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There’s a lot of debate these days on the motivation behind all of these businesses going green. Businesses large and small produce more than 50% of all global warming gases and nearly 75% of the waste generated. As a result, they stand to play a significant role in our quest to improve our sustainability as a nation. And more and more, businesses that go green seem to find that they profit from their efforts. And here’s the thing: There is absolutely nothing wrong with that.
If becoming more efficient, having a marketing advantage, and saving money is the initial driving factor to eventually doing good, then I’m all for it. Eventually, it will become a cycle of companies producing more green products in a more sustainable way, and consumers demanding more. Then more companies of all sizes will have no choice but to follow.
While I am not personally a big supporter of WalMart and believe they have along way to go. I do believe that they have it within their power the ability to catalyze immense change the world over in how goods are manufactured and distributed. They are making demands of their vendors, who in turn make demands of their vendors, and so on. You see where all of this is going.
Remember the first step in addressing any problem is awareness. And that’s where we’re at now. There is a lot of work that needs to be done. And if business leads the way, we all will follow. Eventually it will become just the “way things are done.”
Elizabeth Striano
Consultant and writer on sustainability and the environment
www.agreenfootprint.com
Helping you leave a green footprint on the world…
Living green also means living simply. Do we really need all this stuff?? Americans (like me), love their stuff. But more stuff leads to more consumption, which leads to… well, I don’t have to tell you. If we all just started pairing down just a little bit. Getting back to the essentials of what we need to keep happy and healthy on a daily basis, and resist the urge to consume, we could end up with lower credit card bills and reduce our cumulative impact on the environment through reduced demand for consumer goods. Of course, the Bush Administration would like us to spend that tax relief check when we get it. That’s you’re call.
Where to begin? We can start by going through what we already have. Make sure to maximize your recycling and reuse opportunities, and minimize the amount of trash. There are many, many resources out there that will take your donations, accept your electronic goods, and safely dispose of any hazardous waste. Habitat for Humanity will even take paint! With a few tips, you can ensure a successful transition to simpler living.
- Spread Out the Work. Sorting through the contents of an entire home can prove overwhelming for even the most energetic person. It took you many years to gather all of your belongings, so you can’t expect to get through everything in one session. Plan for several 2-5 hour sessions over the course of days or weeks to sort through one room at a time.
- Be Prepared. Downsizing is hard work. Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing that you don’t mind getting dirty. And have the tools you’ll need on-hand, including: leaf bags (for donations), boxes, trash bags, permanent markers, labels for sorting, scissors, tape, post its, Ziploc bags, archival quality storage containers for photos and other sensitive keepsakes, and rubber bands.
- Go Room-by-Room. Work in one room at a time. Resist the urge to move things from one to another and then starting work in the second room. Finish one room, move on to the next. You can create piles of items that need to be moved to their “homes” and take them with you when you leave that room. If two or more people are working together, you can each work in separate rooms.
- Divide and Conquer. If any single room is too overwhelming, such as the basement or attic, break it into smaller tasks. Do one section of the room one day and move to the next section the next day. If you allow yourself to become overwhelmed, you may not be able to keep going.
- Stay Organized. Designate one relatively open room to serve as the staging area for those items that you are not keeping. Label and create piles of items that you plan to give to family, donate to charity, or sell at consignment, yard sales, or auction (for more valuable items).
- Identify Your Resources. If you’ve done your job right, you’ll likely have a lot of items that need a new home – one that is not yours! So in advance of starting work, identify charities that you like that also provide pick-up service. You’ll also need haulers that will take away trash, and outlets for recycling or safe disposal of electronic and other hazardous household waste. Local consignments shops and auction houses may also be interested in some of your more valuable items.
- Get Help. If it’s all too much for you to handle on your own, ask for help. You can reach out to family, friends, or neighbors. If they can’t help you, they may be able to recommend professionals who specialize in helping people downsize and organize their homes.
Elizabeth Striano
Consultant and writer on sustainability and the environment
www.agreenfootprint.com
Helping you leave a green footprint on the world…
The National Association of Home Builders released the latest, new certification program for building green homes. A direct competitor to the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED for homes. We also have the Green Globes program through the Green Building Initiative, which also covers commercial buildings, as LEED does. And I’m sure there are plenty more out there and additional to come. So builders of all types will have choice when it comes to selecting the green standards they’d like to use.
Competitions is good. I’ve heard complaints about the high cost of the LEED program and about it’s energy requirements. So what is my problem? My problem is that new commercial building accounts for less than 1% of the buildings currently out there. I’m sure the figure for homes is about the same. And in the last couple of decades, with new technologies, better techniques, and more Energy Star systems from which to choose, newly built homes and buildings ALREADY were becoming much more efficient than their predecessors (unlike the automobile, which actually has gone down in efficiency since it’s inception).
My point is that this flurry of green building couldn’t possibly have much of an impact any time in the near future. (Granted, there is a LEED for Existing Buildings, but very few builders are exercising that option.) We have a problem now. Building yet more homes and buildings, that just happen to be very efficient just isn’t going to cut it.
Elizabeth Striano
Consultant and writer on sustainability and the environment
www.agreenfootprint.com
Helping you leave a green footprint on the world…
I’ve been reading the environmental sustainability news for quite a long time now. I’ll admit, there were days when I found it simply tiring: this company went green; that company went green. And all I could think was, “Are they for real or are they just doing it for the press associated with it?” There always seemed to be something in those stories that rang false. I couldn’t quite put my finger on exactly what it was at the time. Perhaps the stories always came from a single company talking about a single initiative. Jump forward several months. And truly, I believe I sense a change in the air.
Basically I think more of these companies are actually “getting it.” Getting that not only do they have to say they are going green, but that they actually have to DO something that has meaning behind it or they risk being exposed for what they really are: wolves in green clothing. Not only that, but all of the previously underground environmentalists — the ones that were chidingly called “granola-crunchers” — are now out, green, and proud of it. If you’re a business person who cares about the environment, you are no longer considered and environmental kook, and can relish your new, elevated position in society. Who knew?
So where’s my evidence? And why is this happening now? Well, as usual, I have a few theories on about this as well.
Earlier last year, there was some backlash against all of the green claims. Critics argued that companies were doing it for the press. Accusations flew about “green washing,” which I’ve written about on this blog. Then the research stories followed. You remember them, the ones about consumers trust, and how they don’t believe all the claims companies were making. Quickly after that, we got the stories about how to market green responsibly, with meaning. And perhaps the message was sent and received.
But just in the last few days alone, we have several stories that speak to a bigger picture. Entire industries rather than just individual companies, becoming more environmentally responsible. Like the restaurant business. Or the stories about the importance of CSR reporting to the top companies.
“Companies believe that when they are more open with stakeholders and place social responsibility at the core of their business strategy they will be more competitive, attract and retain the best talent, and gain access to new business opportunities, a new report by IBM titled, Attaining Sustainable Growth Through Corporate Social Responsibility (PDF),” reports EnvironmentalLeader.
Am I overly optimistic? Quite possibly. Really only time will tell. But it seems to me that consumers are getting smarter. They’re asking for more of the companies they buy from. In a softening economy, is it possible, that instead of not wanting to pay extra for the environment, companies that hope to stick around will have no choice?
