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Greening Your Office Operations
Sustainable Industries April 16, 2009
Marlowe Kulley Sustainability Advisor
Learning from our successes Portland’s Story
The CITIZENS of Portland have made it one of the greenest cities in the US
Back in 1993 …
Per capita, Portland residents have reduced their emissions by 17%!
How did we do it?
• Biking at 8 times the national average • Transit has doubled since 1990 • Recycling rate has tripled • Home energy use down 5% • Highest participation in residential
renewable power programs • Highest number of LEED buildings
Moral of our story: Individual decisions add up!
So what can you do?
Stephanie Schlecht Director of Sustainability
Give Something Back Business Products www.GiveSomethingBack.com
Green Teams
Trends • More of them • Formed as employee engagement strategy • Green team goals aligned with company
goals • At basic level: ad hoc formation • Advanced level: institutionalized -- seen as
expert base
Strategies for Starting • Make the business case
– Measurement, survey – Connect to goals and corporate strategy
• Have a cohort – Get the right people on the bus – Find a mentor in a senior role
• Make other people feel (and look) good – Know what motivates
• Understand corporate culture & politics – budget cycles, communication, roles
Common Challenges • Time constraints • Keeping the message fresh • Benchmarking, quantifying results • Sustaining momentum • Developing fresh ideas • General lack of resources specifically for
green teams
Continuous Success • Seek out a mentor
– Senior Management • Recognition
– Email signatures – Awards
• Align GT tasks with job functions – Do what you’re good at doing
• Strategic & consistent communications • Keep it fresh & connected to everyday
behaviors – Intranet, newsletter, happy hour, brown bag
lunches
Time
Support
Message
Continuous Success
• Keep it fun & relevant • Intra- & Inter-office competitions
• Audit, set goals, monitor and share • Start with money-saving, easy wins
• Share your stories! • Net Impact, Impact at Work program • Sustainable Industries Green Office Guide
Benchmarking Progress
Sustaining Momentum
Resources
Top Projects Recycling Energy Purchasing
Top Projects: Recycling
Reduce, Reuse,
and then Recycle
www.ecologicalmail.org www.41pounds.org
Learn what you can and can’t recycle in your area
www.earth911.com
Top Projects: Recycling
What else can you recycle? www.e-stewards.org
Top Projects: Recycling
Top Projects: Energy
Equipment Behavior
You can save energy two ways:
Top Projects: Energy
Energy efficient equipment & controls www.energystar.gov
Top Projects: Energy
Given a 40 hour workweek, your building is unoccupied 75% of the time when you account for nights and weekend
Top Projects: Energy
After you have conserved, it’s time to investigate renewable power
www.green-e.org
Top Projects: Purchasing
1. Partner with a supply vendor that puts your goals first and shares your green vision.
2. Have your current purchasing patterns audited – where are you already green? Where could you be greener?
3. Know your other decision drivers (e.g. cost, performance, durability, design, etc.).
4. Recycle anything that is not reusable: paper, boxes, toner cartridges, e-waste
Top Projects: Purchasing
5. Start with high usage consumables
Paper Toner Break room Janitorial
6. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rethink
HowthePaperyouchooseImpactsthePlanet
Using100%recycledpaperisaneasyfirststeptogreeningyourofficeopera7ons.Compare5casesofvirginpaperto5casesof100%recycledpaper:
Source:www.papercalculator.org
Top Projects: Purchasing Considerations for Choosing Green Products
Materials: What are they? Where did they come from? Naturally occurring? Sustainably harvested?
Manufacturing: Who made it? Where? What were the environmental/social practices?
Shipping: How far did the product travel?
Functionality: Will the product meet quality expectations?
Reusability: Can it be reused? Other uses?
Recyclability: Can it be deconstructed; recycled or composted?
Top Projects: Purchasing Considerations for Choosing Green Products
3rd Party Certifications can be trust providers – make sure you understand them.
Evaluating Eco-Labels
Independence of standard-setting organization (avoid conflicts of interest) Rigor and comprehensiveness of standards Accountability mechanisms Transparency of audits Consideration of product lifecycle
Green Teams Net Impact www.netimpact.org Mark Albion http://www.makingalife.com/ Low Impact Living www.lowimpactliving.com
Recycling & Waste Prevention www.ecologicalmail.org www.41pounds.org www.earth911.com www.e-stewards.org
Energy Efficiency & Renewable Power www.energystar.gov www.green-e.org
Purchasing The Green Office – Green Screen www.thegreenoffice.com Sustainable Industries Green Office Guide http://www.sustainableindustries.com/resources
Eco-labels www.ecolabelling.org Greener Choices http://www.greenerchoices.org/eco-labels/eco-home.cfm BSR www.bsr.org “Eco-promising: communicating the environmental credentials of your products and services”
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