Easy, cost effective green efforts for business

• Recycling
• Reducing paper waste
• Water audit
• Employee engagement
• Workplace Greening Resources
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The most basic and important aspect of an environmentally-friendly workplace is a recycling program. It is likely that the focus of a recycle/reuse program will be paper products, but it’s also important to recycle printer cartridges, office electronics, food containers, cans, bottles and plastic bags.

Another high impact initiative is to reduce paper waste. A recent study by Xerox showed that 45% of the paper printed in offices ends up in the trash bin by the end of the day. This less-than-one day lifespan is the fate of a trillion sheets of paper per year, worldwide. The cumulative cost is staggering. Keep in mind that a “paperless office” won’t develop naturally as a result of electronic copies and communications; reducing your workplace’s impact will take effort. A sound paper policy is built on three basic principles: using less paper, recycling paper and buying environmentally preferable paper.

Consider conducting a water audit that analyzes your facility’s water use and identifies opportunities to make it more efficient. A water audit of your office building will include a review of domestic, sanitary and landscaping processes and can sometimes be performed for free by your utilities company. Water audits can also be performed by a hired contractor. Try consulting the American Water Works Association’s Guide to Suppliers before hiring a contractor, or your Green Team can use free water audit software from the AWWA.

Investing in employees, the most valuable resource of any company, always pays dividends. Environmentally-conscious business practices help attract and retain the best employees by increasing employee satisfaction and pride in the workplace. A 2008 survey indicated that more than half of workers polled think their company should do more to be environmentally friendly

Employee benefits and involvement programs give employers an opportunity to increase morale and retention by giving people an opportunity to make a difference through their workplace. Forming employee-driven Green Teams is one way to empower workers with the ability to make change and improve their workplace and their world. Offering the EarthShare workplace giving program is a benefit that gives every environmentally-conscious employee the chance to support hundreds of vetted environmental charities through an easy and effective workplace payroll contribution campaign.

According to EarthShare campaign partner UnitedHealth Group: "...our campaign is a critical part of our overall mission of improving the health and well being of individuals and communities. It’s also an important social responsibility program that helps us connect our employees’ passion for the environment with needs across the world. EarthShare has been a great partner for helping us achieve these goals. It’s clear our employees have valued the considerable amount of choice they have through EarthShare...and we all know how important choice is. However, it’s also critical to have the right partners, and the combination of national organizations and local, grass roots concerns is appealing. Our five years of increasing contributions clearly supports this."

EarthShare participates in campaigns at hundreds of public and privates sector workplaces across the country.

• Green @ Work, New American Dream*
  
• Create a Workplace Recycling Program, Earth911
• Innovation Exchange: Manage your water resources, Environmental Defense*
• Increasing Paper Efficiency, Environmental Paper Network
• Smart Paper Policies are Good for Business, Natural Resources Defense Council*
• Simple Ways to Reduce Office Paper Waste and Make Better Use of the Paper You Need, Natural Resources Defense Council*
• Just the Fax, EarthShare
• Shortening the Paper Trail, EarthShare
• The Paperless Office, EarthShare
• BYO Flatware for a Green Workplace, EarthShare
• Don't Pollute - Telecommute, EarthShare
• Green Your Commute, EarthShare
• Green company cars for all employees, Environmental Leader
• Green Cleaning, Center for Health, Environment & Justice*
• Greening the Office Cleaners, EarthShare
• Green IT: Do it for the money, if nothing else, CNet News
• Bring your green to work, Energy Star
• Environmental Workplace Giving, EarthShare

  * EarthShare member organization