Eco Friendly Training

How to Build Green Awareness in Your Business

Tuesday, January 24, 2012 by Julie Urlaub

In addition to executive management playing a critical role in the success of a company, business sustainability requires leadership across the entire organization. While management may ultimately carry the responsibility of sustainable business results, employees have a part to play in the definition and implementation of the company’s business sustainability programs.

As sustainability consultants, we are frequently asked, What are ways to build eco awareness in a business?   The quick answer: In building eco awareness into your business, we promote building of a comprehensive business sustainability program. However, we realize that sometimes starting small can lead to bigger gains. So, while a corporate sustainability plan may be our suggested path, there are other steps you can take as well.

"Green Teams", a formal or informal group of people in a company who are passionate about environmental issues, are gathering in offices across America to brainstorm solutions and promote ways in which their company's practices can become more environmentally sustainable. As explained in our sustainability consulting, a green team can reduce paper use, increase recycling, promote energy conservation, and more, making a huge difference within a department or building. Green teams also offer employee engagement opportunities.

Link eco awareness programs to existing company offerings, as in wellness programs.   Wellness programs have been uses as instruments to address weight reduction, reduced stress levels, improved physical fitness, health, and well being. They may include fitness, recreation, social activities and programs to enhance intellectual and spiritual development. Providing employees with wellness programs not only provides them a way to improve their health, but it also demonstrates corporate social responsibility.

Create individual employee sustainability programs: The basic premise of a personal sustainability program is to reduce your carbon footprint, lighten the load on the planet as well as reap the benefits of living a more sustainable lifestyle. Eco actions taken in a personal sustainability plan can be anything from riding a bike to work or eating organic healthy meals or recycling. It can also be about achieving a personal goal, sustaining it, and building from that platform.

Educate: Offer ongoing workshops, training, lunch and learns, and educational activities to educate workers on the environmental issues (energy, water, waste, and others) and the associated actions causing the problems. Identify new behavior and eco actions that individually workers can take to create new patterns of behavior and choices that support environmental solutions and are aligned with the company's overarching sustainability plan.   We've learned in our eco friendly training classes, the first part is educating; the harder part is changing the behavior. Ongoing education helps create lasting change.

Create a sustainable work environment: The benefits of a sustainable work environment include a healthier more sustainable workforce; a more productive workforce; attracts quality employees and reduces turnover. It also reduces lost work time related to health issues.

These efforts enable proactive businesses leaders to capture the benefits of sustainable business: reduce business costs, improve business reputation, and attract and maintain top job candidates.

Green Websites that Inspire Eco Action form the Inside Out

Thursday, January 12, 2012 by Julie Urlaub

Does your website mirror your business sustainability values? As viewed in our professional consulting, many websites succeed in presenting basic information about business sustainability programs and service offerings. However, we encourage clients to demonstrate sustainable leadership in a variety of innovative ways. There are Companies with GREAT Sustainability Websites and what makes them so special? As we refer to the triple bottom line, of people, profit, planet in our sustainability consulting, the three pillars of inspiring green websites include 3 key elements:

Website business objectives are met:

What is this company?
What kinds of customers does this company work with?
Who are their competitors?
What makes this company special?
What are the services?
Are they credible?
Why would I want to work with them?

The website is green. There are web hosts that are powered by solar panel, wind, or some type of combination of traditional and natural power. Green web hosting typically involves several of the following elements:

Servers directly powered by renewable energy.
Energy use offset using a carbon credit.
Energy use offset using a Renewable Energy Credit (REC).
Hosting servers optimized for energy efficiency.

The website inspires eco action. After all the energy audits and establishing sustainable business strategies have been executed and measured, sharing and communicating the sustainability success stories has never been more critical. We note in our eco friendly training that sustainability concepts are universal but how your business or sustainability consulting practice uniquely applies them is the secret sauce to compelling content that inspires others to eco action.

Doesn't it make sense to have the website reflect sustainability values? Social Media for Sustainability Professionals is an 8 week, self-guided, online program specifically designed to help you communicate sustainability via your website and social media.

3 Green Stocking Stuffers for your Inbox

Monday, December 5, 2011 by Julie Urlaub

For many, this year has marked a desire to expand personal growth in eco awareness and a desire for personal improvement. Now, as the year closes and we find ourselves uniting with friends and family for the holiday season, it's a time to share and reflect with our loved ones. Many will share personal stories of how eco awareness has shaped their lives. Hopefully, some of those stories will be inspiring to others.

The fact is, the more informed we all are, the better choices we can make to support our lives, protect natural resources, and positively contribute to our communities and the world around us. When you think about it, each day we are presented with opportunities to expand eco awareness and make informed choices. By making changes that are inspiring and manageable relative our current lives, the process of incorporating sustainability becomes much easier.

How can we spread eco awareness and holiday cheer this season? One suggestion made in our eco friendly training is subscribe to a favorite green newsletter. Somewhat of a virtual stocking stuffer for your inbox. It's like getting little presents throughout the year offering tidbits of useful information that can spark creativity, new ideas, and a fun fresh way of integrating eco awareness into your day. Enjoy!

Personal Sustainability Plan for 2012: What's Yours?

Thursday, December 1, 2011 by Julie Urlaub

The web is full of information and advice on personal sustainability, sometimes to the point that it can put one into information overload. However if you are looking for a ‘how-to’ path to personal sustainability, you are more likely to discover a variety of definitions, perspectives, and approaches to applying general sustainability concepts. While general concepts can be used to describe the broad topic of ‘sustainability’, our personal consulting experience has led us to understand that each individual has a unique and personal story in the pursuit of a sustainable lifestyle.

In a recent post, Finding the ‘You’ in Your Personal Sustainability Plan, we discuss how what works for one may not be the right fit for another. Personal sustainability truly is about defining what works for you. So, how do you create a personal sustainability plan that will work for you in 2012?

We mention several options in our eco friendly training:

Take the 90 Day Better Life Challenge
Create A Personal 20-20-20 Plan
Use the The 7 Day Green Power Pledge to jump start living green.

While you may be jump starting your 2012 with green ambitions, it's important to recognize that personal sustainability is a continuous improvement process that challenges an individual to constantly expand personal eco awareness. This may seem obvious but it is so true. There isn’t any one single defined path to sustainable living: there isn’t a beginning and there isn’t an end. Personal sustainability is your journey of discovery.

Embark on the green living journey in 2012 and see where it takes you!

How Much Are We Recycling America? Today is America Recycles Day

Tuesday, November 15, 2011 by Julie Urlaub

Why does the recycling symbol have three chasing arrows?

Each arrow represents one step in the three step process that completes the recycling loop. The first arrow is the collection step. The second arrow is the manufacturing process in which recyclable materials are converted into new products and the third arrow represents the step where consumers purchase products made with recycled content.

Today is America Recycles Day and consumers and businesses alike are taking eco action on the first step in the recycling symbol. Today is a day of enhanced eco awareness regarding the importance of recycling, educating on the” how and what” to recycle as well as inspiring others to take eco action and commit to recycling for the next year and beyond.

Recycling is part of a corporate or personal sustainability plan and offers several benefits aside from the obvious environmental attributes. Businesses can lower cost for waste removal, capture tax credits for recycling market development, and link a corporate sustainability plan to an employee's daily activity through recycling programs.

We've found in our eco friendly training, that most people living a sustainable lifestyle help the recycling effort by putting materials in their recycling bin but fail to realize the importance of completing the recycling loop by purchasing recycled products and reusing items.

Also, a common question asked in our eco friendly training is how to reduce consuming in the first place? That addresses the sustainability concept of reuse from a different angle - that is, if you need to buy one item for a single use, how can you avoid purchasing it? You can do your party by taking eco action to consume sustainably. Next time you are ready to buy, educate yourself with eco awareness. We state in our sustainability consulting practice, recycling resources are plentiful! Get in on the action and take eco action today - Recycle!

• Earth911

• E-Waste: Responsible Disposal Options

• I Recycle links and resources

• Take the pledge

Infographic - A Throw Away Culture: How Much do We Really Recycle?

How Your Job Can Be Titled, "Head of Sustainability"

Thursday, November 3, 2011 by Julie Urlaub

Just recently, Unilever Australia launched a new employee engagement campaign that aims to increase ownership and understanding of the company’s new Sustainable Living Plan. In a nutshell, the campaign is designed so that every Unilever employee in Australia and New Zealand receives a personalized ‘Head of Sustainability’ business card, along with a ‘job manual’ outlining Unilever’s business case for sustainability and why each employee has been given the new title.

While US organizations and businesses may be lagging in the adoption of sustainability titles there are opportunities for self directed green programs. Sure, well meaning executives may have good intentions toward starting the recycling center or monitoring and measuring energy use, but leadership alone is not responsible for leading eco action. We all are!

As mentioned in the post, Sustainability: Two Sides of the Same Coin, shaping our future takes both sides of the sustainability coin- business and personal. Whether led by a sustainability executive or traditional management, your role in a sustainable organization can have an impact. You can create your own self titled green job by embracing sustainability concepts at work regardless of your current position. Here's how:

Consider your approach to your current position. No one knows your job better than you. You have a better chance of discovering ways to improve processes and integrate sustainability concepts than anyone. Perform your job from the perspective of how can I do my job in a more eco friendly manner.

• Take eco action in your daily activities: recycle, commit to paperless, share with others what you are doing and why you are doing it and get them involved.

• Engage management by incorporating sustainability concepts in your personal development plan.

• Take on new sustainability roles and projects in the organization: start a recycling program, lead a paper free initiative, host a lunch and learn providing local and organic foods

• Become the “go-to” person for all things green

• Expand your corporate green network: engage in internal business activities, networking events, internal and external training, professional organizations, and business communities. An easy option to engage in your company’s community outreach programs.

Now, see how this applies to different roles within the organization:

• Supply Chain Professionals: these roles interface with the company’s supply chain and can implement new sources of supply or work with current suppliers to incorporate sustainability concepts that improve operations. Procurement play a role in coordinating sustainable purchasing practices across various departments within the organization.

• Environmental, Health, and Safety Professionals: these roles interface with the company’s operations and establish and implement the company’s sustainability policies. They can also function as a communication vehicle to the organization.

• Sales and Marketing Professionals: these key roles interface with the company’s customers represent the face of business sustainability and communicate the organizations values and commitment to sustainability. Sales and Marketing link consumer preferences for sustainable products with the offerings of the company.

• Human Resource Professionals: these key roles interface have a key role to play to help a company achieve its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) objectives. HR professionals are encouraged to check out the new book, CSR for HR by Elaine Cohen for sustainable impact within the organization.

With an official title Head of Sustainability or not, you have the opportunity to transform your current job towards a sustainable one. At its essence, the work of a Head of Sustainability is work that transforms our environment and gives back in a meaningful way. It is the reward of expanding eco awareness through deliberate eco action that generates shifts in business and personal lives.

Does Your Small Business Have a Power Style?

Tuesday, October 18, 2011 by Julie Urlaub

IBM saved $26.8 million in energy expenses in 2009 as a result of companywide conservation efforts that surpassed corporate targets. How did they do it? Last year, 1,900 energy conservation projects at 270 IBM facilities around the world helped deliver savings in energy consumption that were equivalent to 5.4 percent of the company's total energy use.

Granted, your business may not be an IBM with worldwide facilities, but, at a minimum, your business occupies office space. There are numerous opportunities for your small business to capitalize on company conservation efforts delivering benefits to both the bottom line and the environment. In fact, more and more leading companies are becoming increasing aware of the cost savings and long-term benefits associated with implementing sustainable changes in their organization. Managing and planning a company’s operations to reduce environmental impacts can result in reductions in resource consumption, emissions, and waste streams.

Small businesses looking for quick wins with a minimum of resource outlay can see generate results:

• Install switch plate occupancy sensors in proper locations to automatically turn off lighting when no one is present, and back on when people return.

• Turn off your monitor and other office equipment when not in use.

• Turn computer off at the end of the day.

• Turn lights off in conference room after meetings and remember to turn off the projector as well.

• Use more natural light when available and adjust lighting to your actual needs.

• Unplug infrequently used office equipment. Many appliances continue to draw a small amount of power when they are switched off. These "phantom" loads occur in most appliances that use electricity, such as computers and kitchen appliances.

As part of a business sustainability plan, small efforts such as these executed consistently over time, can contribute to improved energy efficiency in your workplace.

More advanced eco actions include evaluating the following:

• Which appliances and/or equipment are consuming the most energy?

• How are these high energy consumption items being run -simultaneously, non-efficiently?

• When are these high energy consumption items running -when not needed, during peak load times?

• What kind of light bulbs are used in the business?

• Has an energy audit been performed within the last 3 years?

• Are lighting fixtures equipped with control features (sensors, dimmers, timers)?

• Is regular maintenance performed for HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning)?

• What percentage of your electrical equipment is Energy Star?

• Which energy and lighting policies do you follow in the business?

Conservation and active energy management are first steps in reducing energy costs. Take it a step further:

• Use high -efficiency HVAC equipment.

• Purchase renewable energy.

• Run non-essential high demand items during off-peak hours to minimize usage charges.

• Stagger your high demand equipment to minimize your demand charges.

• Evaluate the efficiency of your high demand equipment to improve your power factor.

• Don't waste electricity in an unoccupied space.

• Start a daytime cleaning program to reduce lighting needs at night.

• Implement energy efficient "contests" to train and educate workers for improved eco awareness and energy efficient behavior.

Get employees invovled! Employee engagement is an effective, but possibly underutilized strategy for improving energy efficiency. In fact, energy efficiency can be a gateway to wider business innovation and engage stakeholders in broader process evaluations. Suggestions made in our eco friendly training include:

• First establishing a baseline of consumption for benchmarking efforts.

• Create an energy policy for the business. Using your consumption information, you may want to identify areas of improvement.

• Implement behavior and usage modifications.

• Measure and monitor your progress.

• Communicate your success and appreciation to employees for taking eco action.

Companies that conserve energy reduce operating costs and improve their bottom line. What is your small business power style?

45 Ways to Make This Friday an Eco Friday

Friday, September 30, 2011 by Julie Urlaub

For many, Friday is the beginning of a long holiday weekend away from work or school. It offers time to spend with family and friends in a usually more moderate climate. So if you are looking for something to do, why not take the opportunity to engage in some fun eco actions this weekend that won’t set you back a lot of money or hurt the environment?

Here are 45 fun and different eco activities to save some green:

Go for a hike in the woods.
Celebrate Take a Kid Mountain biking day on October 1st.
Discover how much land area it takes to support your lifestyle with Global Footprint Network
Have a picnic.
Take the kids to the park.
Visit a museum -There are lots of free museums and many others take a donation.
Work on an arts and craft project.
Go paperless for the entire day.
Watch this video on recycling and see how these recycling tips make a big difference in saving our environment while creating green jobs in the process.
Check out fun online games that challenge your eco-socio-political skills.
Look around your home and office and unplug seldom used appliances.
Learn ways to recycle your junk.
Eat an organic meal or purchase some fruits and veggies from a local farmer's market and compost your vegetable scraps.
Do some bird watching.
Go for a bike ride.
Roller blade, Run, Ski, exercise outdoors.
Visit the zoo.
Go camping - enjoy the US National Parks system.
Apply the 3 R’s to your closet: reduce by removing clothes you no longer wear, reuse and recycle by donating to a local clothing donation.
Visit a street fair.
Bake organic goodies.
Make a birdhouse.
Stroll through a public garden.
Work on your own garden.
Take advantage of local cultural events.
Clean out your house and have a garage sale.
Discover what can be recycled and what cannot! Can you recycle paint? Hair? Crayons? Find out here. Better yet, discover recycling centers near your home by visiting Earth911.
Discover the rewarding sensation of volunteering in your community. Not sure where to start? Visit VolunteerMatch and enter your zip code and area of interest to find a perfect volunteer match.
Discover cycling as part of a sustainable lifestyle and as a rewarding personal adventure. Explore health, environmental, and cost saving reasons for biking to work and pick out your favorite resources to help you do it.
Take the The 7 Day Green Power Pledge
Subscribe to the Taiga Company newsletter, blog and podcast;
Pick up litter you see as you are walking on the sidewalk.
Turn the lights off after someone else has forgotten as they left the room.
Collect scrap office paper and bring it to the recycling center.
Treat a friend to organic fare at a local sustainable restaurant.
Share your favorite green blog with friends.
Volunteer to clean up the break room and use eco friendly cleaning supplies.
Feed the birds from a park bench or feeder.
Adopt a pet from your local animal shelter.
Donate a bag of organic coffee and share with your office.
Make a contribution to your favorite charity.
Volunteer your time for a worthwhile organization.
Notice and compliment the sustainable efforts other are doing.
As Bill Keane said, “A hug is like a boomerang - you get it back right away". Share the green love with a friend- inspire them to eco action.
Follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook.

While there are numerous benefits to green living, a common misconception is that it requires additional effort and costs more. This is simply not the case. Our eco friendly training classes and personal consulting offer fun ways to kick start living a sustainable lifestyle. The first step is simply increasing one’s daily eco awareness. Why not start this weekend?

Curiosity Sparking the Value in Green Living

Wednesday, September 21, 2011 by Julie Urlaub

In a perfect world, our world's energy is powered by renewable sources, business sustainability is the norm, and sustainable lifestyles abound. While we're not quite there yet, as a sustainability consultant, I ask, "What will get us there?"

Interestingly, it's about being curious. It's about being in the space of sincere inquiry. Fortunately, eco awareness is on the rise. Proactive sustainable businesses are leading the way accompanied by thought leaders, executives, politicians, and such to address the environmental issues of our time. But it's the people that haven't quite found the value in living green that interests me the most. Why? Because those that begin to ask questions are the very ones that powerfully contribute to the collective conversation on climate change and its solutions.

• Why Should I Care About Global Warming?

• My lifestyle really isn't adding to the problem...is it?

• I drive a fuel-efficient vehicle, isn't that enough?

• Can my little eco actions really make a difference?

The value is in the question. To ask, inherently means there is sparked eco awareness within the questioner. To ask, means clarification is needed. To ask, means I'm looking for value.

Our approach at Taiga Company is to spark or ignite enthusiasm in those not seeing value in environmental causes and further accelerate commitment in those that do. There are many reasons people choose to embrace eco awareness but what are some of the benefits to living a sustainable lifestyle?

• Save Money

• Healthier living: eating organic foods and using eco friendly cleaning products and other natural home products is going to have a positive effect on your well being and the well being of your family.

• Improved quality of life and work life balance.

• By acting responsibly today, you can help ensure resiliency and health of the earth for future generations.

• Inspire others by living a sustainable lifestyle.

• Feel good about yourself and your eco achievements.

• Reconnect with everything local.

• Gain a competitive edge - build your career with eco awareness.

• Become an educated and conscious consumer.

Within our eco friendly training programs, it is rewarding when a client finds the value in "going green" for themselves and embraces eco awareness in their life. The positive impact on the environment is exponential with more and more people seeking eco awareness in their personal lives and in their work. If you need help in building a sustainable lifestyle or bringing eco awareness into an area of your life, we are here to help.

Green Dreams Creating a Better World for Us All

Thursday, September 15, 2011 by Julie Urlaub

We grow great by dreams. All big men are dreamers. They see things in the soft haze of a spring day or in the red fire of a long winter's evening. Some of us let our dreams die, but others nourish and protect them, nurse them through bad days till they bring them to sunshine and light." ~ Woodrow Wilson

What is green living? Is it living off the grid? Living in a green house? Working at a green job? What exactly does it mean to be green?

While at its essence, a sustainable lifestyle, or living green, refers to a lifestyle and set of choices that minimizes a person's environmental impact, those choices may also embrace sustainability concepts of efficiency, organics, waste management, and so forth.

But in green living, what is more important? The vision? Or the eco action?

One might argue the mindset is more important than the eco actions. Why? Because life is dynamic. As expressed in our eco friendly training, applying sustainability concepts one way today may not be the sustainable solution of tomorrow. Your life circumstances change so it's in your approach to life that matters.

However, on the contrary, the bigger the dream, the more you aspire to become.

Maybe it takes both - big green visions aligned with strategic eco action.

For instance, promoting sustainable business and a sustainable lifestyle can take all forms and shapes. In our sustainability consulting, we addresses eco awareness and the integration of sustainability concepts into business and daily living by asking clients to replace current habits and processes with those incorporating sustainable ones. For a business, that may be a sustainability plan. For an individual, that may be a personal sustainability plan.

Each of us has a role to play. What is it that you specifically care about? Is it the natural beauty in your neighborhood? The campsite you visit each year? Spotting wildlife? Maybe it's that first breath of fresh air as you step outside to go to work each day.

Connect with that, and take eco action to support that. Explore the habits and areas of your life that you can take eco action to support the environment that you love. Your actions are a green beacon of light to others calling them forth to find the value, the eco actions for them to support the environment that they love.

When others see you living a sustainable lifestyle, and see that you are enjoying it, it inspires them to make similar efforts for themselves. How can your green dreams inspire eco awareness in yourself and others today?

16 Green Ways to Buy and Dispose of Your Stuff

Tuesday, August 30, 2011 by Julie Urlaub

The business world is always looking for new and innovative ways to improve its supply chain management processes. Leading companies are reaping the benefits from applying sustainability concepts to the acquisition of their goods and services. As an individual seeking a more sustainable lifestyle, what can we learn from these corporate purchasing efforts?

To begin, a primary aspect of pursuing a personal sustainability plan is the recognition that every action is part of a larger whole. The purchases you make not only affect you and your family, but they also affect an entire supply chain that brought that item to market.

As a consumer, how is your lifestyle promoting the green movement? Are you purchasing and disposing of your consumables responsibly? Following are 8 tips to enhance eco awareness for the eco-conscious shopper.

A comprehensive tool that provides reliable sources of information on the health, environmental, and social impacts of products is the GoodGuide.
Research before you buy. For larger more infrequent items, set aside time to research your options. Evaluate products on the full lifecycle. How much energy was used in producing the product? What is the energy consumption of your intended use? How it will be discarded later? Compare products with eco awareness in mind.
Buy local and buy in bulk. Supporting local businesses eliminates the need for products to be transported far distances.
Buy organic. Purchasing merchandise certified with organic labeling is another way to bring eco awareness to your lifestyle. Buying organic means less pesticides in our ground water and better health for your family.
Buy Fair Trade. Buying Fair Trade helps to end abuses such as child and slave labor.
Buy products from sustainable sources like bamboo. Purchase products not tested on animals, made from renewable sources and packaged with recyclable and minimal packaging.
Electronic purchases: Consider buying "Pre-Owned" goods. Purchasing previously owned products is a great way to implement the sustainability concept of recycling. Ebay and Craig’s list are two good sources. Also ask your electronics store about recycling options for older models.
Speak up! Manufacturers are listening! Use social media to connect with business to communicate your preferences and experiences. Consumers are the biggest drivers of sustainability changes.

Resources offered in our eco friendly training classes include some of the following:

Are You a Green Go To Person? Podcast

Wednesday, August 24, 2011 by Julie Urlaub

What does it mean to be a green go to person? As described in our eco friendly training, it is seamlessly integrating our personal sustainability values in all areas of our lives in such a way that it transforms our environment and gives back in a meaningful way. It's also the personal fulfillment and reward of expanding eco awareness through deliberate eco action that generates shifts in business and personal lives.

With ambitions to become a green go to person, how do you do that at home? Work? In life in general? Taiga Company's podcast explores:

• Consider your approach to your current position. No one knows your job better than you. You have a better chance of discovering ways to improve processes and integrate sustainability concepts than anyone. Perform your job from the perspective of how can I do my job in a more eco friendly manner.

• Take eco action in your daily activities: recycle, commit to paperless, share with others what you are doing and why you are doing it and get them involved.

• Engage management by incorporating sustainability concepts in your personal development plan.

• Take on new sustainability roles and projects in the organization: start a recycling program, lead a paper free initiative, host a lunch and learn providing local and organic foods

• Expand your corporate green network: engage in internal business activities, networking events, internal and external training, professional organizations, and business communities. An easy option is to engage in your company’s community outreach programs

Click here to listen to the podcast

Click here to subscribe to Taiga Company's podcast series.
Click here to get the Taiga Company Podcast App for iPhone and iPad
Click here to get the Taiga Company Podcast App for Android

Does Your Lifestyle Support the Green Movement?

Monday, August 15, 2011 by Julie Urlaub

Notice the title? The question is generally reversed: How do you create a green or sustainable lifestyle? But, the dynamics of life is reciprocity - a state of mutual exchange. If you are looking to create a sustainable lifestyle, isn't it worth noting if the lifestyle you are creating serves a greater purpose? One perspective explored in our eco friendly training is questioning if a lifestyle supports the advancement of green living, sustainable businesses and the forward momentum of conscious living as a whole.

The post, Sustainability: Two Sides of the Same Coin, asks, “If sustainability were a coin, what would the two sides of it be? Business sustainability and personal sustainability. " It takes both to move the proverbial green ball forward.

Reflecting upon an earlier post, Be the Change: Promoting a Sustainable Lifestyle, Mahatma Gandhi said “Be the change you want to see in the world." To me, this means not only asking our world leaders to commit to eco action but also to each of us to personally commit to eco awareness in our daily lives.

Promoting sustainable living and "being the change" can take all forms and shapes. In our sustainability consulting, we addresses eco awareness and the integration of sustainability concepts into daily living by asking clients to consider the questions, "Is there an eco friendly alternative to this purchase?" Or, "Is there a more environmentally friendly manner in which I can do x (whatever it is that you are doing)?"

The internet as well as our very own sustainability blog is filled with countless ideas, how to information and suggestions on how to take action. Ultimately, behind every action is: Choice. We each have a choice. Each of us has our role to play. Do we consistently approach the areas of our life with environmental consciousness? We ask for accountability in the restructuring of our businesses, financial systems, our leaders, but are we holding ourselves accountable?

Personal sustainability can be uniquely expressed. What may work for me, may not work for you. However, just as it's our leaders’ responsibilities to work through the issues and the details around these complex issues, so is it our own personal responsibility to make the conscious choice and commitment to take action and be accountable for it.

If you think your actions are too small to matter, think again. As Betty Reese said, " If you think you are too small to be effective, you have never been in bed with a mosquito."

Answering the Question of What is Green Living?

Friday, July 29, 2011 by Julie Urlaub

Look around and you'll see going green slogans everywhere. The web is full of information on going green, living a sustainable lifestyle and advice on personal sustainability. For many, this mountain of information can be confusing and at times a little overwhelming. In fact, the post, A Practical Plan for When You Feel Overwhelmed, refers to overwhelm and its effect on our ability to make choices. "The more numerous our options, the more difficult it becomes to choose a single one, and so we end up choosing none at all. That's what happens when we have too many things to do. We become overwhelmed and don't do any of them."

Navigating the green waters starts with getting clear on what it means to be green. Is it living off the grid? Living in a green house? Working at a green job? What exactly does it mean to be green - to you? At its essence, a sustainable lifestyle, or living green, refers to a lifestyle and set of choices that minimizes a person's environmental impact. While living green embraces sustainability concepts of efficiency, organics, waste management, and so forth, the mindset is more important than the eco actions. Why? Because life is dynamic. As expressed in our eco friendly training, applying sustainability concepts one way today may not be the sustainable solution of tomorrow. Your life circumstances change so it's in your approach to life that matters.

Green living evolves. For those well versed in sustainability concepts, a sustainable lifestyle may be very different compared to someone just beginning to make sustainable life changes. Keeping it simple, there are eco actions that can be categorized in different areas of our lives.

• Protect natural resources: start by rethinking consumption patterns for energy and water needs and identify ways to curb unnecessary consumption.

• Limit waste: start by eliminating food waste. Pre plan your meals, buy in bulk, and prepare what you need. Compost and turn your old food into healthy soil.

• The post, Green living: How to Shop Green, illustrates how to purchase items with the eco awareness in mind.

• Inspire others: adopt a green attitude. The post, The Benefits to Living a Green Lifestyle, offers inspiration to begin taking eco action.

• Measure your results! SAP's Carbon Exploration: Your Personal Green Scorecard for Green Living highlights areas for improvements in living green.

If you have a vague sense of which eco actions to take for the environment, but don’t know how to get started, let us know. Many of our clients contact us for help in translating eco awareness into day to day choices and decisions that support the environment. Or, visit the Taiga Company resource page, Oxygen, for answers and information on common topics, issues, and questions regarding business sustainability and living a sustainable lifestyle. Better yet, listen to the podcast, What is Living Green.

How to Excel at Eco Math

Friday, July 15, 2011 by Julie Urlaub

$image: math$ There's math, new math, and now eco math. What is eco math? Super easy!

Eco math = the sum of small eco actions, repeated day in and day out.

Each day we are presented with opportunities to expand eco awareness and make informed choices. By making changes that are inspiring and manageable relative our current lives, the process of incorporating sustainability becomes much easier.

The question is, how good are you at eco math? It's all about taking as many eco actions you can in a day, every day, of every week, of every month multiplied by the number of people you inspire with eco awareness. Cumulatively, all the actions add up and contribute positively to addressing the complex issues our world faces today.

To help you do just that, following are ways to go green each day of the week. As a green living consultant, I suggest starting off with ideas in each area that are of most interest to you and build from there. Each week can be a new platform to launch new eco actions. Have fun with it and know that every eco action you take adds up and makes a difference.

Paperless Mondays:

Within our business sustainability consulting, we explain that when it comes to paper, producing paper from virgin fiber is both energy and water intensive. It releases significant amounts of greenhouse gases into our atmosphere. By choosing to use less paper and paper with recycled content you are making the choice to save wood, water and energy, and cut pollution and solid waste. The costs savings add up and the environmental impact goes down. Need ideas? Check out 19 Tips to go Paperless at Home.

Turn Tuesdays Green at Work:

Keep in mind, every job is a green job: it's all in how you do it. One approach is to increase your participation in the sustainability programs offered within your organization. This offers a broader perspective of potential green projects and areas of improvement. Another approach is to green your physical environment. If you work at home, check out Green your Home Office 101 for ideas or 10 Ways to Green Your Cubicle. Both offer ideas to embrace sustainability concepts in your work environment.

Water Wednesdays:

Clean, fresh water is no longer just an issue for developing countries. It has become more and more a global issue. Water is linked to every facet of life on our planet and directly interacts with a myriad of other sustainability concepts. Learn water wise habits to Reduce your Water Footprint.

Adventurous Thursdays:

Explore different modes of transportation . The benefits of alternative transportation include conserving energy, preserving resources, reduced commuter traffic, cost savings (gas and parking), and reduced carbon emissions. Fun ideas include: carpool, bus, train, cycling or telecommuting/ coworking options for work environments.

Friday Fun:
Slay Energy Vampires with energy efficiency practices: The U.S. Department of Energy tells us that not only do appliances continue to draw electricity while the products are turned off, but in the average home nearly 75% of all electricity used to power electronics is consumed by products that are switched off. Explore energy efficiency eco actions to use less energy.

Saturday Waste Management/ Recycling:

When you avoid making garbage in the first place, you eliminate the disposing of waste or recycling it later. It's the first component of the sustainability concept of the three R's: reduce, reuse, and recycle. Clues to how to reduce waste can be found by visiting what's in your garbage.

Sparkle Sunday with Green Cleaning:

Conventional cleaning supplies contain ingredients that are toxic or hazardous. By replacing them with eco-friendly products, you're providing improved indoor air quality, as well as reducing the 5 billion pounds of chemicals consumed by cleaning industry each year. Get started using non toxic products and breathe easier.

Eco math is just a fun way of looking at the different ways we as individuals can address the environmental concerns of carbon, water, and energy on a smaller scale: our lives. To be good at eco math, remember, every eco action adds up. Your eco actions matter. Together, we can all make positive change.

It's Officially Summer - Why it's Important to Get Outside

Tuesday, June 21, 2011 by Julie Urlaub

Guess what officially kicks off today at 1:16 p.m. ET? The beginning of the summer solstice. What does this mean to those living a sustainable lifestyle? It means eco inspiration and a chance to reconnect with nature.

Why is this important? According to the post, Nature: The Natural Mood Enhancer, paying attention to the natural world not only makes you feel better, it makes you behave better. For those living green, the message is meaningful. Lead author Netta Weinstein says the take home message from the research is clear: "We are influenced by our environment in ways that we are not aware of," she says. Because of the hidden benefits of connecting with nature, people should take advantage of opportunities to get away from built environments and, when inside, they should surround themselves with plants, natural objects, and images of the natural world. "The more you appreciate nature, the more you can benefit," she says.

What better way to influence our habits, behavior and attitudes in daily life than to get outside and appreciate our natural surroundings. Hiking, walking, running, swimming, and bike riding are all activities that require a minimal investment in gear, keep you fit and get you outside appreciating and reconnecting with nature. Mentioned in our eco friendly training, there are a variety of eco actions you can take.

This weekend, June 25th, is the Great American Campout. To learn more and to get involved with the Great American Camp out, check out the website. Or, if you are curious as to how to green your camping trip, the post Planning a Green Camping Trip by our friend @Biofriendlyblog offers some eco friendly suggestions.
Take advantage of nearby parks and nature trails. America's Best Idea – the national parks – gets even better with several fee-free days at more than 100 national parks that usually charge entrance fees. For a listing by state, visit here.
Consider participating in a group hike or backpacking trip. Your local chapter of the Sierra club is a good place to look. Other options include joining a local bike club or running club.
Get children involved! Ideas for summer time fun for kids include: 9 Backyard Games for Kids, Play in the Dirt, and 12 Fun-in-the-Sun Ideas.

Enjoy getting outside - reconnect with nature and re-discover the joy and appreciation that nature calls forth from each of us. That inspiration is the fuel that propels us towards living sustainably in our lives and our communities.

Easy Steps for Businesses to Go Green and Promote Employee Engagement

Monday, June 20, 2011 by Julie Urlaub

Small businesses may not have the funds to go green or even implement a comprehensive corporate sustainability plan but that doesn't mean that resources and measures aren't available to help the business and employees embrace business sustainability.

As it is, today’s companies face greater pressure than ever before from shareholders, customers, and employees to become more sustainable. But how do you engage workers within your business to personally integrate sustainability into their everyday actions and decisions - especially if funds and resources are limited?

It makes sense to start with areas that are easiest to implement and create lasting behavior change in the workplace, at home and in the community. Areas to consider include energy efficiency, alternative transportation and recycling programs.

For example, energy efficiency can be a gateway to wider business innovation and engage stakeholders in broader process evaluations. The post, Cut Cost and Engage Employees through Energy Efficiency Explores ways to do just that. Other ways to extend sustainability concepts beyond the workplace and into employees living more sustainable lifestyle include:

Education: Offer ongoing workshops, training, lunch and learns, and educational activities to educate workers on the environmental issues (energy, water, waste, and others) and the associated actions causing the problems. Identify new behavior and eco actions that individually workers can take to create new patterns of behavior and choices that support environmental solutions and are aligned with the company's vision for a sustainability plan.   We've learned in our eco friendly training classes, the first part is educating; the harder part is changing the behavior. Ongoing education helps create lasting change.

Create individual employee sustainability programs: The basic premise of a personal sustainability program is to reduce your carbon footprint, lighten the load on the planet as well as reap the benefits of living a more sustainable lifestyle.    Eco actions taken in a personal sustainability plan can be anything from riding a bike to work or eating organic healthy meals or recycling. It can also be about achieving a personal goal, sustaining it, and building from that platform. Tying a program to incentive structures is one way of demonstrating its importance in the organization. Another option is to extend individual sustainability plans to groups or departments within the business and align goals/ metrics with the overarching sustainability plan of the company.

Integrating sustainability concepts into core business functions makes companies more nimble in a fast-changing world. It also makes a business’s brands more attractive to consumers and retailers, and its management more respected by employees, regulators and the financial markets. In short, the drivers for improved business sustainability equate to cost savings and improved performance. It doesn't have to be resource intensive - take it step by step and make each step count.

First Steps to Living Green

Monday, June 13, 2011 by Julie Urlaub

image: journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." ~ Lao-tzu

Green living is relative. It's all about perspective. A sustainable lifestyle often means different things to different people. For those with broad eco awareness and who are well versed in sustainability concepts, living sustainably may be very different than someone just beginning to make sustainable life changes. Compared to living green by someone else's standards, we encourage those in our eco friendly training to view sustainable change from a personal perspective. From that stance, a sustainable lifestyle becomes a more manageable pursuit.

Within our sustainability consulting, we hear a number of opposing comments to sustainable living. Some of the most frequent comments we hear from clients and peers are:

•    “There is just too much effort involved in living a sustainable lifestyle.”
•    “I can’t afford to make sustainable changes.”
•    “Sustainable living does not apply to my life.”
•    “I am already living a sustainable lifestyle.”

Whether in business or in your personal life, sustainability is a personal journey that does not have an end or a state of completion. Too often we find our clients focused on the “top of the mountain." They become overly concerned with the gap between where they are and a far-reaching reference point or comparison they have defined for themselves. We encourage our clients to:

•    Define and focus on sustainability concepts that are uniquely inspiring to that individual.
•    Be aware and try to limit external comparisons as a means for defining action.
•    Incorporate sustainable actions that easily fit into your current lifestyle.
•    Place actions that become difficult on the shelf until they match your lifestyle.
•    Focus more on the process and less on the results of sustainable living.
•    Remember that it will never all be done.
•    Find the joy in making sustainable changes.

Our eco friendly consulting practice suggest to focus on the daily choices we, as individuals, make that can have significant impact on our social surrounding, the environment in which we live, and on our personal life experience. Some may be major sustainable lifestyle decisions while others may be as simple as:

•    Do you want paper or plastic?
•    Do you want organic or conventional?
•    Do you want a paper or an electronic copy?
•    Do you want to share a ride or take your own car?

We view each decision point as an opportunity to integrate eco awareness into some of these decision outcomes. While the result of every choice we make does not have to be directly aligned with sustainable values, the inclusion of sustainability concepts in the thought process can greatly improve the evaluation.

Just thinking about sustainability or even a sustainable lifestyle can be daunting subject to anyone when viewed in its entirety.   By making changes that are inspiring and manageable relative your current life, the process of incorporating sustainability becomes much easier.

5 Ways to Green Your Summer Fitness Routine

Tuesday, June 7, 2011 by Julie Urlaub

It’s no secret that going green is all the rage these days. In fact, being eco-friendly is more popular and well accepted now than ever before in history. The thing is, eco awareness is gaining momentum, but not everybody knows exactly how to take the concept of going green and how to break it down into their day to day habits.

As mentioned in the post, Green Your Routine: 7 Different Days of Green, there are so many ways to green your daily routine , but now that summer is here, what are some ways to green your exercise routine? You may not think that a few simple eco actions can help you get fit and reduce your carbon footprint at the same time, but if you follow these tips you’ll be well on your way!

Employ the sustainability concepts of reduce, reuse, and recycle:
Hydration is critical in the summer months. Opt for a reusable water bottle. Also, reuse and recycle old shoes and clothes by donating them to charity of recycling them.

Eat Organic and buy food and sports drinks in bulk. Sports bars, gels, and drinks are sold in conveniently small packages that you can take along on your ride or hike. But instead, buy the largest sizes available, then chop up bars, put gels in a refillable flask, and use your own bottle for liquids.

Enjoy nature: walk, run, ride a bike outside. For those living a sustainable lifestyle, this message is meaningful. Lead author Netta Weinstein notes: "We are influenced by our environment in ways that we are not aware of. Because of the hidden benefits of connecting with nature, people should take advantage of opportunities to get away from built environments and, when inside, they should surround themselves with plants, natural objects, and images of the natural world. "The more you appreciate nature, the more you can benefit," she says.

Become familiar with Leave No Trace concepts and practice them. While you're training or racing, do what campers do and pack out waste until you can find a place to trash, compost, or recycle it.

Use natural personal care products: natural deodorants and sun block. Using organic personal care products is not only good for you, but it's also good for the environment and supports sustainable businesses. Visit Environmental Working Group Sunscreen Database to raise your eco awareness and learn more about which products are best for you.

Green Guide to an Eco Summer

Wednesday, June 1, 2011 by Julie Urlaub

Summer is here! Spice it up eco style to add the eco sizzle in your summer activities. Individuals aiming to become more sustainable in their personal life have a variety of eco actions at their disposal. As mentioned in our eco friendly consulting, start with the sustainability concepts are you most familiar. Areas of energy efficiency, waste management, or local and fair trade are familiar topics. You may want to apply sustainability concepts more specific to the summer months. Looking for ideas? Try these on!

Planning a party? Be an Eco Host!
•    Kick your party off before it even starts with eco awareness in your party planning.   Pingg is an event management site that not only allows you to create customized invitations, but it also offers options to send them via text, face book, email, and more. Another option is to use Evite. Both are great ways to integrate the sustainability concept of paperless into your party planning.
•    Do you need to mow the lawn to make your yard look beautiful? Check out 12 Steps to Eco Friendly lawn care.
•    When entertaining your guests, use glassware. If that's not an option, extend eco awareness into your party by using compostable plates and utensils.
•    Set up convenient recycling bins for glass and paper and serve organic and locally grown food.
•    When it's time to clean up, remember to use biodegradable plastic trash bags and cleaners with eco awareness.

Organic garden - Organic gardening leads to better health in three main ways:
•    When you garden organically, you greatly reduce your exposure to pesticides, which have been linked to many severe health problems.
•    Organically-grown food is more nutritious than food grown using conventional methods.
•    Organic gardeners tend to use “muscle-power” rather than “machine-power” for gardening tasks.

Green Home Makeover - Transform your home into an eco haven. Express your unique style and with eco awareness. Following are resources offered in our eco friendly consulting classes to help you on your way:
•    Decorate the Eco Friendly Way
•    Eco Friendly Painting: A Breath of Fresh Air
•    Top 10 Plants to Reduce Stress, Cut Toxins, and Live Green
•    Splish Splash: 20 Ways to Green your Bathroom
•    Transform your Home Office to a Green Office
•    Clean Green

Go Local and buy food locally. Farmers markets are great places to shop. Websites like Local Harvest can help you find one in your area.

Fun Activities for Kids Go Outside: spend more time at nature-friendly destinations, like state parks and beaches.
•    Do Crafts with Reusable Household Items: sustainability is a kid-friendly concept so teach them about recycling by using disposable materials to create something beautiful and new.
•    Show Them Life in Action: the more kids see, touch, and experience, the more they respect life in all its forms. Create projects around the house to make nature part of your daily living: bird houses, bird feeders, lady bug houses.
•    Tune Into Green TV: on those rainy days when the kids can’t get outside, tune the TV to “Animal Planet” or "Discovery Planet" and allow your kids to soak up the eco awareness.
•    Celebrate Nature with a Summer Party: incorporate green activities into your summer parties and season ending party by acknowledge all the great activities and things your children have learned.

Green Your Cook Out - According to the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association, over half of all Americans will be on patios enjoying meals from backyard grills this Memorial Day weekend. While the affect of a small grill may seem small, the cumulative impacts of the millions simultaneous burns around the country can add up. So why not add a little ‘green’ to your party this year?
•    Cleaner burning propane or electric grills are preferable over charcoal fired grills, which contribute more to poor air quality.
•    For those who do use charcoal, consider lump brands bag. These are made from real hardwood firewood chunks which have been charred and do not contain chemical binders or igniting agents.
•     Switch from lighter fluid, which releases smog-forming VOCs, to a chimney starter.

Eco friendly car washing - wash your car the eco friendly way
•    Consider switching to a waterless car wash.
•    Wash on gravel, grass, or another permeable surface.
•    Use a water-saving hose nozzle. Select a nozzle with an automatic shut-off valve so that water is not continuing to flow as you wash.
•    Select the right soap. Choose a biodegradable soap that is chlorine- and phosphate-free. Phosphates encourage algae bloom when they enter water and reduce oxygen levels for other aquatic species.
•    Opt for reusable towels. Swap paper towels for re-usable microfiber towels.

Green your personal care. With so many eco friendly personal care products now available, there's also a variance in the degrees of how "clean" they are.   Our eco friendly training directs questions pertaining to safe ingredients in skin care to Skin Deep. Skin Deep is a safety guide to cosmetics and personal care products brought to you by researchers at the Environmental Working Group.   For distinctions on natural, organic, and biodynamic, check out the post from EcoSalon: How to Buy Organic and Natural Makeup Before Your Head Explodes.

Happy eco summer to you!