and reaping huge profits by "going green." Small businesses also are growing eco-profits by embracing surprisingly inexpensive strategies to add value to their products, services and brand.

Consider these innovative examples:

- Bob Smith of Mad River Brewing Company in Blue Lake, California, has attracted positive publicity (and new customers) by promoting his efforts to reduce his small firm's waste output and take other environmentally conscious steps. In turn, he has received welcome positive publicity from the press. "What PR budget? That is our PR budget," he told the Albuquerque Tribune about "going green" to market his business.

-In Florida, Natalie Kelly formed Home Therapy Cleaning Services, which uses only nontoxic, all-natural cleaning products for her home cleaning business. She used to sell aromatherapy candles from her home, she told the St. Petersburg Times, but today uses an aromatherapy baking soda blend to freshen carpets.

Here's what you can do:

- Two inexpensive ways any small business or solo entrepreneur can go green are to change light bulbs to energy-efficient bulbs and use biodegradable cleaning products.

- With that done, tell your customers and the media about these simple ways to go green. You will have just earned instant credibility as a green business, and also as a media resource for simple, effective ways to "go green."

- Many communities online and offline are forming networks to exchange energy-saving ideas for home and business. Form your own energy network, enlisting neighborhood businesses that will welcome another opportunity to show they're going green, too. The plus for you is that you will have just positioned yourself and your business as a community environmental leader.

- Copy what the New York Times called "Phase 2" of the corporate response to global warming. Partner with an environmental group. Travelocity invites customers to donate an extra $10 to $40, which goes to the Conservation Fund to plant trees to offset the carbon used by a client to take a trip. Whole Foods invites customers to buy a $5 "wind power card" that goes to Renewable Choice Energy to build wind farms. What local environmental group can you partner with to promote on your Web site (and vice versa), to set aside a day that a percentage of profits will go to that organization or to make their fliers available at your business?

- Make use of readily available, free information to hand out with your business literature or to make available in your office. For example, create a one-page flier on your letterhead inviting clients to calculate their own carbon footprint by visiting http://multimedia.wri.org/safeclimate_calculator.cfm.

- Go deeper green! Attend a "green" conference in your community or region, and promote your attendance. (Go to Google.com and type in "green" and "conference" and your area to find out when and where they are scheduled.) Write a "green" article on simple ways you are going green and submit it to one of the dozens of "green" Web sites and blogs that invite reader contributions. It's a great way to market your smart ideas and your business!

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/going-green-is-not-just-for-big-businessyou-can-grow-ecoprofits-too-268998.html

About the Author:
Ruth Klein, the De-Stress Diva (tm) and Branding Guru, is the proverbial Woman About Town. Holding a Master's in Clinical Psychology, consulting with renowned businesses - small and large. Ruth is a consultant, author, speaker, radio show host, branding strategist and productivity coach. http://www.ruthklein.com .

Make a Green Splash With Eco-Friendly Promotional Items From PromosMatter -FREE Organic T-Shirt Giveaway!

Enter to win a free organic t-shirt!
You pick the color and size.

To ENTER DRAWING FOR FREE ORGANIC T-SHIRT:

1) Post a comment below and

2) Email me (greenwithceleste@yahoo.com) to let me know
why you should be the winner of this eco-friendly t-shirt & to provide
your mailing address should you be selected as the winner.

This will qualify YOU to be entered into the drawing.

A Go Green With Celeste winner will be randomly selected on October 18, 2008.
The winner will be contacted by e-mail.
Open to individuals in USA (lower 48) states only. One entry per person.
*********************************************
Q&A with PromosMatter
www.promosmatter.com
www.promosmatter.com/efriendly.html

About PromosMatter:
PromosMatter is a direct marketing promotional products company, offering more than 350,000 products through a network of 3,000 plus suppliers. Kim Martin, the owner of PromosMatter, incorporated in October of 2007 after working from home and with another promotional company. In March of 2008, PromosMatter opened their retail location in Bartlett, TN.

CELESTE: Tell us how companies can go green when it comes to their promotional materials.

KIM: There is a wide variety of eco-friendly concepts in the promotional market today. Suppliers and manufacturers are providing items made from sustainable sources - examples being cups made from potatoes, beets, pens made from corn to lanyards made from bamboo. There is a movement to lower the amount of packing materials goods need to be shipped and making sure packing can be recycled. Even a resurgent in refillable/reusable goods such as pens, spray bottles, and travel packs has started to sweep the industry.
Many manufactures are going to organic materials and/or green process to create goods for the market. It’s always good to be able to show people that this process is having a smaller carbon footprint on the environment.

CELESTE: What statement is a business making to their customers when they provide eco-friendly giveaway products?

KIM: It is real simple – a company giving out eco friendly products is saying to their customer base, “We are not only interested in the bottom line but we have our eyes on the future.” Everyone knows that things are changing. Showing that you are ahead of the curve is never a bad idea.

CELESTE: How is PromosMatter, Inc., different from the rest of the companies out there who provide eco-friendly promotional items?

KIM: All promotional products companies have access to eco-friendly products. What we at PromosMatter are doing is just making so much easier. We have created an entire catalog of green, organic, and eco-friendly products on our web site www.promosmatter.com. As you will see, we gave these once second class citizens of the promotional world, a place on the front page of our web site.

In talking to our customers, we educate many of them on greener options – a recycled material, a reusable product, or just something with less packaging. Even in our showroom, we have an entire display dedicated to Eco-Friendly advertising so customers can handle the products and decide what best suits their needs. We want to help everybody get their name out to their customer base as effectively as possible and being green is one of those ways.

CELESTE: Your best selling green product is?

KIM: PromosMatter doesn’t have one best selling green product. We have seen an increase in customers requesting t-shirts made from sustainable or organic materials, which can be imprinted with eco friendly or soy based inks. We also have a large customer base for eco -friendly pens, which are made from corn products, recycled plastic, or recycled cardboard. As a whole, the industry has seen a switch from use once and toss to reusable products.

CELESTE: If you could share a secret with businesses about eco-friendly promotional products--what would you tell them that they may not already be aware of?

KIM: Something as innocent as a ceramic coffee cup is one of the most eco-friendly products there is - simply because they are reusable. Paper and styrofoam fill trash bags and landfills every day in this country. Many companies have forgotten many of the best promotional products can be washed and reused rather than thrown in the trash. This simple fact makes putting your company’s logo on a reusable product more visible to your customers and Eco Friendly when you stress the reusable concept.

I know of one company, which did away with the use of styrofoam cups and replaced them with washable coffee cups for the employees, made good business sense all the way around.

CELESTE: If a company comes to you with small budget but wants to make a big green splash---which product(s) would you recommend?

KIM: Recycled Sports Bottles that are BPA free would be my first suggestion. People carry their water bottles everywhere these days. Many states and municipalities have started to regulate the sale of bottled water making sports bottles a much more desirable promotional product. These bottles have a relatively large imprint area so a company’s name will be seen. It is also important to remember these bottles are reusable. I would like to stress when ordering it is very important to for a company to be specific and request recycled plastic that are certified BPA free. The price, set-up fees, and minimums can be low compared to other promotional items. Because they are plastic, being lighter than other products, shipping is also less costly saving money.

CELESTE: What has been the most memorable promotional product you have designed for a business?

KIM: Trying to get a tree frog with the companies name on latex balloons has been the most challenging. The frog was multi dimensional and multi colored, as tree frogs are known to be. In order to keep the cost down for the client we reworked the art so it was a single color, while maintaining the integrity of the tree frog. I must admit I learned a lot about art that day.

CELESTE: Any other eco-friendly ideas for businesses looking to make a green statement?

KIM: The old teacher adage, “Monitor & Adjust.” Look around.

Do ANY of the products currently being used in business have a recycled, green, organic, or more eco-friendly equivalent that will meet the needs of the business while providing for the environment?

Can ANY of the products you have in your business be greened up?

Other ideas:

• Add recycling bins to the hallways and break areas can be a planet saver.
• Get everybody flash drives instead of having to make copies to move files around.
• Offer an embroidered jacket with the company logo to your employees and lower the thermostat in the winter is another great idea.
  

PromosMatter through our network of suppliers has over 3,000 eco-friendly products with more being adding on a regular basis. If a business is unsure where to start, they can call one of our representatives, 901-347-0468 or e-mail info@promosmatter.com and we can help get them started.

CELESTE: Have you considered teaming up with an organic/natural cosmetic company to offer personalized items specifically for men and women? (Such as lipsticks, lip balms, lotions, etc.)

KIM: Of course, some of our health and beauty suppliers have gone green.
Organic lip balms, insect repellants, and refillable hand sanitizers are just some of the eco-friendly printable products we offer. However, our industry has not brought in a full cosmetic line, but anything is possible.

CELESTE: Kim, would you like to add anything?

KIM: We really enjoy working with people who are interested in the green movement. We love providing them with small, simple steps that can have a big positive impact on our environment. Going green is not as difficult as some seem to think. It starts with one step forward, and working with knowledgeable people. We are more than happy to help someone take that first step. We are always here to answer questions and give bright ideas.

Website – www.promosmatter.com
Eco friendly page www.promosmatter.com/efriendly.html

To ENTER DRAWING FOR FREE ORGANIC T-SHIRT:

1) Post a comment below and

2) Email me (greenwithceleste@yahoo.com) to let me know
why you should be the winner of this eco-friendly t-shirt!

This will qualify YOU to be entered into the drawing.

What is a Carbon Footprint? Why is it Important to Offset Your Carbon Footprint?

Author: John Mclean

Our carbon footprint is the direct effect our actions and lifestyle have on the environment in terms of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. CO2 increases greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. We all contribute to global warming every day.

Carbon Footprints are made up of two parts, the direct or primary footprint and the indirect or secondary footprint. The primary footprint is a measure of our direct emissions of CO2 from the burning of fossil fuels. These are probably the biggest contributors to your Carbon Footprint; they include electricity consumption and transportation.

The secondary footprint is a measure of indirect CO2 emissions from the entire lifecycle of products we use - from their manufacture to their eventual breakdown in the ecosystem.

The greenhouse effect is the increase in Earth’s temperature caused by the growing amount of certain gasses in the atmosphere – nitrous oxide, methane and carbon dioxide. These “Greenhouse gases” have the same effect on Earth as a greenhouse; letting sunlight in and keeping heat from escaping. The greenhouse effect is important to human life; otherwise, it would be too cold to live on the Earth.
By burning fossil fuels, we have tremendously increased the amount of greenhouse gas in the atmosphere. Earth is now heating up excessively, a process called “global warming.”

You can reduce your carbon footprint by changing things that you do in your daily life.

These are a few things you can do to reduce your personal carbon footprint:

· Walk to your destination if possible instead of driving.
· Recycle glass, metals, plastics and paper.
· Select the most energy-efficient models when you replace your old appliances. Look for products that have earned the ENERGY STAR® label.
· Turn off and unplug stereos, radios, TVs, and DVDs when you leave home for a few days. These appliances have a stand-by function that uses energy even when they are turned off.
· Only run your dishwasher when full, and let dishes air dry.

There are many things you can do to offset your Carbon Footprint as well; one good choice is to plant a tree! An average tree absorbs more than 650 pounds of CO2 over its lifespan. Trees act as natural filters of our air; through the process of photosynthesis they absorb CO2 from the atmosphere and store it in their trunk, branches, leaves, and roots while releasing oxygen back out.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/science-articles/what-is-a-carbon-footprint-why-is-it-important-to-offset-your-carbon-footprint-442799.html
About the Author:

If you are interested in learning more about offsetting your Carbon Footprint, check out http://www.begreennow.com. There are simple tips to begin decreasing the energy you use each day, and offset the rest of your carbon-emitting energy use with their easy-to-use carbon calculator and BeGreensm carbon offset products. Be part of the solution to save the world from ourselves; we are all part of the problem.