One Day Left to Participate In EcoGreenOffice’s Energy Star Printer Giveaway!

Enter today to win a wireless HP printer ($123 value) from EcoGreenOffice by answering three short questions.  One winner will be selected at random on December 31 (U.S. residents only, and must be 18 years of age).

This wireless HP printer with a TouchSmart screen copies, scans and prints lab-quality photos and everyday documents at rapid speeds.  With the Photosmart D110a e-All-in-One Inkjet Printer, you can print, copy and scan without turning on your PC. 

This printer meets ENERGY STAR requirements, meaning it’s easy on the planet and on your budget.

There are over 170 million imaging equipment units in U.S. buildings, consuming 30 billion kWh each year.  This totals more than one percent of the U.S. building sector electricity consumption, reports the U.S. EPA and Department of Energy ENERGY STAR program.

For the New Year, when it come time to purchase or replace computers and electronics make a resolution to look for ENERGY STAR products.  If all U.S. homes replaced their customary imaging equipment, such as copiers, fax machines and printers, with units that meet ENERGY STAR requirements, Americans would save nearly $300 million annually — an energy savings equivalent to lighting 1.4 million U.S. homes for one year!

When replacing computers and electronics, check out the HP Planet Partners return & recycling program. 

  

Also for the New Year, make a commitment to print double-sided, and use ink cartridges and paper made from recycled content available through EcoGreenOffice.

EcoGreenOffice would like to wish you a Happy New Year and good luck in the contest! 

EcoGreenOffice Holiday Sweepstakes! HP Photosmart Printer $123.00 VALUE.  

Cut Energy and Costs In the Office

In the U.S., buildings accounted for 39.4 percent of total U.S. energy consumption and 67.9 percent of total U.S. electricity consumption in 2002, according to the EPA. 

Companies and organizations that have adopted effective energy management strategies and programs have saved millions of dollars, reports the U.S. Department of Energy’s ENERGY STAR program. 

Here are a few examples of companies that have saved money provided by ENERGY STAR:

1) Ford Motor Company has saved over $75 million though effective energy management.

2) Eastman Kodak saved more than $8.6 million in operating costs in 2002 from its energy management efforts.

3) Hines estimates the difference in operational costs between its energy efficient buildings and inefficient buildings at more than $13 million.

If you’re interested in improving your building’s energy efficiency and cutting costs, the ENERGY STAR program provides “seven steps” for managing energy usage in office buildings. 

Here’s some quick tips to make your office more energy efficient now:

1) Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents and save up to 75% of electric costs.  EcoGreenOffice supplies a variety of CFLs.   

2) Shut down the computer when not in use and set it to energy-savings settings.

3) Connect the desk lamp, computer, printer, or the entire desktop setup to a power strip with an on / off switch.  Turn off the power strip at the end of the day.

EcoGreenOffice supplies the “SmartSockets Color-Coded Strip Surge Protector,” with six outlets and six feet of cord.

4) Of course, turn off the lights when you leave a room.

5) Dim the lights in the hallways and other spaces where bright light is unnecessary the majority of the time.    

Connect the desktop setup to a power strip that you can switch off at the end of the day.  Consider purchasing EcoGreenOffice's SmartSockets Color-Coded Strip Surge Protector pictured above.

Happy Holidays!

Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday weekend from EcoGreenOffice!  Thanks for being part of our mission to meet the needs of green-minded businesses and organizations while helping the environment. 

“Greennii” Verifies Green Product Labels For You

This week, we’re spotlighting “Greennii,” an EcoGreenOffice partner based in California’s San Francisco Bay Area.  Greennii is an online company with a research database that “covers soap to solar.”   

Like a “foodie,” or people who love food and drink, a “greennii” is a person who loves green products and wants to live a more sustainable lifestyle, says Chris Irvine, founder and managing director of Greennii.  

The goal of the company is to make “greenniis” feel confident about their choices.  The average person doesn’t have time to research whether companies — many driven by advertising — are “greenwashing,” or advertising themselves as green and sustainable in order to drive up sales.    

 With an online presence, the business is home to an "extensive library of Greennii-vetted products, companies and resources."  Products or companies listed in the library have passed a sustainability test.  

“The whole goal is to do the research for you, so you don’t have to spend hours upon days to find the low-flow showerhead,” Irvine says. 

All companies and products are vetted by the same high standards — including sustainable, local, organic and socially responsible standards.   

 The online company holds itself to it’s own eco conscious standards.  Greennii employees compost, recycle at the office and in their homes, ride bikes to work and meetings and hang their clothes to dry possible whenever possible … among many other things.  They even carry their own personal towels to restaurants to avoid using the paper towels at restaurants they frequent.  The restaurants they frequent support local, organic farms and use recycled and compostable containers for takeout.

Greennii realizes that attaining perfection in all areas isn’t easy to achieve.  So, the company’s first and foremost qualifier is “truth.”  For example, if a company says that it’s sustainable, then Greennii researches how the company fulfills that statement from start to finish.  To be listed on Greennii’s site, you don't have to be perfect, just honest. 

EcoGreenOffice makes Greennii’s cut.  The green office supply company offers conventional products, as well as green products — and is honest about which products are green and which are conventional.   EcoGreenOffice realizes that businesses can’t instantly become green, so the company offers one green product at a time, helping companies to develop a long-term game plan and eventually choose from a full list of sustainable office supplies.  Ultimately, EcoGreenOffice believes in a “triple bottom line”— or helping the "people, the planet and your profit margin."  

What’s next for Greennii?  Just over two years old, the business already has 800 plus products archived in the library, with another 700 to come in January 2012.  Greennii will also have more videos on the site, so their clients can have an interactive way to learn what they can do to lead a sustainable lifestyle.

“The idea is “green TV.”  It’s something they can tie back into their lives, will show them where to find these products and something they can easily share with friends and family,” says Irvine. 

EcoGreenOffice is a proud partner of Greennii, a "hub for Green Vetting of products and companies."

Reduce Toxic Cleaning Products and Divert Waste from the Landfill

Around the holidays, there’s bound to be more traffic through the office kitchen with people bringing in sweet treats.  Or, maybe the office holiday party is held in the kitchen.

When cleaning the kitchen before and after the gatherings, you don’t want it smelling like toxic fumes.  Replace conventional cleaners with ones that are natural, such as the “Simple Green Concentrated Cleaner,” or the “All-Purpose Industrial Degreaser/Cleaner.”  Both of these products are offered through EcoGreenOffice, and they are nontoxic and biodegradable, and can be used on multiple surfaces, including wood, stainless steel and fiberglass. 

For a quick cleanup, check out a pack of all-purpose cleaning nontoxic cleaning wipes made from compostable, biodegradable bamboo fibers.  Or, try the scouring stick made from 100% post-consumer content.

You also want to make sure that people are throwing their waste in the right bin.  Make sure the trash, recycling and composting bins are clearly labeled.  Consider listing on the recycling and composting bins what can and cannot be recycled or composted, so there’s no confusion.  Check out your municipality’s recycling rules for an informative and expert list.   

If you don’t have a recycling bin, or need another one, EcoGreenOffice has a variety of recycling receptacles.  And, don’t forget earth-friendly kitchen & trash bags made from 65% recycled content available in black or white.

Finally, before people enter the office building, have them wipe their feet on a doormat with a carpeted surface made from 100% post-consumer plastic bottles and a rubber backing made with used tires. 

It's important to use cleaning products free of harmful chemicals every time we clean, and it's especially important to use nontoxic products in the kitchen, so food isn't contaminated.  "Simple Green Concentrated Cleaner" is just one multipurpose ecofriendly cleaner supplied through EcoGreenOffice.  

Green the Office Holiday Party

The date and the location for the holiday work party is likely set.  But, it’s not too late to get cups, serving utensils and other party supplies that are ecofriendly.   

Cups

For hot drinks, EcoGreenOffice has a variety of FDA approved paper cups made from recycled content.  The Bare Ecoforward Recycled Content PCF Hot Cups, for example, are made from 90% post-consumer material.  A 10-ounce pack of 50 is available for the reduced price of $4.99.  Hot cup lids are also available on the site. 

EcoGreenOffice has unbleached hot cup sleeves for paper cups of all sizes, made from 100% post-consumer content.  The sleeves are recyclable, reusable and compostable.

  

For cold drinks, EcoGreenOffice offers clear cups and lids made from recycled PET bottles.  You can order these cups in different sizes and in cartons from 50 to 1,000.

  

Corn-based compostable straws are also supplied through EcoGreenOffice.

Serving Utensils

EcoGreenOffice has heat tolerable compostable forks, knives and spoons.   But, remember, if a product is compostable, that doesn’t mean it can be recycled, or that it will compost in the landfill.  Check to see if your municipality offers composting.  If composting isn’t available, you can still purchase forks and other cutlery made from plant starch — a renewable resource — from EcoGreenOffice.

Dinnerware

Plates made from sugarcane, another renewable resource, are also available through EcoGreenOffice.  They are sturdy, and microwaveable and freezer safe.  Available in 6# or 10#.  These plates are also compostable.

Check out EcoGreenOffice's other dinnerware options.

Napkins

EcoGreenOffice has napkins made from 100% recycled paper in brown or white.  A 500 pack is available for as low as $9.99. 

  

Beverage napkins made from 100 percent recycled material are also an option through EcoGreenOffice.

These party supplies can be used regularly in the office kitchen all year long.  Let people at the party know what can be recycled, what can be composted and what needs to go in the trash --this will help ensure that all goes smoothly with the recycling process downstream.   

Choose these 100% renewable plates made from sugarcane and other green eating ware from EcoGreenOffice.

Green Gift Ideas for Your Coworkers

Searching for the perfect gifts for your colleagues?  Giving eco-friendly, sustainably minded presents will not only spread cheer around the office, but will also be a gift to the environment.

Chocolate, fruit, nuts, coffee, beer and wine always make for perfect presents.  Look for food and beverages that are organic and / or fair trade. 

Organic foodstuff is grown and produced without the use of synthetic herbicides or fertilizers, meaning we are putting less harmful chemicals in our bodies and in the Earth.  Fair trade products come from farmers and workers who are justly compensated.  By buying fair trade goods, you are helping to improve members of a community’s day-to-day lives.

EcoExpress is one online company that offers organic fruit baskets, chocolate, wine and beer.

Or, find organic and fair trade goods at locally owned stores.  Shopping at locally owned, small stores is a boost for the local economy and environment.  Click here to read more about the benefits of purchasing from stores owned and operated by someone in your community. 

Another idea is to buy your office mates reusable coffee mugs, water bottles and grocery bags. 

Then, there’s always those office essentials to think about for gifts.  Why not give a BeGreen Gel Rolling Ball pen — made from 89% post-consumer content — to that coworker who’s always asking to borrow a pen?  EcoGeen office offers a variety of other green writing tools, including pens, pencils, pen refills, erasers and more.   

With a new year around the corner, desk pad calendars and planners made from recycled materials supplied through EcoGreenOffice are also a great gift choice. 

Finally, think about truly greening your office by gifting a plant.  Not only are plants beautiful, reports treehugger.com, but they can also help to clean the air we breathe!

Have fun looking for the perfect green office gifts and don’t forget to check out the EcoGreenOffice product catalog.  If you have some other great ideas for eco-friendly presents, please share! 

2012 is almost upon us!  Help yourself and your colleagues start planning for the new year now with a desktop calendar made from 100% post-consumer content.  Available through EcoGreenOffice.

EcoGreenOffice Partner Spotlight: The Colorado Convention Center

To let our readers know what EcoGreenOffice partners are doing to become and stay eco-friendly, we’ll be spotlighting a partner’s business and green initiatives every week.

This week we’re spotlighting the Colorado Convention Center.

The Colorado Convention Center, based in Denver, Colo., is well known as one of the most practical and “user-friendly” meeting facilities, and hosts more than 400 events annually. 

The Convention Center is committed to four core values: Mindfulness, Integrity, Transparency and Accountability.  Achieving these core values means being a leader in sustainability. 

“Every year we try to build upon what we are doing and make it a little but more robust,” says Lindsay Arell, the sustainability programs manager for the Convention Center.

Reducing waste, as well as energy and water usage are included in the Convention’s Centers sustainability plan.  Improving air quality and community relations are also included. 

Highlights of their sustainability initiatives include a 300kw rooftop Solar Array, and replacing grass near the facility with native and drought resistant plants.  All convention center employees are provided with a free ECO-pass to encourage use of the light rail and bus transportation.   

Additionally, single stream recycling can be found throughout the facility.  The Convention Center also has a back of the house compost collection program, and an advanced donation program for leftover conference materials.  Local nonprofits and organizations are contacted about these leftover materials.  Almost 30,000 pounds of material were donated the first year the program began.  These initiatives helped the Convention Center achieve a 48 percent diversion rate for the facility in 2010. 

Recent EcoGreenOffice research found the benefits of supporting locally owned, small business in the community. 

The Convention Center also has an environmental purchasing policy.  For example, all office paper must be made from at least 50 percent post consumer content, and all toilet and tissue paper must be made from at least 30 percent post consumer content.  EcoGreenOffice is helping the Convention Center achieve these goals.    

“I’m glad to see EcoGreenOffice is growing and continuing to offer their service,” Arell says.   

 The eco-friendly office supply store company regularly offers a variety of paper that is made entirely of post consumer content at a discounted price, such as the ASPEN 100% Recycled Office Paper.

  

All members of the Convention Center’s Operations Team are always looking for new sustainable solutions in managing their facilities.

“It’s become less of me as a sustainability manager, and has become more a group effort,” she says. 

For example, electricians working for the Convention Center noticed their extension cords could be recycled, Arell says.  After the Convention Center began recycling the cords, they benefited economically as well, saving about $600 a couple times a year. 

Groups efforts have also helped the Convention Center to earn the certification of LEED:EBOM (Existing Building Operation and Maintenance).

 “It’s been exciting to work with the Convention Center to help implement these programs and see our employees get more engaged and see how it has tricked into their everyday life,” Arell says. 

EcoGreenOffice supplies office paper made from 100% post-consumer content, helping businesses like the Colorado Convention Center achieve their sustainable initiatives. 

Eco-friendly Shipping for the Holiday Season and After

The first full week of December has begun, so you may be preparing to send holiday cards and gifts. Lower your environmental impact when sending letters and presents through the mail by using recycled and recyclable materials. 

Envelopes

For letters, EcoGreenOffice offers recycled business envelopes, and brown clasp or redi-strip envelopes made from chlorine-free paper stock, available in various sizes.   

Packaging

For packages, various “EcoPacking” options are available through EcoGreenOffice. You can find packing boxes made from 100% post-consumer content that are also recyclable. 

Address Labels

Environmentally friendly address labels are also an option, such as Avery labels made from 100% percent recycled paper, printed with soy-based ink and recyclable adhesive. 

Return Address Labels

For your return address, EcoGreenOffice offers various eco-friendly options, including a “Recycled Self-Inking Custom Stamp” made from 60% post-consumer content that uses environmentally friendly water-based ink.  The 200 PLUS Green Line Message Stamp is made from 80% recycled content with a built-in stamp pad made for years of use.  Packaging is composed of 100% recycled unbleached paper fiber.    

All products usually ship within 24 to 48 hours!