GREEN BUSINESS VIEWS

Posts Tagged ‘green office’

There are good reasons to considered a Green business certification and installing a sustainability officer.  People think they’re healthier and more productive after moving their office space into “green” buildings, according to a recent study published on the American Journal of Public Health’s website.  This is according to a USA Today article taken from Associated Press.  There is more than perception involved in this equation because we know that poor indoor air quality is part of good health and good productivity.  Everyone has felt the afternoon dip in energy, the nagging headache, or even sleepiness that comes without good cause.

The same article says, “The authors estimated a small benefit to employees suffering from asthma and respiratory allergies. Those people would gain 1.75 more work hours per year working in the new building because they would take less sick time.  The biggest boost comes in perceived productivity.  The study’s authors extrapolated that employees could each work about 39 more hours a year in the new building because of different working conditions such as better light, air quality and ventilation.”

This is not only from possible outgassing from building components and furniture in the office.  Bad air is the byproduct of the cleaning service, pesticide use, poor ventilation, pollution infiltration, and the daily wear and tear of every business.

However, getting an building or office on the path to improvement does not come from casual concern.  One of the notable efforts to the sustainability officer is to address the IAQ along with the many issues of making a company Green.  In a holistic approach to environmental improvement, IAQ, energy reduction, water and waste management, lighting, supply chain, and numerous other issues are brought into the planning.  The air quality is a factor, but so is the quality of the lighting.  We have not yet touched on the carbon footprint issue or Green IT.

To solve these issues before the government start clamping down on compliance, more and more Fortune 500 companies are developing Certified Sustainability Officers (CSO) and getting them into a good training program.  The best training program for any level sustainability officer is found at http://www.CertifiedSustainabilityOfficer.com or http://www.CorporateSustainabilityOfficer.com.

When considering the basics of a Green business, some issues are fairly simple.  Paper use is a ubiquitous issue in any business, but to a Green business, it is a key component at every level of operation.  Although a simple issue, the life cycle analysis of paper is a classic example of what a Green business must address.  One of the foremost issues is the amount of paper that business throws out each year.  Paper and paper products compose 36% of municipal solid waste (MSW).  By volume, paper is the single largest category of what ends up in the land fills.  This is also one of the fungible elements of a Green business, because there are better solutions that are easily installed.

The upstream concerns of paper manufacture often start with the harvesting of trees that are eventually turning into wood pulp.  The process is something that is easily investigated, but the chemicals used are not mild.  One of the most problematic is the chlorine that is used to bleach the paper to a bright white color.  Waste water from pulp and paper factories is a relatively unreported issue, but the waste water includes various toxic chemicals like Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) which includes terpenes, alcohols, phenols, methanol, acetone, chloroform, methyl ethyl ketone; detergents and surfactants; dyes and pigments; acids; and alkaline solutions.

Some of the air pollutants released by the paper industry include carbon dioxide, nitrous oxides, sulfur dioxides, carbon monoxide, ammonia, VOCs and particulate matter like ash and dust. All in all, the making of paper could not be considered a Green process. When we consider the downstream impact of the waste created through paper products, the unmistakable conclusion is that paper use is a major environmental issue and one that can be easily improved.

Paper reduction strategies include printing both sides of paper, copying less, stopping junk mail and magazines as well as increasing email use.  We should not forget the importance of using recycled paper for the office.  There are dozens of simple ideas, but one very powerful solution seems to have escaped the environmentally-astute sources like the well respected NRDC.  The paperless office is not one of the Green solutions, but it should be.

Paperless solutions include: 1) Document storage and retrieval software, 2) Replacing fax machines with online services that turn faxes into email, 3) Software solutions for accounting, payroll, and billing, 4) Virtual meeting software that can eliminate travel and save time.

The problem with these Green solutions is that they are trouble to install and require a change to the office as well as training of the employees.  The early transition is a hurdle, but results are immense.  Installing these paperless solutions will reduce paper use, decrease paper waste, and will literally speed up the office.  The savings are not just in paper costs, but the fact that fewer employees can do more work.  The efficiency factor can save a business thousands of dollars in operational costs and will greatly impress your customers.

To be a Green business, it will take more than using recycled paper or double sided printing.  The paperless system is the best and the smart answer.  Software can be installed, but the Internet also provides these same services that allow information to be shared by employees and offices everywhere.

Companies seeking to become Green  hould location should install and train a Certified Sustainability Officer.   The installation of Green Practices will take any business from a general Greenwashing role to an authentic Green business.