Monday, January 26, 2009

Greener Printing From Your Computer


Before you print that next document, here are some ways you can achieve greener printing from your computer.




  1. Make sure you are using an EnergyStar printer (and computer). You may think this one's a no-brainer and you've got it covered, but wait...did you know that computer standards were revised in 2007 and new printer standards take effect this year? So if your computer is older that 2007 and your printer is older than 2009, it may no longer meet EnergyStar standards, even though it met the standards that were in place at the time it was manufactured. If you should decide to upgrade, don't forget to recycle the old one!

  2. Change the margins. Read the studies from both Penn State University and Michigan State University. The Penn State study suggested that changing all university printer default margins to .75” (adding 19% more print space to the page) could save the university over $122,000/year and Michigan State estimated a savings of $67,512/year.

  3. Use paper with recycled content. Although both the Penn State and Michigan State studies found that switching to recycled content paper was more expensive, this has not been the case in my consulting experience. Many businesses that are not under contractual purchasing agreements do have the flexibility to comparison shop. A recent client was able to save 10% on paper costs by switching from virgin fiber to recycled content paper. Other "green" options are to look for unbleached paper or, better yet, tree-free paper!

  4. Recycle and buy recycled. Recycle your paper, toner cartridges, and ink jet cartridges. And don't forget to buy recycled, too!

  5. Install software to manage and reduce paper usage. Print management software programs (such as PaperCut, GreenPrint, and many others) can reduce printed pages and printer waste.

  6. Use vegetable-based ink toner. SoyPrint is an environmentally-friendly alternative to petroleum-based toner. Look for additional vegetable-based toners and ink jet cartridges to hit the market soon.

  7. Change the font. A Dutch company has created Ecofont, a new font that requires up to 20% less ink. Ecofont is free to download and use.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Caracalla - Sustainable & Responsible Business of the Week



Caracalla (Little Rock AR) is a salon and day spa with an aggressive recycling program that extends beyond the typical recycling of waste. Some of the unique ways in which Caracalla supports the reduce, reuse, recycle mantra are to buy reclaimed items for retail sale (such as mittens and hats made from old discarded sweaters), they sell vintage items, they recycle cut hair by sending it to Matter of Trust to be woven into hair mats capable of absorbing chemical oil spills, and they recycle worn pantyhose/stockings with Matter of Trust for the same purpose. In addition, the company purchases and sells recycled items, such as paper, bags, office supplies, toilet tissue, hand towels, pet toys, and even biodegradeable bags for picking up dog waste. The salon is decorated with reclaimed and vintage items and uses or sells eco-friendly products, such as homemade herbal wraps (no packaging waste!), bamboo hairbrushes, hemp bags, natural hair and body products, soy candles in recycled glass jars, efficient lighting, and reusable coffee mugs.

Caracalla supports the local economy by purchasing from local and organic suppliers, particularly other sustainable or green businesses, and buys in bulk to reduce packaging waste. The company also supports the local community through charitable donations and by offering free haircuts to customers who are donating hair to charity.

Caracalla was opened in 1997 by Ella Hunt.

Sustainable & Responsible Business of the Week is a weekly behind-the-scenes look at what businesses are doing to be more sustainable and responsible in their operations.

Sustainable & Responsible Business of the Week: If they can do it, so can you!

Monday, January 19, 2009

Sustainability Conferences for 2009 - Mark Your Calendars!


Each month we list upcoming webinars on sustainability-related topics. However, there are still plenty of face-to-face conferences on a variety of topics of interest to the sustainable business. Here are a few conferences to mark in your 2009 calendar.


2009 State of Green Business Forum (Feb. 2, San Francisco CA)


UK Anti-Corruption Summit (Feb. 2-4, London UK)


Jerome Ringo: Environmental Evangelist (Feb. 8, Little Rock AR, contact: ARMFSA[at]hotmail.com)


Green Investments Summit (Feb. 9-10, Hong Kong)


Jerome Ringo of the Apollo Alliance Speaks on Green Jobs (Feb. 9-10, Little Rock AR, contact: 501-372-6092)

Climate Change Summit 2009 (Feb. 17-18, London UK)


Doing Good & Doing Well (Feb. 27-28, Barcelona Spain)




Green Festival (March 28-29, Seattle WA)


Wall Street Green Trading Summit (April 1-2, New York NY)


Carbon TradeEx America (April 7-8, Washington DC)


FORTUNE Brainstorm: Green (April 20-22, Laguna Niguel CA)


Green Supply Chain Summit (April 21-22, London UK)


Green Festival (May 2-3, Denver CO)


Responsible Business Summit (May 11-12, London UK)


Global Anti-Corruption Summit (May 14-15, Washington DC)


Green Festival (May 16-17, Chicago IL)







Green Festival (Oct. 10-11, Washington DC)


Net Impact North American Conference (Nov. 13-14, New York NY)


Green Business Conference (Nov. 11-12, San Francisco CA)


Green Festival (Nov. 13-15, San Francisco CA)

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Birdbath Neighborhood Green Bakery - Sustainable & Responsible Business of the Week


Birdbath Neighborhood Green Bakery (New York NY) is an eco-friendly bakery like no other. A creation of The City Bakery, there are two Birdbath locations in Greenwich Village. Pastries are baked at the east location and transported via bicycle rickshaw to the west location. Pastries, of course, are made from local and organic ingredients. But how does Birdbath incorporate sustainability into its business practices and operations?

At Birdbath, the walls are made of wheat, cups made of corn, and countertops made of 100% recycled paper. The bakery was constructed with water-based stains and sealers and used non-toxic paints inside and out. The bakery chose recycled or reclaimed materials for the floors, front door, tin roof, and light fixtures and uses energy-efficient lightbulbs. Birdbath composts, recycles, and is solar-powered. The bakery also offers a 25% discount to those arriving by bicycle or skateboard. And staff wear custom-made jackets made from linen, hemp, and vintage clothing.

Maury Rubin opened The City Bakery in 1990 and his first Birdbath bakery in 2006.

Sustainable & Responsible Business of the Week is a weekly behind-the-scenes look at what businesses are doing to be more sustainable and responsible in their operations.

Sustainable & Responsible Business of the Week: If they can do it, so can you!

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Habana Outpost - Sustainable & Responsible Business of the Week



Habana Outpost (Brooklyn New York) is a one-of-a-kind restaurant experience that begins with the outdoor food truck (a restored U.S. postal service truck)--that's right, there's no indoor kitchen at this restaurant! Habana Outpost is solar-powered, has both indoor and outdoor seating, uses compostable biodegradable plates, cups, and utensils, has tables made from recycled materials, has a rainwater collection system to water plants and flush toilets, runs a human-powered bicycle-propelled juice blender, and composts and recycles waste.

In addition to these restaurant features, Habana Outpost serves as a community gathering place offering weekly movie nights and a host of other activities. For example, the Kid's Corner offers ecological activities and an "alternative heroes" coloring book (about real-life heroes!). The restaurant hosts a weekend market of local vendors and weekly fashion shows for local designers. They host an annual Earth Day Expo of informative and interactive displays on sustainability and have a gallery display of local artist's works.

Habana Outpost is one of three Habana restaurants in New York City. The company operates Habana Works, Inc., a nonprofit offering free sustainability-related workshops through various programs such as Habana Labs and Urban Studio Brooklyn. Habana Labs is dedicated to researching, developing, applying and teaching the best technology related to ecology and sustainable energy. The most recent Habana Labs project is the Offgrid Outlet, a motorized, sun-following solar panel. Another program of Habana Works is the Urban Studio Brooklyn, an architectural design/build program which recently launched the Fishmobile, a human-powered mobile fishing clinic/wetlab.

Habana Outpost was opened in 2005 by Sean Meenan owner of Manhattan's Cafe Habana and Habana To Go; the company of restaurants was started in 1998. Watch one of their many videos here.

Sustainable & Responsible Business of the Week is a weekly behind-the-scenes look at what businesses are doing to be more sustainable and responsible in their operations.

Sustainable & Responsible Business of the Week: If they can do it, so can you!

Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Sustainable & Responsible Businesses - 2008 Recap


Each week we highlight a "Sustainable & Responsible Business of the Week." We want to give you a broad picture of for-profit companies pursuing positive economic, environmental, and social impacts. Fortunately, the list is growing of companies that are models for success and of companies leading change in this new era of sustainable business.


If you are not familiar with these companies, read our posts and visit their websites! We look forward to highlighting more Sustainable & Responsible Businesses of the Week in the upcoming year and we hope you'll pledge to make your business more sustainable in 2009. "Because sustainable business is good business!"

To recap from 2008, here are our picks for Sustainable & Responsible Businesses of the Week:


Alaffia/Agbanga Karite

Asha Imports

baabaaZuZu

Better World Club

BetterWorld Telecom

Brilliant Earth

Boutique Mix

Burgerville

Clean Air Lawn Care

Clean Green Collision

Durango McKinley Paper Company

Earth Tones

ECO Car Wash

Fair Trade Sports

FIO360

Frog's Leap Winery

Gaia Napa Valley Hotel & Spa

Galactic Pizza

Greyston Bakery

Great Lakes Brewing Company

Green Microgym

Greenway Maid

Higher Grounds Trading Company

Hopworks Urban Brewery

IceStone

Immaculate Baking Company

Indigenous Designs

Izzy's Ice Cream

Juice Peddler

LJ Urban

Massanelli's Cleaners

Mom's Best Naturals

Natural Fusion Hair Studio

Newman's Own

Palm Theater

Pinehurst Inn

Pizza Fusion

sweetriot

SunNight Solar

Tropical Salvage

VerTerra

White Bear Racquet & Swim Club

White Dog Cafe

Zambezi Organic Forest Honey




Happy Holidays from your friends at Sustainable Business Design Consulting.


Sustainable & Responsible Business of the Week: If they can do it, so can you!


Thursday, December 18, 2008

Want to be Carbon Neutral for a Day?: Brighter Planet's One Day Campaign

Brighter Planet is offering you the chance to be carbon neutral for a day through its One Day campaign. According to Brighter Planet's website:
The One Day campaign is a small way to show your support to fight climate change. For every participant, Brighter Planet will donate 136 pounds of offsets -- the equivalent of one day's worth of CO2 emissions (based on the estimated average American footprint of 24.78 tons). The more people that give the gift of carbon neutrality for one day, the better. Thousands of gift recipients and givers will know that the climate movement is spreading far beyond the typical “environmental” realm and into the norm. All that Brighter Planet asks in return is that you consider conserving during the holidays.


One Day from Brighter Planet



We have been issued 25 certificates. To claim your One Day Carbon Free certificate, visit http://oneday.brighterplanet.com/users/4303/passes/public/GEV-XYZ. Please note that there are only 25 certificates available on a first-come, first-served basis.


Who is Brighter Planet?


Brighter Planet helps people take smarter steps for a healthy environment. With practical, carbon emission reducing solutions for consumers and businesses, Brighter Planet is committed to demonstrating that small, day-to-day actions can make a huge difference for the environment. To date, Brighter Planet members have offset 58 million pounds of CO2. The renewable energy projects they help build in communities across the United States decrease our national dependence on carbon emitting energy sources.


Why carbon offsets?


Carbon offsets play a crucial role in building a sustainable society. Many renewable energy projects are well suited to produce energy and meet stringent standards, but lack sufficient financing. Carbon offsets fill that void by investing in these projects.


What kind of offset projects does Brighter Planet support?


Renewable energy projects in communities across the U.S. decrease our national dependence on carbon-emitting “dirty” energy sources like coal burning power plants. Some are wind power in public school districts or open lands and others are cow power on family farms. They all meet Brighter Planet’s stringent project standards.


Where does conservation fit in to all of this?


The first step to reducing your footprint is to minimize the amount of dirty energy you use. Changes in your everyday life — some simple, others harder — will help. There are lots of ways you can conserve during the holidays and all-year long. While conservation is critical, it’s practically impossible to reduce your personal emissions to zero. You still need a place to live, a way to get to work, food to eat, and clothes to wear. This is where carbon offsets can be of great value.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Galactic Pizza - Sustainable & Responsible Business of the Week

Galactic Pizza (Minneapolis MN) makes excellent pizza from local and organic ingredients. But it's not the mouth watering pizza that makes Galactic Pizza our Sustainable & Responsible Business of the Week. The company emphasizes environmental and social responsibility in its operations. Just take a look at this long list of sustainability initiatives (from their website):





  • When conditions allow, our food is delivered to your door using 100% electric vehicles.
  • All of the power purchased to run our restaurant is renewable wind energy.
  • All of our mozzarella cheese comes from independent family farmers who humanely raise grass fed cows not treated with rGBH growth hormones or antibiotics.
  • We have incorporated a number of organic items into the menu.
  • We have the Second Harvest Heartland pizza, where $1 is donated to this hunger relief organization every time the pizza is ordered.
  • We strive to use packaging that is either made from recycled materials, or is 100% biodegradable.
  • We incorporate hemp products into each menu category, and print our menu on hemp paper. Hemp is not only good for you, it is also very good for the Earth.
  • In season, we try to purchase all of our produce from farms here in Minnesota or in nearby Wisconsin.
  • We have an in depth waste reduction program utilizing composting for food waste and recycling whenever possible.
  • 5% of our pre-tax profits are donated to charity.



Galactic Pizza has been featured by MSNBC, CNNMoney/Fortune, and Discovery's Planet Green, to name just a few. Galactic Pizza was founded by Pete Bonahoom.

Sustainable & Responsible Business of the Week is a weekly behind-the-scenes look at what businesses are doing to be more sustainable and responsible in their operations.

Sustainable & Responsible Business of the Week: If they can do it, so can you!

U.S. Sugar Wants to Turn Sugar Into Fuel


U.S. Sugar Corporation (Clewiston FL) hopes the waste generated from sugar production can be turned into fuel. The company is currently exploring the feasibility of building the world's largest second-generation ethanol facility which would convert sugar cane leaves and sugar-processing waste into ethanol. It is also hopeful that the facility will be able to process waste from other farming operations.


The announcement comes at a time when the Everglades Coalition, an alliance of environmental organizations dedicated to preserving the Everglades, has filed lawsuits to stop agricultural runoff polution created by sugar cane processing facilities.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

"We Need a Green New Deal"


Last Thursday, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon called on Obama and the E.U. to create a plan to confront the twin climate and economic crises.




He appealed for a modern, global environmental equivalent of U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt's 1930s "New Deal," which lifted the United States out of the Great Depression. "We need a Green New Deal," Ban declared. Coping with the financial crisis would need a "massive stimulus," he added. "A big part of that spending should be an investment -- an investment in a green future."



This sentiment has been echoed by many, including the U.N. Environment Programme (UNEP)under its Green Economy Initiative. The Green Economy Initiative is a partnership between UNEP and leading economists to provide research on creating a new green economy.

A Green New Deal economic stimulus package would invest in energy efficiency, renewable energy, support a low-carbon economy, and would create millions of green collar jobs.

Monday, December 15, 2008

Dallas Plans Country's First Self-Sustaining Urban Block


The city of Dallas TX has announced plans to create the country's first fully sustainable urban block. The 2-block area in downtown Dallas is across from City Hall and is currently a parking lot. There will be an international design competition to help design the area, which is envisioned to be an off-the-grid residential community - the first of its kind in an urban area.

 
Copyright©2007-2010 Sustainable Business Design