BUSSES, BOTTLED WATER AND BEST PRACTICES
Or
LOW HANGING FRUIT AND THEN SOME
Smart business quote:
“Even the simplest of steps can have an impact.”
Callout:
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Copy:
Many sustainable actions require little, or no, capital expenditure. Seemingly small,
many actions have very practical approaches and proven results to corporate bottom
lines and the planet. Even if you don’t or can’t replace or re-new current systems or
products, you can still be corporately responsible and your efforts will save money and
put less of an impact on the planet. Here are several easy things you can do:
1. Ban bottled water at your organization and carry a water bottle around with you to all
meetings (add water calculations about distribution costs and co2 per bottle)
2. If you manufacture, look at ways in which you can reduce excesses. (re-use waste;
find buyers for waste, etc. ( Use coining example from Denver mint or box
mulching?). If you distribute, look at ways you can multi-task. (Can you bundle
multiple shipments to the same location; can you buy carbon offsets for
transportation?)
If you package, look for ways to package minimally. (Find alternatives to: box, plastic
and shrink; seek reductions in volume so more per shipment yielding savings in cost
and emissions; ship with shredded paper cushion or corn starch puffs instead of
foam peanuts.) If you buy, look for fair trade and organic opportunities to supplement
and enhance your existing client mix.
3. Energy and water: Install CFLs in your office, warehouse, store or showroom; turn off
anything that’s not being used/use energy saver appliances (save X bts/watts = $),
integrate automatic computer shut down and lights outs system into your evening
routine; consider sensored faucets in kitchens and restrooms to prevent
dripping/water waste. Payback periods are short and significant maintenance and
replacement cost savings can be achieved
4. Transit: Think twice before you take the corporate jet; buy offset miles when you
purchase tickets; opt for video conferencing versus traveling to meetings when
appropriate; consider hybrid corporate cars/trucks/fleets; offer carpool and public
transportation benefits to employees, provide bike racks, institute walk/transit/bike to
work day.
5. Recycle: plastic/glass/paper (effective recycling reduces your carbon footprint of
your waste stream and reduces waste collection bills; Zero to landfill waste
management – composting, recycling, waste to energy combined into a cost effective
service that means none of your waste goes to landfill. Avoid all unavoidable
emissions due to your residual waste
6. Green cleaning – cleaners can be an integral part of the green effort in your
business. If your office has a cleaning service, work with them to use Method or Mrs
Meyers or another eco-friendly line.
7. Office systems: recycle printing cartridges and batteries, bundle orders, recycle
boxes/refuse foam peanuts and if you do get them return them to UPS store;
8. 2-sided paper, Green stationery – a full range of over 4000 environmentally efficient
products: including recycled and recyclable stationery from paper to toner cartridges
and pens. Document management – energy, paper and toner efficient printing,
copying and document management solutions. From one multi function device to a
fleet of hundreds – it is possible to cut paper consumption by up to 50%, energy
consumption by up to 80% and carbon by up to 25%. Very short pay back periods
Real-life situation/Sidebar Callout:
Example of a CEO who did x