Have a Green 4th of July

The fourth of July is less than a week away, so it's time to start planning.  From barbecues, to fireworks, to getting to your celebration destination, this holiday can have a big impact on the environment. 

This 4^th of July, show your dedication to the environment while celebrating the birth of our country by following the quick tips below.

1) Have a sustainable barbecue.   Ditch the conventional paper plates and plastic utensils for compostable or reusable items.  Look for vegetarian recipes.  Use propane for grilling, as it’s more efficient and uses less CO2.  If charcoal grilling is the only option, look for environmentally friendly charcoal.  Shop for local and organic foods.

2) Look for greener fireworks.  If it’s your tradition to set off fireworks, look for fireworks rich in nitrogen, says Earth911.com.  They can be more pricey, but release less smoke into the environment.  Or, you can always choose to watch a public fireworks display and save some money as well. 

3) Ecofriendly decorations.  Instead of buying plastic, one-use tablecloths, use old tablecloths and decorate them with patriotic designs.  Provide a fun activity for kids and have them decorate an old sheet to use as a 4^th of July banner.  Look for solar lights to brighten the outdoors than can also be used all summer long.  Also, rather than throw away your decorations keep them for the following year and save time and money. 

4) Sustainable transportation.  Choose a local 4^th of July celebration and avoid traffic and car emissions and walk or bike to your destination.  Or, if the celebration is further away, look for a bus route or carpool.  To motivate the kids, have them look for red, white and blue crafts around the house to decorate their bikes and wagons and have a 4^th of July parade on the way there. 

5) Avoid food waste.  If you’re hosting a party, invite guests to bring their reusable containers and take food home.  Or, bring the leftovers to work and share with your coworkers.  

Happy 4th of July from EcoGreenOffice!  

Have a light eco-footprint this 4th of July and walk or bike to the local public fireworks display.  You'll avoid transportation emissions and the emissions that come with setting off your own fireworks. 

 

 

 

 

 

Sources

http://earth911.com/news/2010/06/21/8-ways-to-green-4th-of-july/

http://voices.yahoo.com/eco-friendly-4th-july-party-decorations-3641665.html?cat=57

Why Businesses Use Lanyards In The Office

Most every business these days have identity and security measures in place.  One of the easiest ways to identify employees and guests is by the use of lanyards.  Most lanyards have the company logo, contain employee picture, signature and electronic swipe to access secure areas.

Benefits of Lanyards:
- Protection of proximity cards
- Recognition of staff and guests
- Useful in meetings and conventions
- Protection of ID cards
- Security and theft prevention
- Custom branding and logo of business

EcoGreenOffice now provides custom imprint lanyards for any type of business or organization.

Ways to Promote Your Business — Even at the Beach

In case you haven't heard, EcoGreenOffice recently launched an online catalog for promotional products.  With more than 3,000 suppliers, this online site helps companies to publicize themselves using almost every ad specialty available.  The site also offers environmentally friendly products.

Used by almost every business in America, promotional products make up an almost $17 billion dollar industry.  Studies have shown that promotional products outlast almost any type of advertising, having the ability to stay visible to your customers for years to come.

Don't forget to peruse the Back to the Beach themed section of our catalog, as many of your customers and business partners head to the oceanfront over the next few months.  Options include everything from Barbados sunglasses, to tote bags, to coolers.

Environmentally friendly Back to the Beach products include BPA free sports bottles, recycled plastic luggage tags, a biodegradable beach ball kit and more. 

Ad your company's logo to the ecofriendly, biodegradable bottle beach kit featured above and be remembered throughout the summer. 

How to Cook Up Sustainable Barbecues this Summer

Memorial Day weekend may be over, but grilling season has just begun.  From zero-waste, to solar powered grills there are many ways to make your summer barbecues more sustainable.    

If you have a grill at work, share these tips with coworkers.  Outdoor cooking sessions with colleagues are excellent for morale and are likely more cost effective than eating out.

1) If you’re in the market for a new grill, look for an ecofriendly option.   A grill operating on a single cube of wood, made by a French-Canadian company, is one charcoal and propane-free option.  By incorporating the methodology of solar cookers, the Helios Grill uses the power of the sun to heat the grilling platform.

2) Look for ecofriendly charcoal, if you’re not using a gas grill.  Lump charcoal harvested from sustainably managed forests and briquettes made without coal dust and unhealthy additives are the way to go.  The Lump Charcoal Database review from Naked Whiz is one place to start looking for ecofriendly charcoal.

3) Use reusable or compostable dinnerware and cutlery.  Instead of purchasing conventional paper plates and plastic tableware, opt for inexpensive and casual reusable serving items.  If you’re goal is to avoid dishes, use paper plates and add them to your backyard compost pile.  Or, if your city offers curbside composting or has a composting facility, look for compostable options.  Plates made from sugarcane and heat tolerable cutlery made from renewable resources are supplied through EcoGreenOffice.  Avoid combining compostable items with the regular trash, as when sent to the landfill even compostable options are unlikely to decompose anytime soon.

4) Grill up some vegetarian recipes.  From tempeh burgers, to grilled pizza, a meatless barbecue can still be delicious.  Even opting for a vege-based meal once a week comes with environmental benefits.  Feeding grains directly to humans rather animals is more efficient and going vegetarian means you can compost more scraps.  Expand you palette and search online for creative vegetarian grilling recipes.  

5) Opt for all natural grill cleaners.  A grill brush and baking soda is a simple solution, or shop for all-natural grill cleaners online or at a local store.  

From the kind of kind of charcoal you use, to what you cook over the flames, turn over unique ideas for grilling green this summer.

Sources

http://earth911.com/news/2012/05/25/how-to-plan-a-waste-free-bbq/

http://ecoble.com/2009/06/30/10-eco-friendly-bbq-grills-to-green-your-summer/

http://www.greenyour.com/lifestyle/food-drink/barbecue/tips/buy-eco-friendly-charcoal

How to Stay Hydrated throughout the Workday

More than half of your bodyweight is made up of water, according to FamilyDoctor.org.  Your body uses water to maintain its temperature, remove waste and lubricate joints. With the arrival of summer heat (and sweating) you'll need even more water to stay hydrated. 

But, no doubt, drinking plain water throughout the day can get boring.  Although fruit and vegetable juices and milk can help you to stay hydrated, they may add unnecessary calories and sugar to your diet.  Coffee and other caffeinated drinks can also help you stay hydrated, but drinking too much can leave you feeling anxious and jittery.

Here are some suggestions for increasing your water intake — by making it flavorful and chemical free.       

1) Begin by purifying your water.  Attach a Brita faucet filter to the sink tap in the office kitchen supplied through EcoGreenOffice.com, or purchase a classic pour-though Brita pitcher and keep cold, clean water in the office fridge.  For personal use, consider a Brita water bottle.

2) Use herbs, fruits and flowers for flavoring your water.  Let mint leaves sit in a pitcher of water in the fridge for 10 minutes or overnight.  Bruise the mint leaves for a stronger taste, suggests HellaWella.com. 

Put a handful of cucumber slices in a pitcher of water.  For even more flavor, grind up the cucumber chunks in a blender, pour the contents through cheesecloth into a bowl and leave it in the fridge to drip overnight.  Mix the cucumber juice with a pitcher of water and “you’ve got yourself the most refreshing water you’ve ever tasted,” HellWella.com says. 

  

3) Fruit Ice cubes. Freeze lemon juice in ice cube trays and plop them in your water glass.  Or, try this recommendation from the Bits of Taste blog: place an individual piece of fruit, or sliced up fruit or herb, such as a lemon, lime, strawberry, or fresh mint leave, into your ice cube trays, pour filtered water over the fruit and let the tray freeze overnight. 

4) Last but, not least, go for some sparkling water. 

Using lemons and other fruits is one way to turn plain 'ole water into a fancy and exotic looking drink, while staying hydrated throughout the workday.

    

Sources

http://familydoctor.org/familydoctor/en/prevention-wellness/food-nutrition/nutrients/hydration-why-its-so-important.html

http://www.hellawella.com/how-to-make-your-water-more-exciting-with-natural-flavoring
http://bits-of-taste.blogspot.com/2010/08/special-frozen-cubes-ice-cubes.html

How to Use Pinterest to Grow Your Business

Pinterest can greatly increase traffic to a business’s website, blog and other online content, helping to generate massive sales.

For example, CookingLight.com’s traffic jumped by 6,000 percent after using Pinterest, according to social media expert Kim Garst on a radio podcast with Beginner Internet Business Podcast.  Garst, a social media expert, is author of “The Quick and Easy Guide to Branding Your Business and Creating Massive Sales with Pinterest” — a book with an almost 5 star rating based on reviews.

Introduced to the web in 2010, Pinterest helps individuals and businesses alike organize and share information, discover new things and get inspiration from others with similar interests.  Since Pinterest’s inception, it has grown by 4,000 percent and has 11 million visitors a week.

“It’s kind of stunning for me to watch,” Garst says on the BIB podcast, who saw the value of Pinterest immediately.

Here are a few tips from the BIB podcast with Garst, as well as SocialMediaExaminer.com for how to use Pinterest to grow your business. 

1) Make your business graphically based.  Pinterest is basically an “online photo-sharing website,” Garst says on the BIB podcast.  That may be why Pinterest is so popular.  It’s embracing the direction social media is going in: content that’s visual and easy to absorb, Garst further explains. 

“Any business that is graphically based is ‘rocking it’ on Pinterest,” Garst says on the BIB podcast.    

If your business isn’t graphically based, it’s important to come up with graphics that represent your business’s niche, Garst suggests.  Use pictures that tap into the emotions of your followers and pictures that tell a story about you and your business, Garst recommends on her website KimGarst.com. 

Also, every graphic you pin, or that another Pinterest user pins, can be linked back to your website, blog or other content. 

2) Think about what people search for on the web to name your pinboards.  Think of terms that people usually Google, for example, “how to … ”, or “best ways to …” and use those phrases as your Pinterest board titles. 

Also, like Twitter, Pinterest has a #hashtag function.  Define your keywords so web users can find you and make sure to have a complete profile, Garst recommends on KimGarst.com.

3) Link the graphic from your blog to a pinboard.  Make sure the graphic has something to do with content in the blog post.  When Pinterest board shows up in a Google search, web users will ultimately find your business’ blog or website, Garst explains. 

4) Create different pinboards and stick to a specific topic. A pinboard is a set of pins, explains SocialMediaExaminer.com.  You can create different pinboards on different topics and add an unlimited number of pins to a pinboard. Remember to also to share other peoples’ content as well and post it on the appropriate pinboard.

By naming a pinboard appropriately and posting pictures related to the topic, you can help your business build its brand.  You can also attract a range of customers on a variety of topics related to your business and simultaneously allow customers to follow only those topics of interest to them.

5) Build relationships.  Follow those who follow you, look for new connections, mention others in your pins, repin and like others’ pins, Garst says.  Also, make thoughtful and insightful comments on peoples’ pins related to your company and its pinboards.

6) Catalogs and special promotions.   Create a pinboard and post pictures based on one of your collections, SocialMediaExaminer.com suggests.  Include the price on the pin.  Those who are really interested in the product — and not deterred by the price — may actually then visit your website and purchase the product.

Also, create a unique image for your latest special offer and consider offering it to Pinterest users only, SocialMediaExaminer.com recommends.  Consider making some offers free, as free offers are likely to be repined, helping you to build a greater following. 

However, as Garst explains on her website, you may not even want to use Pinterest as a place to directly market your business or push for sales.  Rather, by looking at your pins and pictures, customers will connect with you and willingly “dig deeper into who you are.”

Perhaps find a happy medium.  Create a pinboard simply for connecting with customers on topics of interest related to your business and another for promotions and/or catalogs.

7) Create opportunities for customers to promote you. Through your business’s website, have a Pinterest button on the information you want to have pinned.  Create a “Pin It to Win It” contest, where customers have the opportunity to win one of your products by posting a picture of themselves on Pinterest with the product, Garst suggests.  Also, recommend that customers pin reviews of your products. 

Lastly, consider following EcoGreenOffice on Pinterest to stay connected with our blog, promotions, green education articles and other website content.

The social media site Pinterest is the way to go if you want to increase traffic to your company's website and boost sales -- some businesses are experiencing a higher volume of traffic from Pinterest alone than from Facebook and Twitter combined.

Sources:

http://kimgarst.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/MyPinterestRadioInterview.episode169.mp3

http://kimgarst.com/

http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/using-pinterest-for-business/

Six Ways to Relax at Work

Too much stress at the workplace can take a toll on your productivity, physical and emotional health.  By better managing your stress, the more positively you’ll impact those around you and the more positively others will respond to you.

Also, reducing stress throughout the workday has little to no impact on the environment and can give you more energy to make positive choices for the environment.  

Here are six simple and natural ways to reduce tension:

1) Take regular short breaks at work.  During these breaks, take the time to breath deeply, walk around and / or stretch and return to your desk feeling revitalized.

2) Here are a specific breathing techniques from YogaJournal.com: move your belly with your breaths, consciously relax your jaw, throat, neck and shoulders and “envision the breath sweeping deeply into your lungs,” lengthen exhalations, pause after each exhalation and let your whole body participate in the breathing process—offering a mini massage for the muscles and organs.

3) Get outside!  Most of us feel tranquil in the outdoors and getting fresh air can literally energize you.  Find leafy areas and natural environments, as those areas tend to be the least noisy and the most stimulating.

4) Listen to music.  Find a comfortable pair of earbuds or headphones and explore online music channels, such as Pandora, and find the genres that stimulate you, but also allow you to focus and relax.

5) Find aromatherapy or herbal support.  Aromatherapy is “based on the healing properties of essential oils,” according to NetDocot.co.uk.  It’s used in hospitals and hospices, health clinics and gyms.  Find the perfect fragrance and dab a little on your neck and wrists throughout the workday. 

6) Consider an ergonomic chair. Sitting comfortably may help to decrease current and future back pain.  EcoGreenOffice supplies a variety of ergonomic chairs, including the Veon Executive High-Back Task Chair that has ergonomic cushions, which are designed to relieve back pain and is made from 100 percent recycled content.  

Although working beneath a tree may not be an option, taking short breaks throughout the workday and getting fresh air and sunlight can give you the needed energy and creativity to complete projects-at-hand.

Sources:

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/diseases/facts/stressbustingtechniques.htm

http://www.yogajournal.com/basics/1468

http://www.doityourself.com/stry/relaxationtechniques

Are Green Jobs Growing?

Tuesday’s blog highlighted which cities have the most green jobs, according to SimplyHired.com. But are green jobs growing overall?

An article on GreenBuildings.com notes that various organizations have tallied different counts for the number of “green jobs” in the U.S.  For example, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 3.1 million “green goods and services jobs” for 2012, whereas the Brookings Institute counted 2.7 million clean energy jobs in 2010. 

Although the numbers vary — in part because organizations define “green jobs” differently — the actual count isn’t necessarily the most important thing. 

The fact that so many organizations are even caring to count the number of green jobs in the U.S. shows that the green economy is a “staying trend and one that’s worth paying attention to,” says GreenBuildings.com.

Also, most organizations are not only counting the number of green jobs in the U.S., but reporting an increase.  LinkedIn reported that the “Renewables and Environment” profession category that contains green jobs grew by 49.2 percent between 2007 and 2011 — the most of any category, according to GreenBuildings.com.  

Jobs with an “environmental compliance” keyword on SimplyHired.com increased by 24 percent since August 2010 and jobs focusing on energy efficiency increased by 400 percent, reports Forbes.com.

The increase in the green jobs count is not only due to new jobs being created for the environment.  It’s also due to conventional jobs incorporating “green duties,” such as making the office environment more environmentally friendly, or greening production processes. 

This is great news for everyone, as an increase in green practices means a healthier environment for humans and the natural environment we depend upon.

With environmentally office supplies becoming increasingly available at cost competitive prices, such as the ASPEN 100 percent recycled paper featured above, supplied through EcoGreenOffice, greening conventional jobs is increasingly becoming a possibility.

Sources

http://www.green-buildings.com/content/782380-top-10-cities-green-jobs-according-simply-hired

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2012/05/07/the-top-10-cities-for-green-jobs/

  

Is Your Office Located in a City that’s a Hub for Green Jobs?

Currently, there are about 45,000 green jobs posted on SimplyHired.com, a job aggregator site.  Where are most of these green jobs located?  Here are the top rated cities from SimplyHired.com:


1) San Francisco Bay Area (2,215 postings)
2) New York City (2,078)
3) Houston (1,755)
4) Washington D.C. (1,715)
5) Boston (1,132)
6) Los Angeles (980)
7) Chicago (951)
8) Denver (802)
9) Philadelphia (789)
10) Dallas (592)


What exactly is a green job?  Although definitions may vary, the Bureau of Labor Statistics defines green jobs as those in businesses that produce goods or provide services that benefit the environment or conserve natural resources.  Green jobs also include jobs in which workers’ duties involve making their establishment’s production processes more environmentally friendly or use fewer natural resources.

Becoming a partner with EcoGreenOffice and incorporating green office supplies and practices will allow your company to use fewer natural resources and establish production processes that have a lighter eco-footprint -- and increase the number of green jobs at your office, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics definition of green jobs. 

Having more green jobs at your office could also attract the next generation of academics.  Among college students and recent grads, 81 percent say it’s important to work for a green company, according to a survey conducted by Experience Inc., the nation’s leading provider of career services for college students and alumni.

With Silicon Valley located within its border, the San Francisco Bay Area has especially seen a growth in green jobs related to technology, according to an article on Forbes.com.

Sources:
http://www.bls.gov/green/#definition
http://www.green-buildings.com/content/782380-top-10-cities-green-jobs-according-simply-hired

http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2012/05/07/the-top-10-cities-for-green-jobs/

http://www.experienceinc.org/index.php

Buying a Conventional Office Chair vs an Ecofriendly Chair

EcoGreenOffice supplies more than 1,600 different kinds of chairs and stools, some are labeled as conventional and the majority are labeled as “green.”

When it comes to picking out a new chair(s) for the office, what are the benefits of purchasing one that’s green instead of one that’s conventional? 

Chairs that qualify as green among EcoGreenOffice’s product catalog have to be made made from post-consumer content.  

Any product made from post-consumer content -- weather it’s paper or furniture -- is positive for the environment.  Recycling materials to make products is critical, because it helps to lessen the problem of landfills growing at an alarming rate. 

Chairs made anywhere between 46 to 77 percent post-consumer content are available through EcoGreenOffice in a variety of styles, from high-back swivel chairs that reduce strain on the back, to guest chairs and “café- height stools.”

Finding a chair that’s made from post-consumer content — and nontoxic materials — is even greener. Chairs made from harmful chemicals can decrease indoor air quality.  Employee performance, speed and accuracy increases anywhere from 4 to 16 percent when indoor pollutant sources are removed, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 

Avoid furniture made from PVC, such as inflatable furniture, artificial leather and PVC-coated fabric and choose products that do not contain toxic flame retardents (PBDEs). 

  

Although not manufactured using post-consumer content, you can find conventional chairs supplied through EcoGreenOffice that are made from nontoxic materials, such as the 5000 Series Park Avenue Guest Chair made from leather and wood. 

When it comes to the wallet, green chairs supplied through EcoGreenOffice are offered at a competitive prices.  A comparable conventional chair may even be more expensive than a chair made from post-consumer content.  For example, a tall conventional swivel chair costs $560.99, compared to a mid-back swivel chair made from 54 percent post-consumer content, offered at $458.99.   

In summary, finding a chair that’s made from post-consumer content, toxin free materials and matches your price and style is the way-to-go.  If you can’t find a chair that suits your needs made from post-consumer content, find one that’s at least made with toxin-free materials. 

If you’re purchasing a new chair, consider donating your old one.  Every year in the U.S., 8.25 million office chairs are thrown away.  If you’re not ready to purchase a new one and your current chair contains PBDEs, cover and seal any rips in upholstery, and consider replacing old items where foam is exposed, loose, and crumbling.  

Which of these tall, black-leather chairs shown below are made from post-consumer content and offered at a lower price?  Read the caption to find out.  Both are supplied through EcoGreenOffice.  

 

The Ignition Series Executive High-Back Chair featured above is made from 54 percent post-consumer content and is offered for $509.99.  The Serenity Big & Tall High-Back Chair featured on the right is made from 0 percent post-consumer content and is offered for $693.59.

Sources:

1) “Insider’s Guide to Buying Green Office Furniture”

www.ofusa.com/images/booklets/insights_Green_single-pgs.pdf

2) http://pollutioninpeople.org/safer/products/furniture