Green your operations

\f,/HeN rr coMES ro cREENTNc the workplace, LBM

V V dealers have a headstart advantage. Most dealers already sell common green building products-from compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) and automatic light sensors, to enviro-friendlier caulking and insulation. Greening your own business can be as easy as installing and using products from your own inventory.

Going green also means being aware of every product being used in your business. Everything from the copy paper in the office to the toilet paper in the restrooms is available in a greener version. Get your employees involved and look for ways to recycle, reduce, and reuse.

Remember that waste isn't just bad for the environment-it's also bad for your bottom line.

Get a Plan

Overall, the greatest savings relate to energy efficiency-even simple, inexpensive changes can reap big benefits. Higher savings will require more effort, but the payoff can be impressive.

The first step is to develop a green-business plan that covers every aspect of your business: energy and water efficiency, waste reduction, transportation. computing, equipment efficiency, and building design. Then you can choose which options can be implemented now. and which can wait for later.

Light Wisely

Artificial lighting accounts for up to 40Vo of the energy consumed by businesses. Taking advantage of natural light lowers energy costs, boosts retail sales, and improves worker productivity and satisfaction.

When natural light is not adequate, instalL energy-efficient CFLs and LED desk lamps. An LED bulb can last 60,000 hours, while a CFL bulb provides 10,000 hours of light-significantly more than the I,500 hours provided by most incandescent bulbs. Replace older 1.5" fluorescent tube lighting with newer l" tubes and solid-state electronic ballasts.

Building Gheck Up

Plug all leaks in your building's outer shell with weatherstripping or caulking. Use expandable foam to fill any gaps. Workspace air quality is also crucial. Good ventilation and lowVOC paints and materials (such as furniture and carpet) will keep employees healthy.

If you're building a new commercial space or remodeling an old one, consider environmental and cost-savings options such as solar panels.

Save Water

Instead of personal-size water bottles, provide filtered drinking water to encourage employees and customers to fill their own reusable containers. Better vet. consider a reusable water bottle or coffee mug as a promotional giveaway. Both items tend to be kept and used regularly by recipients, so your company name and logo will get noticed longer.

Periodically inspect pipes to make sure there are no leaks, and quickly fix any leaks you do find. When it's time to spruce up the restrooms, install dual-flush toilets and automatic faucets. These two products can go a long way toward saving water and lowering costs.

Recycle, Recycle, Recycle

Place recycling bins in accessible, high-traffic areas and provide clear information about what can and cannot be recycled. When you receive unwanted catalogs, newsletters, magazines, or junk mail, request removal from the mailing list before you recycle the item.

Recycle paper and refill computer ink cartridges rather than send them to the landfill.

When computers and printers stop working, make sure that they are taken to a place that can recycle the parts. Donate unused equipment to a school or nonprofit and qualify for a tax credit.

Energy-Efficient Gomputing

Computers and peripherals consume a surprising amount of power. During the day, set your computer to go to sleep automatically during short breaks to cut energy use by 707o. Remember, screen savers don't save energy. Make it a habit to turn off - f your system-and the power strip it's plugged into-when you leave at night or on weekends. Just check with your tech expert first, to make sure it doesn't need to be on for backups or other maintenance.

When it comes time to buy new equipment, invest in energy-saving computers, monitors, and printers, and make sure that old equipment is properly recycled. Consider laptops that consume up to 80Vo less energy than equivalent desktops. Inkjet printers use up to 757o percent less energy than laser printers.

Reduce Printing

Think before you print: could this be read or stored online instead? All kinds of documents-even employee manuals-can be stored online, rather than copying and filing them. Besides reducing costs for paper and ink, saving documents online makes them easier to retrieve and update.

Encourage communications by email, then read and store them online instead of printing. If you need to keep a copy for legal reasons, or for various other reasons, store it online. Reduce fax-related paper waste by using a fax cover sheet only when necessary. Better yet, send, receive, and store faxes online.

Many companies offer an electronic alternative to notifications traditionally sent out by mail, especially when it comes to invoicing. Request that all communications be sent via email rather than snail mail to reduce the paper sent to your business.

Print Smarter

The average U.S. office worker goes through 10,000 sheets of copy paper a year. Make it a habit to print on both sides of paper, or use the back of old documents for faxes, scrap paper, or drafts. Avoid color printing.

Buy chlorine-free paper with a higher percentage of post-consumer recycled content. Recycle toner and ink cartridges and buy remanufactured ones.

Gontrol Your Temperature

Comfort is a function of temperature. humidity. and air movement. Thermostat settings of 3o to 5" higher can feel as comfortable with fans.

Install programmable thermostats to automate your HVAC system and save significant amounts of energy.

Gut Gosts for Transportation

If your business has company-owned cars or a fleet of vehicles, consider purchasing fuel-efficient or hybrid vehicles whenever possible-tax credits and special loan programs are available.

Develop a company-wide policy to eliminate unnecessary idling of truck engines. Auxiliary power units can heat or cool the truck when stopped, allowing the main engine to be shut down. Look for shippers who belong to the EPA's SmartWay Transport Pannership, which encourages energy efficiency that significantly reduces greenhouse gases and air pollution.

Greening your business is an ongoing affair. Once you see cost savings, you'Il be motivated to do more. Getting employees involved will also keep the momentum going, so consider organizing a Green Team to meet monthly and brainstorm new options. And don't forget to spread the word-let your customers know that going green is a real priority for your business.

By Carla Waldemar