BLR Green Team

BLR Green Team on hiatus

The BLR Green Team is on hiatus. Please feel free to review all our content about creating a sustainable workplace.

Thanks again for your continued readership and please continue to provide feedback. Comments are always welcome!

What is the green team of the future?

By Amanda Czepiel

Are green teams a fad? These voluntary, employee-driven programs seemed to have popped up everywhere over the past few years, and many have achieved amazing results in improving company bottom lines while reducing carbon footprints. But, like anything, trends fade unless they continue to develop and evolve to fit changing company goals and structures. What's a green team to do?

According to Deborah Fleischer, president of Green Impact, the future successful green team will look different than the current grassroots, voluntary, employee-driven model and be characterized by strong executive sponsorship and links to corporate goals, be finely structured, be consistent with branding and corporate message, and not be completely voluntary.

Executive support. The BLR Green Team has always emphasized the importance of executive support, but in the future, such support will be even more valuable as senior executives serve as both examples of environmental stewardship and educators of staff. For instance, at Bloomberg, the BGreeen program has launched with the goal of engaging employees to focus on issues such as recycling, waste reduction, paper use, and food and transportation, using social media, guest speakers, contests, and new employee orientation.

Alignment with corporate goals. The future successful green teams will establish a link between their original grassroots goals and overall corporate sustainability strategies. Green teams can't operate as separate entities within companies—they must be part of a larger collaboration.

For more information on how to create the next successful generation of green teams, check out the National Environmental Education Foundation and Greenbiz's report "Toward Engagement 2.0: Creating a More Sustainable Company Through Employee Engagement."

How is your green team evolving with the times?

BLR's CCO bikes to work!

BLR’s Chief Content Officer Ed Keating is serving as a great example of a "green commuter" for other employees in BLR's Connecticut office. He has biked to work on several occasions, forgoing the Connecticut Turnpike (I-95) for back roads for the 30-mile round-trip from his home. He is among a few other employees at BLR who bike to work, navigating the busy shoreline roads to avoid jumping in the car for their daily commute.

The League of American Bicyclists encourages people across the nation to put on a helmet, jump on a bike, and ride to work. The League insists that riding a bike to work can benefit employees physically and financially, as well as help the environment.

Improve health. A majority of Americans don’t get enough exercise, and more than half of the U.S. population is overweight or obese. Many Americans suffer from weight-related illnesses and diseases that could be prevented with proper exercise. Riding a bike to work instead of driving can be a great way to fit exercise into your busy schedule and keep healthy.

Cut back on expenses. The average annual cost of maintaining an automobile is at least $3,000 versus the $300 it takes to maintain a bicycle. Furthermore, the cost of driving has increased exponentially with the cost of gas.

Help the environment. Automobiles are a large contributor to greenhouse gases. By riding a bike to work, you can help cut down emissions of carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and hydrocarbons.

The League of American Bicyclists ranks bicycling friendly states.  The ranks for our BLR locations are as follows: California (San Francisco) ranked 12th, Connecticut (Old Saybrook) 20th, and Tennessee (Brentwood) 26th.  How did your state do?

Have some bike-to-work stories or successes? Share them with us.

Can parking lots become more ecologically friendly?

Porous asphalt in a New Hampshire commercial parking lot

Parking lots are not generally regarded as ecologically friendly or even neutral because they seldom are. MIT Professor Eran Ben-Joseph's recent book, Rethinking a Lot (The MIT Press, 2012), points out that parking lots are not only eyesores but also are hazardous to the environment as well. Parking areas devour land in this country with estimates in the range of three to eight nonresidential parking spots per car—that's a landmass of about the size of Connecticut and Vermont combined.

Parking lots contaminate surface water with oil, gas, antifreeze, and other toxic waste, which are then swept away by rainwater into drains, public water supplies, streams, and rivers. Garbage-littered lots attract rodents and are breeding grounds for bacteria. Dust and small particles are picked up by the wind and pollute the air as well as the water.

"We are well aware that environmentalists and parking lot owners and property managers are concerned about the contamination of water and air that's spread by a single parking lot, never mind the many within a community," said Gina Vella, president of Universal Site Services, provider of commercial sweeping and power-washing services.

Ecologists believe that as the population increases and the number of vehicles needing parking space increases, society has to rethink the negative impact of parking lots on the environment and how to design, construct, and maintain them to be more attractive and less hazardous to the health of citizens.

"Property managers are starting to look to porous paving that allow water to penetrate through the permeable materials into the ground below. We are also seeing property managers interested in adding vegetation buffers, not only to make parking lots more appealing to the eye but also to absorb water runoff," Vella stated, adding that the property managers are also looking into adding plants, trees, shrubs, or landscaped ditches, known as “rain gardens,” to catch and absorb rainwater.

So with the right equipment and operation, a parking lot can be cleaner, greener, and more environmentally acceptable.

Has your company done anything to "green" parking areas?

Facebook is cool—and oh so green!

Someone must have told Mark Zuckerberg to “go north, young man.”  For its first facility outside of the United States, Facebook has chosen to build its European data storage center in Lulea, Sweden—60 miles from the Arctic Circle.  And the reason for this is just so cool!

According to the July/August issue of Smithsonian, three 290,000-square-foot buildings, or “server farms,” will be in Sweden for a reason—natural air-conditioning.  The thousands of servers generate a lot of heat. (Anyone remember the olden days when computer rooms were chilled and IT workers wore heavy jackets?) 

So it’s just plain practical to put the building where it’s cold. Datacenterknowledge.com reports that the average high temperature in Lulea is 41ºF, the average low temperature is 27 ºF, and the humidity is quite dry—perfect for electronics.

And the entire process will be green and sustainable.  Outside air will be pumped into the buildings, saving on electricity for air-conditioning.  And the heat generated from the servers will be captured to heat the buildings’ offices, restrooms, and break rooms!

Even better, according to Smithsonian, is that the electricity is generated by clean, renewable, (and cheap) hydropower, said to be the cheapest in Europe, from the nearby Lule River.

Casey Harrell, Greenpeace IT analyst, told dataknowledgecenter.com that the IT sector is one of the fastest-growing consumers of electricity in the world, and she complimented Facebook for its leadership on renewable energy.

Have you used the natural environment to help "green" your heating or cooling processes?

Build green and then operate green

By Amanda Czepiel

Building green is all the rage right now—green infrastructure, low-impact development, and LEED certification are the current buzzwords in sustainability. But after you build green, the hard part is operating green. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) seems to have noticed the challenge and has responded with providing training to optimize building efficiency while reducing energy usage and saving money.

As of now, the DOE, along with the U.S. Department of Commerce, are jointly funding three Centers for Building Operations Excellence at a cost of $1.3 million as part of President Obama's Better Buildings Initiative. The centers will train current and incoming building operators and will work with universities, local community and technical colleges, trade associations, and DOE's laboratories to create training programs.

Because the centers have yet to be built, we aren't sure what training opportunities will be available to commercial developers and building operators nationwide. But the goal of the funding is to provide training that can be applied in a broad range of commercial buildings. For now, check out the Better Buildings Initiative Resource Center, which has a lot of materials available for all types of buildings, uses, and sectors. And stay tuned!

 What kind of energy efficiency training, if any, have your building operators received?

Environmental building certifications enhance opinion of a business

A majority (70%) of U.S. adults agree that environmental certification of a company’s facility by a third-party organization such as the U.S. Green Building Council would enhance their opinion of the business, according to a recent nationwide survey commissioned by Sealed Air’s Diversey business.

Diversey’s study, conducted by telephone by Harris Interactive, surveyed a random sample of 1,016 U.S. adults regarding the impact of environmental building certifications on Americans’ opinion of a business. Key findings include:

•  69% agree that they would prefer to work in a facility that has been certified by a third-party environmental organization;

•  64% agree that they would prefer to patronize a business whose facility is certified by a third-party environmental organization;

•  49% feel better about doing business with a company whose facility is certified by a third-party environmental organization; and

•  48% indicated that third-party environmental certification of a facility improves their image of a company.

"This research demonstrates that Americans understand the value of green building certifications and appreciate businesses that make the investment to provide sustainable, healthy environments,” said John Matthews, senior vice president and chief sustainability officer for the Diversey business. "Consumer perceptions and behaviors are becoming the catalysts for the growing sustainable facility movement."

Diversey released the findings of the survey during a Web-based program titled "The State and Impacts of Green Buildings,” hosted by GreenBiz.com, a website of Greener World Media.

It's the first day of summer! EPA's 15 hot tips

EPA has released its 15 "Hot Tips for a Cool Summer" to save money, water, and energy while protecting health and the environment. Here is a quick recap:

1. Cool down your house or office. Swap out old bulbs for Energy Star^®-qualified lighting, which use less energy and produce 75 percent less heat. Also, raise your thermostat by 2 degrees, and use your ceiling fan to reduce cooling costs by 14 percent.

2. Drive efficiently. Obey the speed limit, ease up on the brakes, avoid hard accelerations, and reduce idling time to increase gas mileage.

3. Practice safe sun habits.

4. Monitor beach advisory reports.

5. Check the ultraviolet (UV) index and current air quality. When planning outdoor activities, use EPA's apps to review daily and hourly forecasts of UV radiation levels.

6. Take a photo! Submit environmental photos to EPA's State of the Environment photo project.

7. Keep the bugs at bay. Use the right insect repellent and apply as directed.

8. Conserve water. Water used outdoors is often wasted through evaporation, so water lawns and gardens in the morning when winds are calm and temperatures are cool.

9. Practice outdoor green cleaning. The summer is a great time to wash cars, decks, and boats. But cleaning runoff and washwater can end up in storm drains, resulting in the contamination of waterways. Use environment-friendly cleaning products.

10. Breathe clean air. Because people spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors, indoor air quality is a major concern: mold, radon, and carbon monoxide are the biggies. Be sure to test your home and office to ensure that they are not present.

11. Travel green. Look for Energy Star-certified hotels, which use, on average, 35 percent less energy and emit an average of 35 percent less greenhouse gas emissions than their peers.

12. Cut down on waste and recycle. True in every season!

13. Season firewood. Summer is a great time to prep for cozy fall and winter fires.

14. Compost. Save landfill space, feed the soil, and prevent methane.

15. Share your story. Submit a meaningful story or idea to EPA's Six Words for the Planet project.

10 tips for managers of telecommuters

By Ana Ellington

Case studies show that establishing a telecommuting program for your business is a win-win situation. Employers win with increased productivity, lower turnover, and enhanced bottom-line profitability. Participating employees win with increased job satisfaction, greater flexibility, and reduced commuting costs. Yet a major concern is managing telecommuters. But according to one state agency, it’s manageable with the right plan.

The Connecticut Department of Transportation’s Commuter Services offers the following tips to help you successfully manage your telecommuters. These tips are valuable in any state.

1. Agree on a schedule. Create a viable workday schedule; allow for breaks; post a telecommuting schedule; and revisit schedule issues as needed.

2. Clarify objectives. Evaluate existing objectives to ensure they are measurable and quantifiable; measure productivity. Expect professionalism—telecommuting should be invisible to those at the other end of the phone or computer line; know what will be performed at telecommuting sites versus traditional worksites.

3. Set expectations. Clarify not only what is expected of telecommuters but also how and how well it is to be done. Such expectations should be no different than those at the traditional worksite—as with all expectations, they should be documented rather than assumed.

4. Uphold standards. Ensure that telecommuting sites meet organizational standards for safety, security, efficiency, and confidentiality; see that needed equipment, technology, and supplies are made available.

5. Monitor performance. Focus on evaluating results rather than activities; provide feedback on performance regularly; stay in contact with telecommuters; set expectations that telecommuters keep you updated; find a balance that is right for you and your telecommuters.

6. Maintain communications. Keep telecommuters informed of events and information from the traditional worksite; encourage coworkers to keep telecommuters in the loop on formal and informal work events; and initiate communications and hold telecommuters accountable for the same.

7. Recognize performance. Let telecommuters know that you value their work and that others recognize their achievements; support career growth and opportunities; promote telecommuters to on-site management; and reward positive results.

8. Maintain the team. Hold telecommuters and coworkers accountable for achievement of goals. Ensure they support one another.

9. Handle problems right away. Early, equitable resolution of conflict is key; take immediate measures to address issues or perceptions that will impact performance.

10. Assess/adjust. Solicit feedback periodically on what is working and what isn’t; allow open discussion and private conversation; remain objective; and make appropriate adjustments.

Remember that no new initiative is without a few bumps in the road, but with your leadership, telecommuting can be a successful organizational initiative.

Notes from a 'Green' Island

By Amanda Czepiel

I was fortunate enough to spend the last 8 days in Ireland, and as I always do when I travel, I took note of the ways a different culture embraces sustainability. Ireland? It is both green in color and in its approach to waste elimination. How?

There are no paper towels in restrooms. Ever. Every single public restroom I encountered had high efficiency hand dryers instead of paper towels. Although my travel mates grumbled about this, research shows that hand dryers are significantly more "green" than paper towels.

Water is precious. Even in a country that definitely sees its fair share of rain, low-flow toilets and sinks are the norm.

Plastic bags and cups aren't in vogue. At stores, customers must pay for plastic bags (paper bags are free). I was behind more than a few people in line at stores that asked for plastic, were told of the fee (22 cents), and they decided to forgo the plastic. The cost deterrent definitely made people think twice about the need for plastic. In restaurants and cafés, even in ones without table service, glass bottles of water and glass cups were provided.

In general, what I took away from my trip to Ireland was that widely institutionalized sustainability practices work. If you don't want people using plastic, either charge them or don't offer it. If you want to conserve water, install the hardware to make it habitual. Is Ireland a perfect "green" place? Of course not. One of my biggest peeves was the use of paper napkins at nice restaurants, and as is in the United States, city streets are congested with passenger cars (although the use of mass transit is quite high). But overall, Ireland gets a green thumbs up.

When Promoting Sustainability, Word Choice Is Key

By Amanda Czepiel

At last week's New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission's (NEIWPCC) Annual Nonpoint Source Pollution Conference  in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, the keynote speaker—Eric Eckl of Water Words That Work—hit the nail on the head: People who work in the environmental fields and in sustainability are often so entrenched in the work they do and, as a result, the technical language that is associated with such work, they (we!) forget how to relate to the very people we are trying to educate and sway into caring about sustainability.

Water Words That Work LLC is an organization that helps nature protection and pollution control organizations professionalize and modernize their communications so that they are effective. As Eckl emphasized, public opinion polls show that most citizens state that the environment is important to them but that poor environmental communications often create a "gap" between awareness and action. To bridge this gap, Eckl shared four steps to help connect with your audience:

Begin with behavior. Offer your audience a way to take an action that makes a difference.

Find foolproof photos. Show the faces and places affected by your message.

Swap the shoptalk. Use plain language. It may not be as precise as you may want it to be, but it will most likely be a lot more effective.

Insert the words that work. Use words that are important to your audience! Clean, future, safe, family, save money, and responsibility are just a few words and phrases to which people respond.

Using simple and easy-to-understand terminology isn't "dumbing down" concepts for the public or your employees, but rather, it's a way, as Water Words That Works states, to "turn those blank stares into nodding heads—to turn passive "environmental awareness" into environmental action."

Do you have any experience with effective, simple communication used in your company's sustainability programs? Have you had any difficulties with overly "technical" communications?