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”

Resources

Contact Us

•  Marlowe Kulley – marlowe@bestbusinesscenter.org

•  Stephanie Schlecht – sschlecht@givesomethingback.com