Hug a Tree - They’ll Return the Favor

Having grown up near the ocean, I have always had an appreciation for nature and all living creatures.  In the last several years, the green movement has made huge strides educating the public about alternative sources of energy, conservation of natural resources, and generally speaking, living in harmony with the ecosystems our Creator granted us.

Personally, an eco-friendly lifestyle comes easy- low consumption of manufactured products, minimal driving of internal combustion vehicles, recycle plastics and paper products, support local farmer markets and the conservation of wildlife habitats.  I do not expect to be nominated “Citizen of the Year” by Greenpeace any time soon, but I think changing some simple activities in our daily lives, helps get us closer to an ideal green state.

Take for instance some common habits that we can take to the office everyday:

1. Get rid of the polystyrene coffee cups that clog landfills and substitute mugs that display the company’s logo or website. The employees could wash the mugs with environmentally friendly cleaner so the aquifer is not contaminated with harmful chemicals, which end up in our natural waterways. 
2. Unplug and turn off all computers when you leave the office. Leaving your computer on wastes energy at night and why do you need it on when you are not there anyway?
3. Always turn off lights when you leave rooms or go home. If people in your workplace get in the habit of turning off their lights when they leave rooms for meetings, lunches, and when they leave to go home, this will save a significant amount of energy and money. 
4. Do not PRINT just because!  If one must print, reuse and recycle paper from the printer. For internal purposes, turn used printer paper into paper for the fax machine (just turn it over) and for drafts of other prints. Printing on the front and back also greatly reduces paper waste. To encourage people to recycle their paper waste, place a recycling bin near the printer. This will decrease your paper waste tremendously. 
5. Replace light bulbs and fixtures with Energy Star rated. This could decrease the amount of energy used by about two thirds. This saves energy and money and is a simple step to a more eco-friendly workplace.
6. For those of trying to eat healthy, support local markets, and cut back on waste, bring your lunch to work in reusable containers.  I think in the 70’s Tupperware made great stuff, including the lunch box, so you can pack your chicken salad on whole wheat and trail mix, without having to throw out a plastic baggie when you are done.  [Rubbermaid may have something similar in case Tupperware is too nostalgic.]

Consider that these minor changes will maintain harmony with the environment, in addition to goodwill within the company, and a windfall in external public relations among media and clients. Companies that voluntarily take steps to lighten their environmental load are writing their own good news stories. If the results are dramatic enough, they may warrant a press release, possibly featuring the employee who dreamed up the environmentally friendly idea, once again creating a feel-good environment.