Energy Consultant

Want to go green but just don't know where to start?  As sustainability consultants, we hear this quite often. 
 
In our sustainability consulting with individuals, we offer fun challenges to our clients to see how many green things they can do in a day.  Here's a list of 17 simple things that you can do today- ranging from work to home to personal care. All designed to bring eco awareness to your daily living and help support living a sustainable lifestyle.  See how many you can do today.
 

1. Go paperless for the entire day
2. Learn how to put some green in your St. Patrick's Day
3. Turn your monitor off when you are away for meetings and shut down your computer and monitor upon exiting the office
4. Host a green St. Patrick's Day Party
5. Look around your home and office and unplug seldom used appliances
6. Subscribe to a green blog
7. Volunteer to head the greening of your office and engage your fellow workers in the effort
8. Learn ways to recycle your junk
9. Eat an organic meal or purchase some fruits and veggies from a local farmer's market and compost your vegetable scraps
10. Purchase green office supplies
11. Replace chemical cleaning agents with natural, biodegradable, phosphorous free cleaning solutions.
12. Use reusable kitchenware in your office kitchen
13. Use reusable bags when shopping
14. Try an organic personal care product.  My newest favorite is Ren's body wash
15. 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
16. Walk, ride your bike, carpool or take public transportation when possible
17. Get your friends involved!  Ask 5 of your friends or coworkers to join you in building a sustainable lifestyle.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

We've all heard about "going green" and the corporate sustainability plans that many larger organizations are undertaking.  However, one of the biggest misconceptions around this topic is that sustainable business strategies are exclusive to larger organizations.  Nothing could be farther from the truth.  
 
In fact, within our professional consulting with smaller businesses, we guide clients to use the best practices of larger organizations to sustainable business strategies they can use in their business that deliver bottom line and environmental results.

As an example, HP is known as a consumer and vendor of paper.   Internally, HP executed six guiding principles including efficient use of raw materials, sustainable forestry practices, responsible and low-carbon production, and waste minimization.   The results?  HP diverted   91.3 percent of its waste in 2008 and the company’s non-hazardous waste reduction program helped the company avoid sending 83,866 tons of waste to landfill, which was primarily paper waste.   Technology Business Research  says this strategy saved the company nearly $7.7 million from reusing items and avoiding landfill costs, and generated $2 million in revenue by selling material to recyclers.
 
How can a small business implement similar sustainability concepts in the business and generate similar results of cost savings, environmental impact reduction, and increased efficiency?
 
One approach taken in our business sustainability programs is to identify all the activities in a business that utilizes paper.  The obvious comes to mind like printers, copiers, mail, and collateral.  Areas to explore include:
 
•    How much paper do you use for events, trade shows, invoicing, literature, packaging, shipping materials?
•    What about the kitchen areas and bathrooms?  Remember, it's not just paper but paper products. 
•    Consult with people in other departments and get a clear picture of the paper they are using, where it is coming from, when they are using it, and how they are using it.
•    You might want to talk to your purchasing department and learn more about how much you are spending on your paper products.
 
As a next step, take eco action and employ the sustainability concept of the 3 R's: reduce, reuse, recycle. 
•    Reduce your paper consumption by working with your purchasing department to reduce the amount of paper purchased and switch to buying  recycled paper (100% post consumable is best). 
•    Reuse paper by placing bins next to the copiers and printers for easy reuse of single sided scraped paper. 
•    Recycle paper that has been used.
 
Simultaneous with these efforts, we suggest the use of online document management systems for your documents.  Content management systems give you more than the environmental benefits of going paperless.  They offer the ability to manage different types of data: emails, contracts, logos, reports, forms, drawings, web pages, and blogs which contributes to improved efficiency, further cost reductions, and environmental gains.
 
Sustainable business strategies used by larger organizations are examples of best practices that can be utilized in small business to generate cost savings, reduced environmental impacts, and brand differentiation by going green.  

Cycling is a zero emissions emitting form of alternative transportation, great stress release, enjoyable exercise, and is a component of a sustainable lifestyle.  The latest cycling benefit?  Cycling is a great way for those living the green life to walk, or should I say, ride the talk. 
 
A question commonly asked in our eco friendly consulting centers around staying fresh and clean at work after riding in to the office.  As a bike commuter and green living consultant, following are some proven suggestions for a pleasant commute and work day. Begin by selecting the most pleasant route.  One of the great things about bike commuting to work is avoiding the stressful world of driving.  Look for streets with attractive scenery and bask in the charm of new routes.
 

• Wear the right clothes.  Opt for wicking materials that help evaporate sweat off of your body and help to keep you cool.  Find ways to keep your gear off your body.  Detours offer recycled pannier bags that that hangs off your bike.   Each bag is made up of about 100 recycled juice packs.
• Have the essential toiletries on hand. Stay fresh with organic and natural personal care items such as deodorant, hair products, and lotions.  If shower facilities aren't available, wipe down with EO sanitizing hand wipes.  They are organic and biodegradable.
• Give yourself time to cool off.  If you don't have access to a shower, try cooling off in front of a fan and reply to email prior to cleaning up and putting on work clothes.

 
The rewards of bike commuting are numerous.  Regular participation in a cycling routine naturally shifts your focus to include thoughts of the weather, areas in your community to ride, road safety, and traffic.  Thereby increasing your awareness of the link between the environment and your community.  It also helps the environment by reducing your carbon footprint. 

Cycling as part of a sustainable lifestyle is a rewarding personal adventure.  As a green living consultant and cycling enthusiast, I can't encourage you enough to explore the cycling adventure for yourself.  Enjoy your ride! 

A recent Gallup poll shows that 94% of Americans are aware of Climate Change issues, and of that segment 75% feel that action needs to be taken.  So what percentage of Americans is transferring this awareness into action?  What impact would it have if 75% of the US population took personal action to address these climate issues?

The gap between awareness and action may represent the single largest opportunity for global sustainability progress.  While historical efforts have focused on expanding awareness, the recent explosion of information and global interest indicates that the “word is out” on most major issues.   The next step is closing the growing gap between knowledge and personal action.

One of our sustainability consulting missions for 2010 and beyond is to promote the action step  in personal sustainable lifestyle and business sustainability change.  Integrating sustainability concepts into everyday activities at home and at work doesn’t have to be a costly or laboring process.

As we discuss with clients and friends, personal and business sustainability is a continuous improvement process that challenges each of us to constantly transform our personal eco awareness into manageable and value adding action. Putting a plan into action creates alignment and further expresses or extends one’s personal commitment. 

Take for example a few basic actions to address personal impacts on climate change.  These concepts are not beyond our current awareness and simply need to be put into action.  In fact, these actions will not only make a positive impact but will actually save money.
 
•    Evaluate energy sources: at home, at work, and in transportation.

•    Evaluate electrical energy efficiency at home and at work.

•    Evaluate the impacts of everyday purchasing decisions .

An important aspect of creating a personal or business sustainability plan is finding the right incentives to keeping a program going.  As a sustainability consultant, I encourage everyone to look for the economic benefits as well as the personal satisfaction of a sustainable lifestyle.  Our goal is to help business and individuals take continuous inspired action on their growing eco awareness.

Engaging conversation around sustainable business strategies is always exciting and this morning was no different.   Why?  Because as a sustainability consultant in the heart of Texas, I was welcomed with open arms to speak at the Houston Business Connection.  The Houston Business Connection is an allegiance of business professionals in Houston’s prestigious Spring Branch/Memorial area in which its members are committed to fostering growth in the Houston business community by providing local entrepreneurs a central source for their core business and personal needs.  Generally, Texans are known for embracing independence and not necessarily sustainability concepts; however, this network of professionals demonstrated that eco awareness is alive and kicking in Texas.
 
We started out clarifying misconceptions around business sustainability.  Our working definition for the day: business sustainability is not only about the environment.  It's about profitable businesses including the social and environmental impacts of their decisions in a way that strengthens the organization, the community, and the environment. 

What were the hot topics? 

• Sustainability as a profit center
• Sustainable business strategies for the year ahead
• Energy efficiency to increase profits
• Double whammies!  Eco actions that boost productivity and also reduce carbon emissions. 

While there may be some in Texas still arguing that sustainability is a passing trend, profitable businesses are not.  Sustainable business strategies are designed to bring eco awareness and sustainability concepts to employees, customers, and suppliers which bring value to the organization and also broaden and expand sustainability concepts into the communities and lives of the individuals.  Many thanks to the Houston Business Connection for inspiring eco awareness in their organization and the community. 

The ability to capitalize on opportunity or mitigate business risk often depends on the availability and access to quality information.  Being able to sift through what is important and what is not can be a determining factor in transforming a good decision into business turning point.  Today’s market intelligence has expanded to include business sustainability expectations, trends and requirements.  Are you listening?

With the speed of business sustainability information rapidly increasing and global eco awareness constantly expanding, it has become increasingly important for companies to leverage available technology to capture and access information.  The questions we often pose in our sustainability consulting: where is this information coming from and is the feedback specific enough for your business to take action.

The internet and social media provide  individuals, communities, businesses, and non-government organizations the ability to connect with business in meaningful discussion from anywhere in the world in real time.  To focus the corporate ear, business sustainability minded organizations are engaging with stakeholders, who have a vested interest in the success of the business, as source of actionable information.  These interested parties include:
 
•    Shareholders – knowledge that may affect company share price.
•    Partners – data that may impact investment dollars.
•    Employees – daily feedback on internal operations.
•    Customers – direct feedback on product quality and shifting market expectations
•    Suppliers/Contractors – input on new material sources and process improvements.
•    Local Communities – continuous feedback on business impact on society
•    Natural Environment – feedback from NGOs on business impact to physical surroundings.
•    Non-human species – feedback from NGOs on business impact on life.

Done effectively, stakeholder engagement can positively impact the outcome of business sustainability decision making.  Our professional consulting encourages business to leverage technology to engage vested parties in the discussion to propel the organization to greater success.

In a recent article by the Wall Street Journal, a summary of sustainable business best practices was issued offering suggestions for sustainable business strategies.   As a sustainability consultant, I couldn't agree more with the information provided; however, I was left questioning how do the busy, overworked, under resourced business owner, executive translate a conceptual best practice into a tangible business strategy that delivers results to the bottom line?  It's not as is sustainability implementation is mainstream.  In fact, most are still struggling with what sustainability is and how it applies to their business. 
 
Regarding reducing carbon emissions, the suggested best practice was to look for things  that boost productivity and simultaneously reduce carbon emissions.  Conceptually, that's easy to grasp but how does that translate to daily behavior that is measurable, impacts the bottom line, and meets the environmental criteria?  To bridge the gap from concept to eco action, following are 5 sustainable business strategies that address that recommended best practice.
 
Interestingly, did you know that if 10% of the nation's workforce telecommutes one day a week, we would avoid the frustration of driving 24.4 million miles, we'd breathe air with 12,963 tons less air pollution, and we'd conserve more than 1.2 million gallons of fuel each week?
 
3.  Co-working provides a gathering spot for individual entrepreneurs or employees from multiple companies sharing a common work space.  Basically, a bridged solution between traditional office locations and telecommuting, that also offers a unique option for those concerned about their employment carbon footprints.
 
4.  Bike commuting programs: As explained in our eco friendly consulting the benefits to employers in adopting a bike commuting program include:

• Increase worker productivity: Fit employees are more alert, more productive, perform better and more efficiently.
• Improve employee health.
• Lower health care costs: healthier employees can reduce health insurance costs.
• Reduced carbon emissions.
• Reduce turnover: Employers who appreciate workers' personal needs have less employee turnover.

There are benefits to the bike commuters as well.  Not only are employees expanding eco awareness in the community and within the business, they are also elevating their moods, saving money, and improving well being. 
 
5.  CRM and online invoice and billing  applications for small businesses that boost productivity as well as reduce carbon emissions.

According to a study conducted by the American Marketing Association and Fleishman-Hillard, Inc., nearly one in six corporate marketers and communicators think their organizations will increase involvement in environmental sustainability initiatives over the next two to three years, and half believe the economy will actually encourage the adoption of sustainable practices.  Why? Because our business sustainability consulting practice understands that sustainable business strategies are key to creating winning workplaces. 
 
Aside from the positive impact sustainable business practices deliver to the bottom line, today’s employees are looking for more than just the ‘green’ in their paycheck.  “Engaged employees are not just committed. They are not just passionate or proud. They have a line-of-sight on their own future and on the organization’s mission and goals. They are enthused and in gear using their talents and discretionary effort to make a difference in their employer’s quest for sustainable business success”.  - Employee Engagement Report 2008.  

Have you noticed how "green" is everywhere?  Enter a grocery store, and there are "green" products next to traditional ones.  Billboards on the highways promoting “green" homes.  How do you know which products truly embrace sustainability concepts versus traditional products with a marketing makeover?
 
Frequently discussed in our sustainability consulting is that it is often unclear what a green product is.  Eco labels help but still, there is a lack of uniformity in certifications.  In addition, the environmental claims on packaging vary in credibility.  To help clear up the confusion, within our eco friendly training, we define a green product as one that performs as good as or better than the standard product, has less of an environmental impact, and is cost competitive.
 
Access to information has put the consumer in the driver’s seat and for those living a sustainable lifestyle, there's power in leveraging purchases to support sustainable businesses.  Following are 8 tips to enhance eco awareness for the conscious shopper.  
 
 

1. A comprehensive tool that provides reliable sources of information on the health, environmental, and social impacts of products is the GoodGuide.
2. 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.
3. Buy local and buy in bulk.  Supporting local businesses eliminates the need for products to be transported far distances.
4. 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.
5. Buy Fair Trade.  Buying Fair Trade helps to end abuses such as child and slave labor.
6. Buy products from sustainable sources like bamboo.  Purchase products not tested on animals, made from renewable sources and packaged with recyclable and minimal packaging.
7. 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.
8. 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.

 
With a little education and pre-planning, it's easy to maintain eco awareness in your shopping- even during the most inconvenient times.  Sustainable purchasing  is important because it can help you make better choices.  Those choices expand eco awareness within your network of friends and family, positively impact your local economy, reduce your footprint on the environment, and may actually help you save money in the process.

Most companies may recognize the high-level consequences of their decisions; however, not all take the time to evaluate the positive and negative impacts of their choices on the communities in which they conduct their day-to-day business.  The link between business sustainability and a thriving business community is more visible today than at any time in recent past.  What role does your company play in the business community?

As a sustainability consulting firm working in our own community of ecopreneurs, small ‘green’ businesses, and action-oriented corporations, we are constantly reminded of the community benefits to both our professional consulting and the stakeholders who engage with our business.  We recognize that a company and the business community in which it operates are closely and strategically linked.

Taiga Company seeks to be a source of business sustainability information and a positive example of community values.  Our professional consulting focuses on and seeks to partner with individuals and organizations who:

•    Recognize a thriving community as being essential to business sustainability.

•    Incorporate supporting business sustainability strategies and a governance structures into their core business processes.

•    Align business actions to support and engage community goals and objectives.

•    Engage the business community as a key stakeholder in corporate planning.

•    Defined internal performance metrics to evaluate ongoing business actions on the community.

As part of our sustainability plan and company core values, we are committed to the empowerment of others.  We believe that we must operate in a matrix of value adding relationships: with employees, with the supporting organizations, and with peer companies. 

Whenever you want to improve in a specific area or program, just the process of increasing awareness will yield improvements.  The same applies to living a sustainable lifestyle.  Most of us recognize that change can be tricky:  habits and convenience make it far easier to slip back into the comfortable way of doing things.  However, implementing effective sustainable change does not have to be a laboring process.  The key is conscious awareness.
 
Awareness is the tool used to help discover the personal patterns of behavior that offer low hanging fruit for a sustainable lifestyle.  For instance, are you aware of your habits related to energy?  Consider how and when you consume the most energy in your day?  How could you be more efficient? What inspiring eco actions could you take? 
 
Conscious awareness is key to sparking the eco awareness in a personal sustainability program.  As noted in our eco friendly training, following are aids to assist in raising awareness:
 
•    Consciously notice what is most inspiring to you about living green and take eco action in those areas.
•    Notice your current patterns and invoke curiosity as to which eco actions would be a sustainable substitute.
•    Applaud your efforts: small changes add up.  In fact, daily habits have the most impact.
•    Observe how new changes become the new habit/ norm.
•    Momentum brings visibility to previously inaccessible ideas and behaviors.
•    Gain speed: There is ease in taking more eco action.
•    Inspire by living the example.
 
Each day we are presented with opportunities to expand our eco awareness and make informed choices.  The trick to capitalizing on those opportunities is being aware.  Conscious awareness offers us the opportunity to make changes that are inspiring and manageable relative our current life and the process of incorporating sustainability becomes much easier.  Being aware of sustainability concepts when shopping, or at work and play, contributes to living a more sustainable lifestyle.

Choosing a business name is one of the most important aspects in starting a business. The name you choose represents the image and label of the business and carries a powerful energy.  In as much as biomimicry is used to inspire sustainable solutions by emulating nature, in a similar fashion, Taiga Company too found its essence inspired from the environment.
 
Taiga, pronounced, tahy-guh is a biome that stretches across a large portion of Canada, Europe, and Asia.  The taiga is truly vast in extent. It makes up 27 percent of the world's total forest and occupies 11 percent of the land area of the Northern Hemisphere.  The taiga's immense oxygen production literally changes the atmosphere and refreshes the plant. 
 
It is this inspiration that Taiga Company was founded and named.  The continuous renewal that the taiga offers our planet has shaped our company vision to drive similar change in the business world.   Collectively, we are entering an age of broadening eco awareness and changing societal expectations: our personal and professional views of the world and of business are changing.  As sustainability consultants partnering with small business to integrate eco awareness, sustainability concepts, and sustainability plans, we seek to transform traditional business processes, to explore, discover, and embrace new sustainable ideas, technologies, and best practices.
 
Business sustainability isn't about sacrificing profitability or becoming an environmental business.  Sustainable business strategies span a multitude of topics: stewardship of resources; best practices; reputation, brand management and customer service; leveraging technology and enable a business to meet goals of growth and revenue generation while simultaneously contributing innovative thought leadership to some of the world’s most complex and pressing concerns.
 
Taiga Company was founded to address the growing need for individuals and organizations to incorporate sustainability concepts into their everyday world.  Through demonstrated eco action and an inquisitive, sustainable mindset, the sustainability consultants of Taiga Company seek to be the "oxygen for your business."

How do you connect with nature?   Does it matter?  Actually it does.  According to Richard Ryan, professor of psychology at the University of Rochester, paying attention to the natural world not only makes you feel better, it makes you behave better. 
 
As a green living consultant, it's interesting to note that while the salubrious effects of nature are well documented, from increasing happiness and physical health to lowering stress, this study shows that the benefits extend to a person's values and actions.  Exposure to natural as opposed to man-made environments leads people to value community and close relationships. 
 
For those living a sustainable lifestyle, 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.
 
The question I ask as a sustainable living consultant is: How do you connect with nature? What do you appreciate about it?  Eco awareness is an attitude; while it's easiest to appreciate our natural environment in scenic settings, even city dwellers can appreciate the natural world.  Perhaps it's the cardinal that chirps outside your window or the wind that caresses your face as you bike commute.  Or, maybe it’s the budding leaves on the trees as spring approaches. 
 
Connect with nature, invite eco awareness to your thoughts and enjoy feeling better and connecting with all that is. 

If you knew you were paying too much for something and could get the same thing right down the street for the same price, what would you do?  The answer is that most people, when given access to information, will make the best personal choice.  Now if told to buy it down the street, or else, would the same motivation be present?

Too often discussions around sustainability focus on pressing issues, risks, and negative outcomes as the primary drivers for change.  According to Peter Senge, Senior Lecturer in Behavioral and Policy Sciences at the MIT Sloan School of Management, fear-driven behavior change only motivates for as long as people feel the issues are pressing on them. As soon as the fear recedes, so does the motivation.

So rather than focus on consequence from a predetermined choice, why not focus on expanding eco awareness  through accessibility to information.  Our professional consulting resources finds this practice currently working with individuals and business seeking sustainable change.

In just one example, utility companies across the United States are beginning to install smart meters which will provide greater visibility into home and office energy consumption.  These devices provide our energy conscious clients with real-time information on electricity usage and cost. 

Armed with insight, consumers are able to make eco living and business sustainability choices to consume less.  Applied broadly, visibility to the right information can provide businesses and individuals the opportunity to make more informed, personally-driven, and sustainable choices. 

Experience has shown that it is sometimes easier to focus on the negative outcome of not pursuing sustainability.  By directing attention to the other side of the equation, the pursuit of business sustainability or a sustainable lifestyle is in direct alignment with positive gain.  Our sustainability consulting encourages others to focus thoughts and actions on the value of sustainability and watch how effectively it impacts our world.

Work over the past few years reveals that supply chain improvements are driven by a wide variety of business sustainability goals and objectives.  Although, businesses across all industries have one thing in common, the search for greater supply chain value.  However, the question that looms on our minds as sustainability concepts find their place in the supply chain: Are suppliers engaged in the value discussion or is this a one-way conversation?

Wal-Mart made the business sustainability headlines again this week with an announced goal to reduce their supply chain greenhouse gas emissions by a 20-million-tons by 2015.  The retail giant continues to set the mark for corporate commitment and supplier performance from which we can all leverage.  As a sustainability consultant, I am encouraged by Wal-Mart’s step forward and take note of opportunities for further expansion.

Procurement organizations view environmental and social responsibility actions within the supply chain as both a risk mitigating strategy and a business opportunity.   Companies are creating strategic sourcing and procurement guidelines aligned with their business sustainability strategies.  The next step, even beyond the Wal-Mart model, is expanding a one-way conversation to include active engagement with all key stakeholders.

•    Supply Chain Alignment: All business partners have input into the business sustainability direction and have equal value opportunity.

•    Supplier Integration: Integrated processes with supplier to improve communication, increase efficiency, and ensure common sustainable processes.

•    Customer Expectation Translation: Sustainable product expectations clearly communicated down the supply chain to material and service providers.

Creating supply chain management alignment begins with increased eco awareness, applied sustainability concepts, and corporate commitment.  However, increased value can be realized by active engagement and two-way communication with key business stakeholders.  Our sustainability consulting provides information and business resources to clients of all sizes seeking to make incremental steps towards a sustainable supply chain.

Do you know why the recycling symbol has 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.
 
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. 
 
Buying products made from recycled materials is a key step in supporting recycling programs and resource conservation. Water, energy, and environmental resources are saved when recycled products are purchased.  Not to mention products receive a new life and a different purpose. 
 
You can do your party by taking eco action and purchase recycled products.  Next time you are ready to buy, educate yourself with eco awareness.  Those choices expand eco awareness within your network of friends and family, positively impact your local economy, reduce your footprint on the environment, and may actually help you save money in the process.

Spring is right around the corner.  The anticipation of sunnier days and fresh air inspires many to do spring cleaning.  Whether you're looking to freshen up your home or add some spark, why not opt for eco friendly options?   Sustainability concepts of energy efficiency, water conservation, and eco awareness can not only save you money and brighten your living space, but also reduce the load on the environment.
 
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

 
Using sustainability concepts to guide you in your home decorating assists to reduce personal energy consumption and preserve natural resources.  All eco actions add up and make a big difference.    

Is it living off the grid? Living in a green house? Working at a green job?  What exactly does it mean to be green?
 
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.
 
Being green is a continuous improvement process that challenges us to expand our own personal eco awareness and experiment with new ideas and sustainability concepts in our lives as they unfold.   The essence of a sustainability mindset reflects one of wholeness and appreciation for natural resources, communities, and the gifts our planet gives to us.   A personal sustainability plan is a journey: you never get it done. 
 
Green homes, eco gadgets, living off the grid, and all of the many "demonstrations" of a sustainable lifestyle are the results of a mindset framed with eco awareness.   From the perspective of a green living consultant, what is considered to be green is continuing to evolve.  Our personal consulting practice encourages all to keep up with evolution by embracing a sustainability mindset.  

Did you know that approximately 80 percent of pollination by insects is carried out by bees?  Maybe that's why the call them busy bees.   Perhaps, but curiously, what would our world look like today if those living a sustainable lifestyle were as busy as bees in sprinkling or "pollinating" our daily lives with eco action?
 
While escalating conversations on topics such as climate change, carbon legislation, energy independence, and growing consumer eco awareness generate forward eco movement for some it simultaneously creates confusion and skepticism for others.   To address these complex issues, it's going to take all of us demonstrating eco awareness in our daily lives.  As a sustainability consultant working with businesses and individuals, I encourage our clients to lead by example. 
 
What is the best way to introduce friends and family to organics?  Or recycling?  Do others notice when you practice energy efficient measures?  Are others inspired to bike commute when they see you enjoying the outdoors while running errands?  Those living a sustainable lifestyle with the intention of sparking green enthusiasm in others can answer these questions. 
 
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 do you plan to BEE an eco inspiration today? 

Whether you work from your home office full time or part time, by working at home you’re reducing the use of fuels and limiting the amount of pollution generated by traditional means of transportation.  Your environmental efforts are worthy, but as we share in our eco friendly training, there are more eco actions you can do to help protect the environment.
 
Looking for ideas?  Following are some suggestions offered for consideration:
 
Furniture / Building Material used:
•    Opt for furniture made from local, sustainably harvested resources when possible.
•    Select carpet and rugs made of natural fibers or recycled materials.
•    Flooring options include bamboo, recycled/ reclaimed wood, or ceramic tiles made from recycled glass.
•    Decorate your walls with low VOC paints.
 
Heating/ Cooling/ Lighting:
•    Sign up for sustainable energy sources: renewable energy credits, wind energy, and home solar systems are a few ways that you can use sustainable energy sources in your own home.
•    Use natural lighting as well as compact fluorescent bulbs.
•    Insulate well.
 
Transportation:
•    Use public transportation or commute by bike.  Other options include teleconferencing and video conferencing.
•    If travel is required, travel with the environment in mind.
 
Waste:
•    Invoke the sustainability concepts of the three R's: reduce, reuse, and recycle and apply it to everything: paper, print cartridges, office supplies, etc.  Remember to reduce waste by limiting what you purchase.  Purchasing less means less waste.
•    Leverage technology to go paperless.
 
Energy efficiency:
•    Reduce unnecessary electrical consumption: unplug seldom used devices.
•    Utilize power strips for commonly used devices.  Choices include Watt stopper and Bits limited.
•    Unplug chargers (think cell phones and iPods) when not in use. Only 5% of the power drawn by a cell phone charger is used to charge the phone. The other 95% is wasted when it is left plugged into the wall.
•    Remember to purchase energy star equipment.
 
Improve indoor air quality:
•    Plants and natural / non toxic cleaners contribute to improve indoor air quality encouraging good health and improved productivity.
 
Purchasing:
•    Establish environmentally responsible purchasing guidelines for supplies and criteria for vendors.
•    Source eco friendly office supplies.
•    Purchase and dispose of electronic equipment responsibly.
 
By implementing some or all of these sustainability concepts, you are well on your way to a sustainable home office.