Key accomplishments for 2008:
Sharing information about Greenspot with neighboring businesses and employees; buying as many recycled office supplies as possible; increased electronic communication to reduce paper usage; recycling paper, cds and other office materials; using drought-resistant plants in our landscaping; converting to more energy-efficient light bulbs; turning programmable thermostats down or up by a few degrees.
Goals for next year and beyond:
Create and display an environmental policy; post requirements for becoming a Greenspot business; audit and track waste and utility expenditures to see what effect the changes are making; get as close as we can to being a paperless office; encourage more green travel and commuting, especially finding options in our not-so-commuter-friendly city.
Our challenge to you:
The biggest surprise (for me) about running our business in a more environmentally friendly way is that most of the changes we make also save the company money. Or at least it’s a wash. The impression seems to be that it’s too expensive to be environmental. Yes, some renewable energy and green products are very expensive, but there are many options that are not. It’s all about making choices, and we think doing something is better than nothing. We challenge you to make one recognizable change this year, and become a Greenspot member if you aren’t already.
