Slides for a presentation on greening the organization. Presented at the Conference on Community Based Aging Services, Springfield, IL November 5, 2009.unpublishednot peer reviewe

Barnes, Laura L.

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Simple Ways To Green Your OrganizationLaura L. Barnes, LibrarianUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignInstitute of Natural Resource SustainabilityIllinois Sustainable Technology Centerlbarnes@istc.illinois.eduInstitute of Natural Resource SustainabilityIllinois Sustainable Technology CenterWhat is sustainability?Institute of Natural Resource SustainabilityIllinois Sustainable Technology CenterWhy is it important?Institute of Natural Resource SustainabilityIllinois Sustainable Technology CenterSo I can have clean air and water.“Pollution is nothing but the resources we are not harvesting. We allow them to disperse because we've been ignorant of their value.” – R. Buckminster Fuller“I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they are great and noble.” – Helen KellerGrowing a Green OrganizationGetting StartedGain company/management support Get it in writing if you can Form your team Group of employees dedicated to promoting waste reduction, recycling, and responsible purchasing in the workplace Size of the team should relate to the size of the organization and be representative of as many departments or operations as possibleChoose a coordinator Leader(s) should oversee the program, and act as the liaison between the maintenance staff, management, employees and the recycling vendor Set preliminary goals Begin with simple projects that have a relatively high likelihood of successInstitute of Natural Resource SustainabilityIllinois Sustainable Technology CenterGet to Know Your WasteObtain your waste disposal records Contact trash collector to obtain your monthly disposal services invoicesWalk through your organization Learn where trash is coming from and where it ends up Plan the walkthrough for a time when garbage bins and dumpsters are fullConsider conducting a waste characterization audit Two options Estimate waste types and amounts by conducting a visual survey of individual waste receptacles Sample and weigh the building’s wastes (AKA dumpster diving)Institute of Natural Resource SustainabilityIllinois Sustainable Technology CenterEstablish a Recycling ProgramDecide what materials to recycleFind recycling centers/service providersPurchase and place your receptaclesCoordinate collection/transportationTake a second look at purchasing Implement a green purchasing programKick off the programEducate employeesInstitute of Natural Resource SustainabilityIllinois Sustainable Technology CenterKeep It GoingTrack and record progress Keep employees informed and involved Market your success Tell your employees and your clients Apply for an Illinois Governor’s Sustainability Award --http://istc.illinois.edu/info/govs_awards.cfm Go above and beyondGet help if needed ISTC Technical Assistance program EPA’s WasteWise program Illinois Sustainable Technology CenterThink ahead to avoid derailmentOpen the door to other opportunitiesSwitch to more energy efficient lights and ballastsReplace exit signs69%-97% of total computer energy use occurs during idle time – Natural Resources Defense CouncilDid You Know? Cost of running a desktop computer 24/7/365 = $236.56/year (per computer system) Cost of running a desktop computer 8 hours/day, 5 days/week = $56.16/year (per computer system) You save $180.40 per computer/year when you shut it down at the end of each day. Replacing CRT monitors with LCDs saves an additional $17.27/year (per monitor), assuming you shut your computer down when you leave at the end of the day.Institute of Natural Resource SustainabilityIllinois Sustainable Technology CenterEnter the number of ENERGY STAR qualified: Desktop Notebooka) Computers used and/or to be used in place of standard computers -                        b) LCD monitors used and/or to be used in place of CRT monitors                      -   Enter the number of desktops* and notebooks* that are configured and/or will be configured to automatically enter: Desktop Notebookc) "Standby" or "hibernate" mode when inactive (i.e.,  CPU, hard drive, etc. go to sleep)                      -                            -   d)  "Monitor shut down" mode when inactive (i.e., monitor/display goes to sleep) -                   -                        e) Enter cost of electricity OR select the state in which the computers are operated, and choose commercial or residential service $0.088f) Roughly what percentage of your computers are currently turned off each night and during weekends, holidays and vacations by users?**36%Use Other Turn Off Rate?Other Turn Off %1*Includes both ENERGY STAR and non-ENERGY STAR**Default of 36% as the percentage of computers turned off each night is based upon 2004 Law rence Berkeley National Lab Report entitled "After-hours Pow er Status of Off ice Equipment and Inventory of Miscellaneous Plug-Load Equipment"***If your organization always shuts off their monitors at night the turn off rate should be set to 100%, ****If your organization never shuts off their monitors at night, the turn off rate should be set to 0%.Notes about defaults and assumptions in the Quick Calculator:1) Assumes standard monitor is a CRT monitor and an ENERGY STAR qualif ied monitor is an LCD monitor.2) All other assumptions can be seen by clicking the red "Adjust" tabs below .Residential 2Commercial 15 8.800After completing this page, click the green "Results" tab below to view your estimated savings OR click the red "Adjust" tabs below to perform customized calculations of energy savings specific to your environment.ENERGY STAR Computer Power Management Savings CalculatorENERGY STAR Qualifed Computers and MonitorsPower Management FeaturesAssumptionsInstructions:  Use this simple calculator to estimate typical savings from ENERGY STAR qualified computers and/or power management features. (required fields in red)IllinoisCommercial**36 percent of the time turned offNoOccupancy sensors aren't just for turning off the lightsProgram your thermostatsDon't break the bankWater costs more than you thinkBuy GreenFive Guiding Principles for Green PurchasingConsider environmental factors as well as price and performance when making purchasing decisionsEmphasize pollution prevention early in the purchasing processChoose cleaning products, paints, and other chemicals that are less toxic and biodegradableExamine multiple environmental attributes throughout a product's or service's life cycleCompare relative environmental impacts when selecting products and servicesCollect and base purchasing decisions on accurate and meaningful information about environmental performanceInstitute of Natural Resource SustainabilityIllinois Sustainable Technology CenterThe Green Purchasing Top 101) Review purchase specifications and contracts to see if they contain environmental performance standards or requirements.2) Ask your existing suppliers about green alternatives. Give them a try.3) Consider how to make your product or service green and what you'll need to purchase differently to make it happen.4) Choose a suitable green products listing and use it when making purchases.5) Purchase and install energy efficient lighting for your buildings.Institute of Natural Resource SustainabilityIllinois Sustainable Technology CenterThe Green Purchasing Top 106) Determine who supplies your energy and consider changing to renewable energy sources.7) Request vendors to provide supplies in reusable packaging that can be used for your products or returned to the supplier.8) Purchase appropriately sized lots to minimize waste. Purchase bulk where feasible but in small quantities for shelf life/dated materials.9) Change your office purchasing policies: buy recycled office consumable products, Energy Star certified office equipment, and reusable utensils, plates and cups for meetings.10) Buy and use less toxic cleaners or hire those who do.Institute of Natural Resource SustainabilityIllinois Sustainable Technology CenterBeware of greenwashingBe a Smart ConsumerEnvironmental claims should be specific Look for specific amounts (recycled content, a certain percentage less packaging, etc.) Some claims are too vague to be meaningful “eco-friendly”, “environmentally friendly”Degradable products don't save landfill space Anything degradable put into a landfill degrades very slowly Composting turns degradable material into usable compost Symbols can be useful Recycling symbol Green certification symbols  Energy Star, Green Seal, EPEAT, WaterSenseIllinois Sustainable Technology CenterOffice furniture systems, components, and seating,building materials, carpet, flooring, paintElectronics, lightingWood and paper productsCleaners, electric chillers, paint, floor care, paper, hand soaps, windows, doorsToilets, showerheads, faucets, landscape irrigation servicesLow emitting interior building materials, furnishings, and finish systems.Products With Significant ImpactPaper productsElectronicsJanitorial suppliesInstitute of Natural Resource SustainabilityIllinois Sustainable Technology CenterAccording to a survey of Los Angeles offices, their workers use 1.5 pounds of paper per person per day.Rethink Your Paper UseReduce your paper use. Print only when necessary Review and edit electronic documents on screen Use fax post-its rather than a cover sheet Duplex instead of printing on one side Purchase paper with post-consumer recycled content of 30% or higher. Buy unbleached and uncolored paper whenever possible. Start an office paper recycling program if you don't already have one.Institute of Natural Resource SustainabilityIllinois Sustainable Technology CenterEarth friendly electronics isn't an oxymoronBuy Greener ElectronicsBuy with energy in mind → Energy StarBuy used Fifty percent of computers being recycled are in good working order. They are discarded to make way for the latest technology (Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition, 2001). Look on Freecyle, Ebay, Craigslist, or at your local computer dealer TechSoup’s Refurbished Computer InitiativeLook for EPEAT Sets environmental criteria for computersBuy less toxic Greenpeace Guide to Greener ElectronicsInstitute of Natural Resource SustainabilityIllinois Sustainable Technology CenterOf the 2.25 million tons of TVs, cell phones and computer products disposed of in the United States in 2007, 18% (414,000 tons) was collected for recycling and 82% (1.84 million tons) was thrown away, primarily in landfills. (U.S. EPA, 2007)Think Before You TrashElectronic devices are a complex mixture of several hundred materials. Many of these contain toxic heavy metals such as lead, mercury, cadmium and beryllium and hazardous chemicals, such as brominated flame retardants.Don't throw your electronics away Manufacturer and retailer take back programs Donate to schools, community organizations, or vocational programsInstitute of Natural Resource SustainabilityIllinois Sustainable Technology CenterEach year,  6 billion pounds of chemicals and 4.5 billion pounds of paper products (representing about 25 to 50 million trees) are used to clean commercial buildings – Ashkin GroupWhy Convert to Green CleanersHelps you meet green purchasing goalsPromotes a healthier working environmentImproves safety for janitorial workersReduces your organization's environmental footprintHelps create a more sizable market for cost effective high performance green productsInstitute of Natural Resource SustainabilityIllinois Sustainable Technology CenterHow to Choose Green CleanersGreen Seal Standard for Industrial and Institutional Cleaners (GS-37) Standard covers all purpose, bathroom, and glass cleaners. Establishes criteria for 13 factors, such as toxic compounds, carcinogens, skin and eye irritants, and combustibility. More than 5 dozen products certified to standardEPA Database of Environmental Information for Products and Services Greening Your Purchase of Cleaning Products: A Guide For Federal PurchasersInstitute of Natural Resource SustainabilityIllinois Sustainable Technology CenterPurchasing is only part of the green cleaning pictureGreen Cleaning PracticesKeep dirt out of the building Durable welcome mat encourages visitors to wipe their feetMinimize product useMatch the product with the need Don't use a strong cleaner on a mild stainChoose cleaning equipment that is durable, energy efficient, and quietTrain your staff to use products properlyGreen Cleaning P2 Calculator →  http://ofee.gov/janitor/index.aspInstitute of Natural Resource SustainabilityIllinois Sustainable Technology CenterSetting an example is not the main means of influencing others; it is the only means. --Albert Einstein

Simple Ways to Green Your Organization: Presented at the Conference on Community Based Aging Services November 5, 2009

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