Green Business | Greener Living Today

5 Quick Tips for Improving Your Workplace Environmental Impact

March 26, 2012 By Guest Author 1 Comment

Taking steps to create an environmentally friendly atmosphere at home is a great way to make a contribution to the growing need for the reduction of our negative environmental impact and is often the first step in the right direction.

The important point to remember is our efforts shouldn’t stop at home; we can all extend our influence by instilling positive, eco-friendly habits in the workplace too.

Whether you are part of a business built for one, or a towering office block, becoming environmentally friendly can be simple and cost effective. Creating a greener workplace will reduce the company’s carbon footprint, save money and create a happy, healthy place for employees to go about their daily duties.

Here are some simple tips for improving your workplace environmental impact:

1. Use eco-friendly cleaning products.

We no longer need to sacrifice a thorough clean by opting for cleaning products that won’t harm our environment; in fact, some eco-friendly cleaning agents have been proven to achieve a better clean that standard products. Ask your professional cleaner about an eco-friendly range which will be safer for staff and our environment.

2. Implement an energy saving plan.

Get the whole team on board with an energy saving plan. Simple steps like using power saving features on computers and keeping air-conditioning units on a neutral level will save money with the monthly electricity bill and reduce unnecessary energy waste. There could be small bonuses for reductions in energy usage to keep motivation levels up with staff.

3. Reduce paper waste.

Reducing paper waste goes further than cutting down on printing; we can also find ways to reduce the use of disposable paper towels too. Installing a quality hand drying system is an effective way to achieve this goal. The Dyson Airblade hand Dryer has been proven to be the most effective, eco-friendly and hygienic dryer on the market. Although the Airblade requires a one off payment and energy usage, it will eradicate the need for ongoing paper towel stockage while reducing paper waste, rubbish and tree felling.

4. Cut down or remove paper & foam cups.

Take your own coffee mug to work rather than using foam cups which are harmful to the environment, slow to degrade and quick to fill the rubbish bin. Rinsing your coffee mug after each use instead of throwing a disposable away will make a big difference in the long run.

5. Buy organic and fair trade coffee beans and tea.

This is an easy way to help the environment and fair trade beans can result in a nicer brew too! There is now a great variety of fair trade food products available to choose from and you can rest easy knowing your coffee or tea was produced the right way.

6. Implement a thorough recycling plan.

Although most companies tend to recycle a certain amount of their waste, there are usually areas that could be improved. For example, provide separate bins for plastic bottles and cans to avoid them ending up in a general rubbish bin. Ensure all paper waste is sent to a paper bin and have them emptied regularly. Old electronics and phones that cannot be reused or resold should be disposed of via an electrical recycling plant.

Completing the above steps will cost very little time, effort and money to implement, all while making a sizable difference to the environment. Eco-friendly systems should be reviewed biannually to asses any needs for improvement and to ensure the procedures are being followed adequately. Pulling together as a team will definitely make the process a breeze and maybe even a little bit fun too. Good luck!

Jess is a New Zealand blogger who frequently writes about cleanliness in the workplace. She often writes for Cannon Hygiene, a commercial cleaning company who offer everything from computer cleaning services to washroom hygiene.

Filed Under: Green Business Tagged With: eco friendly at work, environmentally friendly office, green office environment

How to Check Your Shopping is Eco Friendly

September 2, 2011 By Guest Author 2 Comments

Consumerism and ethical lifestyles do not, for many people, fall under the same umbrella. The two areas, however, are very much entwined and by following guidelines it is easy to make a huge difference to the environment by deciding exactly where the money from your wallet goes. There are two ways of doing this – boycotting brands and positive purchasing.

Boycotting

The first of the two options, boycotting, is the easier of the two to undertake. By researching which brands and products are created in immoral means it is possible to steer clear of purchasing them. Similarly it is easy to look at the materials that products are made of – synthetic products, such as plastics, often require toxins in their creation whilst natural materials do not. By buying natural resource equivalents of goods it is possible to recycle or re-use them at the end of their usefulness. Similarly wood, for example, bio-degrades at a much faster rate than synthetic materials and, as such, provides a much smaller burden to the environment. Therefore boycotting man made materials can help improve one’s green credentials, particularly if organic products are purchased instead.

Positive consumerism

Positive consumerism is the opposite to boycotting goods – rather than not purchasing items that can cause a negative effect on the environment, positive consumerism recommends buying items that help the green cause. Positive consumerism is in some ways easier to research when the consumer knows what they are looking for; positive companies are likely to be proud of their environmental contributions and, as such, will label their products with badges of honour. This is the opposite of less moral brands; unlike in animations, where toxic goods have large skull and crossbones placed upon them, it is unlikely that negative goods will advertise themselves as such.

What to look for

There are a number of different labels which, when identified, can help a consumer assemble an environmentally friendly and morally just shopping list. The most famous ethical label, of course, is the Fair Trade one. This label represents the fact that every single worker in the process of creating Fair Trade goods will be justly fiscally compensated for their work and will be guaranteed a safe working area too. There are many similar labels which can highlight a good’s green credentials – the Worldwide Responsible Apparel Production and Ethical Trading Initiative labels are two such recognised tags. Various symbols on clothing, including those that denote they are made with organic materials, are worth pursuing also.

Positive goods and brands

Away from looking at labels there are other areas worth considering. When buying food it is possible to decrease a carbon footprint by purchasing only locally sourced goods – any foodstuff that is purchased in a supermarket will have more than likely have been flown or shipped in, as well as being driven to the market, which will have created a large carbon footprint via transportation. Purchasing food from farmer’s markets can help combat this particularly if the food purchased is organic. Similarly it is worth investing in charitable and philanthropic brands wherever possible. Many good providers user, as consumer incentives, charitable schemes aimed at helping, both nationally and internationally, those in need with regular aid and donations. Many of these are environmentally targeted and, by purchasing from these brands rather than immoral or amoral alternatives, it is possible to make a positive impact on the environment.

Kieron Casey is a BA (Hons) Journalism graduate who blogs regularly on a number of topics including ethical shopping, solar power and the environment.

Filed Under: Green Business, Green Living, Green Shopping Tagged With: eco friendly shopping

Finding your Niche in the Green Industry

July 10, 2011 By Guest Author Leave a Comment

In this day and age were people are starting careers in the green industry, many new skills and technologies are constantly being developed. If you are one of the few people who have been supporting the green industry for your career, you are probably aware that brushing up on your skills will only benefit your career.

The first step of which is knowing exactly where you want to be within the industry.

There are many aspects of the renewable energy industry and choosing where you want to focus on is vital. Your current skills set may be general in nature but now is the time to pick a specialization.

The most common choices for careers are in the solar and other renewable energy sources. Opportunities are not only in the employment sector, but also in starting your own business. Solar power installation for example, can be a bit complex even though it may sound simple. There is a separate sector for both building solar panels and integrating them into homes and businesses properly. Each, a complicated process, which requires specialization in order to operate in installing and or making these systems. All the more reason why choosing where to focus your attention is important.

In order to thrive in your chosen sector there are numerous educational schools, workshops and courses to choose from to gain additional knowledge and expand your renewable energy expertise. Boots on the Roof, known for providing hands on educational courses on solar power is one of the leading companies helping train the future generation of solar enthusiasts.

Pat is a big fan of the Green Industries and Innovations and believes “Connecting with other people and sharing such marvels of the future is a wonderful thing”. Pat writes for Boots On The Roof a site dedicated to helping train the next generation of renewable energy enthusiasts.

Filed Under: Green Business Tagged With: careers in the green niche, green careers

The Importance of WEEE Recycling To Our Environment

July 4, 2011 By Guest Author 1 Comment

The following is a guest blog post by UK blogger Tom O’Rourke on behalf of Sims Recycling.

In 2005 the UK instituted Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) recycling legislation in an attempt to address the mounting accumulation of landfill waste. IT equipment such as computers, laptops and servers; kitchen appliances; automatic dispensers; sports equipment; monitoring and control instruments; mobile phones; medical devices; electronic toys and sports equipment; TVs; video and hi-fi machines; lighting and electrical equipment; and electronic tools account for more than 2 million tonnes of e-waste each year in the UK alone. Globally, more than 50 million tonnes of toxic electrical and electronic equipment is discarded annually.

Unfortunately, only about 10%–15% of that amount is actually recycled. The vast majority has found its way into landfills or been shipped as export waste to developing countries such as China, India and Pakistan. These countries have no or only minimal health protection laws for their workers, and the result is that open-air dismantling sites, often in dense urban areas, expose the local population as well as the workers to toxic fumes from burning plastics.

Because the average computer contains more than 100 harmful toxins including arsenic, poisons such as mercury in electrical switches; lead in old TV cathode tubes and solder; and cadmium in batteries leak into the ground, contaminating the soil and leaching into ground water and drinking systems. The stripped remains are dumped along water ways, rice fields and rivers, causing further pollution. While shipping e-waste products to foreign countries may seem like a satisfactory temporary solution, in reality it is unethical and unfair to developing countries, regardless of their willingness to accept the rest of the world’s toxic waste.

WEEE recycling regulations are designed to stop this third world exploitation, keep electrical and electronic equipment out of UK landfills and force the manufacturers of these products to assume responsibility for their proper collection, processing, recycling and disposal. Throughout the UK licenced processing firms have been approved by WEEE recycling authorities and environmental agencies to assist home owners and businesses in sharing this responsibility.

These WEEE recycling companies are able to repurpose equipment, shred secure documents for client protection, recycle fluorescent tubes and destroy ink jets and toners. Local shredding plants can than take the dismantled and treated WEEE products and reduce them to 20 mm particles which are automatically separated into copper, plastic or metal components. From there, the collection of similar particles may be sent to recovery plants where they will be recycled as raw materials for new products.

From 2007 the WEEE Recycling Directive has had specific goals to effectively correct the problem of increasing electrical and electronic waste in the UK.

• Reducing e-waste through reuse, recycling and recovery has become a top priority. Studies show that as much as 50% of all discarded electronic equipment is still in good working condition. The pressure to constantly upgrade cell phones, laptops and other mobile devices for those with the newest features is only limited by the owner’s pocket book. Donating used but workable equipment to individuals, organisations or even developing countries is a much better solution than simply throwing unwanted units away.

• By holding manufacturers responsible for the proper disposal or recycling of the products they bring to market, more innovative approaches may be taken to create environmentally-friendlier units. Bamboo laptop cases are one example of designing with end life handling in mind. Additionally, creating products with a longer life may not be financially fashionable at the moment but would significantly reduce the volume of e-waste. For current owners of IT equipment it is usually cheaper to throw away and buy new than to pay for costly repairs. Turning this wasteful trend around will require cooperation on the part of both producers and consumers.

• Strictly enforcing the laws against shipping e-waste out of the country is also important. Since many manufacturing companies find this a cost-effective – albeit illegal – way to handle WEEE recycling, policing these practices and levying heavy fines will be necessary to ensure compliance. Government incentives could also encourage businesses to look for better, safer ways to handle their share of electronic waste disposal.

The WEEE recycling policies are designed to address the UK’s response to the fastest growing waste problem facing this planet. Bringing consumers, businesses and manufacturing companies on board is the only way to address our share of this problem. No one would ever want to discourage the progress and innovative opportunities created by advances tied to electrical and electronic equipment. But, as we teach our youngest children: “have fun, but clean up your mess when you are done.”

Filed Under: Green Business, Recycling Tagged With: electronics recycling, WEEE regulations

Go Green In Your Home or Work Office

June 18, 2011 By Guest Author Leave a Comment

With the recent surge of popularity in environment-friendly practices, I recently joined the bandwagon and am currently doing everything I can to “green” up my life.

From my home to my workplace, I want to make sure that all my efforts are geared toward reducing my environmental impact on the planet. The project began after my teenage kids returned from boarding school in New Hampshire full of ideas about how we can live a more sustainable lifestyle.

Though our biggest energy savings were made in the home, I also made efforts to improve the efficiency of my office. I spend a lot of extra time at the office, studying for my law program, but I was shocked at how much of a difference simple changes could make! And after much testing, here are just a few of the most effective ways I’ve found to “green” up your office.

1. Be mindful of lighting. Whenever possible, try to keep the lights off or down to a low level. Open any windows in the room or near the room to allow the most amount of light to come in without flipping a switch. When it’s necessary to turn a light on, use LED light bulbs which are the most energy-efficient bulbs on the market. I like to use natural sunlight as much as I can, and this practice has reduced my electricity bill by nearly half!

2. Recycle. Setting up a recycling system is one of the easiest things you can do to turn things green in your office! Whether it’s your home or work office, set up two different trashcans, with one for garbage and one for recycling. Simply mark each basket with its corresponding intended usage and begin using them immediately. From soda cans to water bottles to empty peanut butter jars, recycling is a simple and effective green practice.

3. Set the thermostat lower. By simply reducing the temperature at which your room is set, you will greatly reduce your energy expenditure and your energy bill! Set it at a comfortable temperature, which might be a little lower than you’re used to, but you will quickly adjust. This practice has actually saved me hundreds of dollars, and has helped out the environment exponentially!

4. Reduce paper usage. I used to print everything and would eventually throw the paper away or accidently print one too many copies and have to throw that paper away because it was useless to me. Now, I only print when it is absolutely essential for me to do so, and use email instead. When I do print something out, I use the back of it the next time I need to print something or I use it as scrap paper. My work office even has a stack of scrap paper in the supply room so that people don’t reach for a new sheet every time they need one.

5. Cut out plastics. I started to use real utensils, mugs, silverware, etc. instead of their plastic counterparts and it has made a huge impact in my green efforts. I couldn’t believe how my daily meals and beverages were causing waste to pile up. I enjoy using my utensils, and that way it helps the environment.

Trying just a couple of these could make a significant difference in your energy footprint. See how much of a difference you can make by instituting some small changes of your own. You’ll be shocked by how easy it is to live a more sustainable lifestyle!

Filed Under: Green Business Tagged With: ecofriendly office, go green in your office, greening your office

A Short Guide to Recycling Electronics

June 14, 2011 By Guest Author 1 Comment

In 2007 a new set of rules and regulations were put in place in the UK to try and ensure a standardised and widespread practise of correct recycling and disposal of electronic equipment techniques. The initiative, known as the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive, was aimed at ensuring that the amount of untreated electrical and electronic waste going to landfill was greatly reduced and, instead, collected separately and dealt with in a different fashion to every day waste. The questions are – “Why recycle electronic goods any way?” and, perhaps more pressingly, “How?”

Why recycle?

The reason electronic goods such as computers or mobile phones should be recycled is that, if not disposed of in a correct fashion, they are potentially hazardous to the earth and the environment. In each and every electronic item are a number of chemicals which, if left untreated, can cause damage to the earth. An example of this is the lead toxins found in many electric goods; when released into soil and earth these toxins can cause contamination which, in turn, can prove potentially devastating to nature and the surrounding environment. Because of this it is important to find ways in which to either properly dispose of these items in a safe fashion or to redeploy them elsewhere. In fact most of the electrical equipment that is thrown away each year could easily be repaired or are still usable. It is due to these facts that the WEEE initiative came into play in the first place; with standards and practices it is possible to make certain that goods can either be redeployed or discarded of safely.

Which WEEE products can I recycle?

It is easy to detect which new products can be recycled as they should all feature a “crossed out wheelie bin” symbol on them to denote that they should not be disposed of in the fashion of usual household waste. However, older pre-WEEE directive electronics will likely not feature this symbol. This does not mean they should be exempt from WEEE directive measures though; just because a piece of equipment may be lacking the wheelie bin symbol does not mean it is illegible for modern recycling measures. More often than not any product that needs electric to power it, either via battery or through a plug, should not be disposed of in a usual manner.

What to do with WEEE equipment?

Disposing of electronic equipment is usually as simple as making a quick phone call. Many electronic equipment providers will gladly take these items away for either a small or negligible fee. Alternatively, local councils and governmental bodies provide similar facilities. Local civil amenities who provide this facility are easy to come by; usually a quick internet search or a flick through a local phone directory should do the trick.

Finally one area of electronic equipment that could and should be recycled, somewhat surprisingly, are batteries. In the United Kingdom special recycling bins are provided in branches of Currys, Currys digital and PCWorld stores amongst other places for the public to safely place their unwanted batteries. Due to the amount of chemicals contained within them, batteries should by no means be placed alongside normal waste. The same rules apply to mobile phones; their plastic casing is not biodegradable and they house many lethal chemicals. They are, however, as easy to recycle as batteries and there are many disposal points situated in supermarkets and the like which will dispose of the equipment for you in a safe manner.

Kieron Casey is a BA (Hons) Journalism graduate who blogs regularly on IT solutions, networking, technology and recycling. He is writing on behalf of Equanet.

Filed Under: Green Business, Recycling Tagged With: guide to recyling electronics, recycling electronics

Dickies Natural Elements Medical Scrubs: The Eco-Friendly Scrub

May 25, 2011 By Guest Author Leave a Comment

The Green Revolution is slowly affecting more and more aspects of our lives, from household cleaning agents to the way we build and design our homes. An area that has not yet been included is that of clothing. Dickies, a well-known manufacturer of uniforms and medical scrubs, is leading the way by developing a new line of medical scrubs that are fashionable and eco-friendly.

Medical scrubs have come a long way in the past few years, with new and innovative concepts in design, colors, fabrics, and more. The production of a scrub requires much thought, requiring fabrics and styles that are comfortable for long shifts, colors that are allowed by groups, easy to wash scrubs, and fashion-friendly designs. Dickies scrubs have long been respected as affordable, functional, and fashionable. Their new line of eco-friendly scrubs, dubbed Natural Elements, is just making its debut this spring.

The scrubs are made of a fabric that is fifty-five percent tencel and forty-five percent polyester. The tencel is derived from a wood pulp, allowing the medical scrubs to be made responsibly from renewable resources. While they are kind to the environment, Natural Elements scrubs are also kind to the wearer in all areas. The tencel is moisture wicking, allowing a fresh feeling throughout a nurse’s shift. The scrubs are available in a variety of colors, styles, and prints, to fit any style preference. The breezy summer colors include icy turquoise, sage green, the conventional black and brown, and more. The printed scrubs are nature-based, with flowers, grasses, and other designs that bring a touch of organic nature to the office.

Styles include mock wrap tops, keyhole necks, and v-neck tops. A thoughtful detail on the Natural Elements scrubs by Dickies is the hand carved coconut buttons that grace many of the medical scrubs, as well as contrast color trimming. The scrubs cater to all shapes and sizes, with sizes XS to 5X. Although they have a missy cut, the fashion-forward style of Natural Elements scrubs are purchased by those looking for Junior styling, too. Although they are specialty products, the scrubs retain Dickies’ signature affordable pricing.

Although tencel fabric is making its debut in medical scrubs, it may soon make an appearance in all manner of apparel. Eco-friendly clothing can have an enormous effect on the environment, for clothing is a necessity, and is produced in such abundance. Nurses are only the first to receive the opportunity to purchase stylish scrubs while making a difference. When purchasing new medical scrubs, nurses may look out for factors that are important to them, be it style, color, cut, fabric, or any other of a variety of features on a medical scrub. Now there is something new to remember; Natural Elements scrubs are friendly to the wearer, and the world around them.

Josh Weiss is a medical scrubs consultant who is always in on the latest styles and innovations in the medical scrubs industry. He recommends Dickies scrubs for an affordable and durable option.

Filed Under: Green Business, Green Health, Green Living Tagged With: eco-friendly hospitals, eco-friendly scrubs, green hospitals, green scrubs

Green Your Fitness Routine

May 20, 2011 By Guest Author Leave a Comment

There are many ways in which you can choose to get fit, shedding unwanted pounds and toning or bulking up. You can go to a local gym, join a class, or simply do it on your own from the comfort of your home. But if you’re trying to embrace an eco-friendly lifestyle you may be keen to try a routine that does less to damage the environment. Most people will say this is a no-brainer; you can simply jog or ride a bike to get your cardio while you use your own body instead of weights or machinery to tone up (via push-ups, crunches, squats, and so on). But for many people, high impact workouts are not an option, and their rarely-used muscles may not be able to support their own weight at first (necessitating the use of equipment). For those who cannot take the easy option when it comes to reducing their carbon footprint as they get fit, here are a few ways to go greener with the routine.

Energy-free equipment. Forget the Precor machines that guzzle electricity like it’s going out of style. Okay, they’re not really all that bad – until you have a hundred of them lined up and powered on day and night. Instead of using these electronic machines, opt for those that eschew the use of a plug. There are power-free options for every type of workout machine, from elliptical to boxing equipment such as a punching bag. So if you’re going to go for machinery, make sure it is powered solely by you.
Alternative weights. Unfortunately, there aren’t too many green products on the market to fit this need. Most weights are made with rubber, plastic, metal, and other materials that aren’t eco-friendly in the least. So what can you do to get your weight-lifting on? There are a couple of solutions. You can create your own weights in a variety of creative ways. If you’re not particularly concerned about the exact weight of the objects, pick up random items around the house to lift. Or if you want an exact weight, get (or make) a bag that you can hold or strap to your arms and legs, then fill it with sand or soil from your yard (use a scale to achieve the desired weight). You could also get an eco-friendly resistance band (made with a recyclable plastic/rubber combination called TPE).
Water sports. Swimming is a great way to get resistance without impact, and the only equipment you need is an eco-friendly swimming suit. Of course, you may be concerned about the energy required to heat a public pool (along with the water that is wasted). In this case, you should find a natural body of water in your area that is clean enough to swim in.
Eco-friendly fitness facilities. You might be surprised by the steps many gyms are taking to reduce their impact on the environment. They may start small by installing recycled rubber flooring or using chemical-free, all-natural cleaning solvents, but many are going further by replacing wasteful appliances with water-saving alternatives (low-flow toilets and faucets with sensors) and even using equipment that harnesses kinetic energy (so that your movement not only powers the monitors on your machine, it also returns additional power to the system to help run lights and electronics within the facility).
Green gear. When you decide to add a fitness routine to your life, you’ll probably want to purchase appropriate clothing. Be sure to look for brands that offer green solutions through recycled or organic materials (such as Gaiam, GoLite, and Patagonia for clothing and Brooks Sport, Inc. or Great Green Shoes for footwear).

Filed Under: Green Business, Green Health, Green Living Tagged With: ecofriendly fitness, green fitness

Eco-Friendly Casinos

May 14, 2011 By Guest Author Leave a Comment

The marriage of these two spheres, eco-friendly living and casinos, does not immediately inspire confidence. If we’re being honest, casinos don’t exactly epitomize the ideals of conservancy; they are largely dedicated to hedonism, excess, and waste. They appear to be the exact opposite of everything that green living stands for. And yet, you have to dig a little deeper to see that, at the heart of things, casinos truly embrace the same principles that fuel environmentalism. Okay, that may be a bit of a stretch, but you have to admit that at the heart of every casino operation is the desire to make as much money as possible. And we can all agree that waste, to any extent, does not pay. So while the glossy veneer of casino operation supports an attitude of extravagance, most casinos are actually better at caring for the environment than you might expect.

Casinos of old were dark, necessitating a lot of electrical lighting. This is because they didn’t want people to know how long they’d been playing (the same reason there are no clocks). But that’s a lot of electricity to push, and so newer casinos are festooned with windows (and even skylights, in some cases) that allow owners to cut back on the number of hours they have to pump electricity to interior light fixtures. In addition, many casinos have jumped on the bandwagon of energy-efficient lighting, installing bulbs that last longer and require less energy. Of course, that doesn’t account for all the electricity needed to run the thousands of slot machines that festoon the floor, but on that front there have been improvements, as well. Newer slot machines have been designed to use only half the electricity of older models. And many casinos (especially in sunny climes) have started to install solar panels as a way to further cut their electricity bill (and take advantage of tax incentives).

But electricity isn’t the only area that has undergone a green renovation when it comes to casinos. Both water- and air-usage have been cleaned up, as well. Many casinos now plant trees around their buildings as a way to clean up the air and provide insulation against the elements (cutting down on heating and AC). And in some instances, vents pipe in outside air which circulates through the casino, gets sucked through filters, and sent back outside, improving interior air quality with less electrical output. As for water, some casinos are now coming equipped with their own sewage treatment and water purification centers so that their waste water can be recycled for use on the grounds.

Did you know that there are even casinos that have managed to achieve the coveted LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification? Several casinos across the United States have now managed to nab this eco-friendly title (which requires applicants to meet extremely high standards for building and operation), including the Palazzo in Las Vegas. And dozens more have applied for certification. In short, it’s a brave new world for casinos, where outdated energy-guzzling is frowned upon as owners look for ways to bring in every last penny possible, doing their part for the environment along the way.

Shirley Simpson writes for Online Poker Sites, one of the best US online poker sites on the web today.

Filed Under: Green Business, Green Living Tagged With: eco-friendly casinos, ecofriendly casinos, green casinos

The College Campus Goes Green

May 6, 2011 By Guest Author Leave a Comment

As an increasingly larger portion of our society takes steps to move toward a more “green friendly” planet, more and more businesses, organizations, institutions and individuals are heeding the call to improve their carbon footprints.

Believe it or not, even Las Vegas resorts are jumping on the bandwagon of adopting green practices. But remember, businesses aren’t just going green because it’s the right thing to do – they’re doing it because it saves them money!

Along similar lines, the higher education sector is currently utilizing green energy programs to save themselves millions of dollars each year by reducing the cost of energy bills, rent and materials. Colleges and Universities around the country have adopted green campaigns, helping them to protect the environment and attract eco-conscious students all at the same time.

While there are many simple ways to “go green”, one of the most effective steps a university can take to turn themselves green is to take a full inventory of current practices. Once that is completed, the school will know where they need to improve things and can establish what needs to be done.

A great way to for a college campus to become more environmentally friendly would be to follow the lead of distance learning universities and offer online education degree programs. This would allow the colleges to have a larger student capacity without increasing their physical footprint, costing them investments in construction, rent, utilities and materials. Going online also helps reduce the amount of pollution produced as students would not have to drive to attend class, meaning that cost-savings comes with the added bonus of positive PR, bolstering marketing campaigns and the school’s public image.

In addition to creating an online program, it is important to make the traditional campus greener. An important (and easy) place to start is setting up recycling bins around campus. Most students will recycle if given the opportunity, but only if trash receptacles are available will they throw their recyclables away. Schools should make sure to clearly identify the recycling bins and to alert students that they’ve been deployed around campus.

Another great way to reduce your carbon footprint is to offer or to promote ride sharing. Start a ride sharing program at the school to encourage students to help protect our precious earth. Not only will the program reduce the amount of pollution in the air, it will also be a great money-saving incentive. Given current gas prices, students will likely jump at the chance to save money by carpooling.

Universities should also look into installing solar panels, as going self-sufficient is the absolute best way to protect the planet while also protecting yourself. By generating solar power, you’ll be able to save money and create clean power, without having to pay for distribution or access costs, saving significant amounts of cash. Harnessing the sun’s energy is an incredibly resourceful, cost-effective and earth-friendly way that universities can do their part in helping save the planet, cut costs, and bolster their community relations. It’s a no-brainer!

Filed Under: Green Business, Green Living Tagged With: college campus goes green, green college campus