Green Business Notebook

Conferences and meetings are a normal part of business life. More and more businesses are adopting green business practices to reduce the environmental impact of their events. Many hotels and even planners offer a “green meeting” option and what was once seen as a passing fad is being an increasingly common business option. Although there is not one single definition of what is considered a green meeting, here are four key areas you must keep in mind when trying to reduce the meetings environmental impact.

Facilities selection: It’s important to choose a venue that supports your green meeting agenda. Check to see if the hotel or conference venue has a green certification or environmental policy. You should also ask about their waste and energy management programs such as whether they have a recycling programming, a set point on the air conditioning and how the air conditioning will be turned off when not in use.

Transport: Hold meetings as close as possible to the largest number of participants that are close to mass transport options to reduce the environmental impact of transportation. Advise participants that mass transport is the preferred option for the meeting and provide a transport map to the delegates. If air travel is required, choose an airline with an environmental policy where you can offset the carbon emissions generated.

Food: The most environmentally friendly option is to provide food sourced locally that has recyclable packaging and can be purchased in bulk. Attendees can be asked to indicate in advance what meals they want and the size of the meal which potentially reduces the amount of food to be purchased and food waste. For coffee breaks, get rid of the single serve sachets and give participants reusable coffee mugs.

Communication: These days a lot of communication is done over the internet reducing the need for printed papers and a reusable USB drive can be provided to each participant to further reduce the need for printed materials. If paper and printed materials are required, choose recycled paper and print documents on both sides.

If you want to go a step further you can calculate the carbon emissions of your event and pay to offset this through a carbon offsetting programming. Whatever you choose to implement, simple steps like these will reduce the environmental impact of your business events and should be incorporated as standard business practice.

2011 is now underway and both individuals and businesses are refining their plans for the year ahead.  There has been a lot of speculation about what will happen in 2011 and a quick Google search shows there are many predictions on key trends in economics, technology and the environment.

Although environmental issues have enjoyed a growing awareness over recent years it does not seem that 2011 will be the year when green business gains traction and becomes common business practice.  While the general consensus is that green business practices will not take off , the growing momentum of green issues is predicted to continue and the end of 2011 will see a greater global understanding of sustainability.  As a result customers will increasingly ask about the environmental impact of a business and its products. 

Another trend is that customers will be increasingly important in 2011 and businesses will need to develop strategies that talk with their customers rather than at them.   How a business defines and seeks out their customers is also likely to change.  The greater use of technology is creating opportunities for businesses to reach out to customers beyond their immediate geographical sphere.  The rising use of mobile computing and social media (another trend expected to continue in 2011) means customers are now more connected than they have ever been – not only with the business but also with other customers. 

This year businesses are also focusing on energy management.  With the expectation of oil price increases in 2011, more and more businesses are realising that there are benefits in reducing costs associated with energy consumption.  As well as having a positive impact on the bottom line, a focus on energy management to reduce carbon emissions prepares a business for carbon limits likely to be imposed (at least in developed countries) in future.

An additional prediction for 2011 is that the gap will widen between businesses who have already started to implement environmental practices and those that haven’t.  This gap may not impact businesses this year but make it more difficult for companies without environmental policies to catch up later.

Businesses should consider whether these trends will influence how they do business in 2011.  Introducing an energy management program or other green business practices will likely put a business in a more competitive position by the end of the year.   Aside from benefits in reduced costs and better market position for the years ahead, 2011 will offer opportunities to engage with customers who will have a greater knowledge of sustainability.

Today offices and office buildings are everywhere – from large corporations with many staff to the millions of small home offices used for business, study or juggling the numerous tasks of running a household.   With the number of offices in the world even small changes can lead to huge environmental savings.  Check out these four areas where you can make your office green.

Reduce Energy Use

A green office uses less energy not only to reduce their carbon emissions but also to save money.   Any office appliances that are constantly plugged in are using electricity including computers and printers.  Even the cell phone charger constantly plugged in by your desk is draining small amounts of electricity.  Switching off appliances when they are not use, shutting down computers at night and unplugging phone chargers will reduce the energy used by the office.  With an estimated 4.6 billion cell phone users in the world the energy savings will add up.

Improve the Environmental Performance of the Building

Making your physical office space green  will reduce the energy the office uses.   Make sure your heating and cooling temperatures are set to the right temperature as even one degree makes a difference to your energy consumption.   Check that the office is draft proof and ensure doors are closed so the air you are spending money to heat or cool does not escape.  Replacing your lights with energy efficient options will also reduce your energy consumption.

Save Paper

The office can reduce the paper it uses choosing a printer that prints on both sides and by making the most of electronic communication.  This not only reduces stationery costs but also the number of trees required to create new paper.  Always choose recycled paper products for your green office and if  your area supports paper recycling, make sure the office has a system to recycle the paper it uses.   Here are some more great ideas for saving paper in your office.

Check Your Suppliers

The suppliers you use are an important part of your green office.  Choosing energy efficient appliances reduces the energy used and printers that accept recycled cartridges will reduce the waste the office generates.  As well as purchasing recycled paper, you can also choose mechanical pens that allow refills or pens made from recycled content both of which have reduced environmental impacts.

When we think about green business practices our business could engage in, we tend to think of the obvious things that we hear about everyday such as the use of energy and water and emissions of carbon. However there are other less obvious ways for a business to go green, for example choosing sustainable wood products for your furniture, office fit-out or the construction of a new building. Choosing wood from sustainably managed forests or using reclaimed wood or fast growing wood can reduce the environmental impacts of your business.

Approximately 13 million hectares of forest is lost each year. This is an alarming rate considering the important role forests play in sustaining life on earth and providing habitat for many species. The clearing of forests for agriculture and the use of wood either as fuel or as a product itself, affects the amount of carbon dioxide in the air as well as the biodiversity of the planet. As a result there are strong reasons for ensuring that forests are managed sustainably so the resources they provide will be available for future generations. Demand by consumers for sustainable wood products is one of the drivers for sustainable forest management.

Sustainably Managed Forests

One way to reduce your environmental impact is to choose wood products from sustainably managed forests. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is a not for profit organisation that provides a voluntary international certification for forests to show they are managed sustainably. A certified forest must adhere to the FSC principles and criteria. The FSC also has a ‘chain of custody’ certification for product manufacturers to show they use responsibly produced timber.

Reclaimed Wood

Another way to reduce the impact of wood products is choosing to use reclaimed wood. Most reclaimed wood comes from abandoned structures such as old barns, decking or factories but wood has also been reclaimed from old wine barrels and box cars. Using reclaimed wood avoids the environmental impacts that occur from cutting and treating new wood and some projects prefer the unique look that reclaimed timber has.

Choosing Fast Growing Wood

For some lightweight options it may be possible to choose a different material such as bamboo. Since it is fast growing, bamboo plantations replenish quickly and the root structure is not destroyed when bamboo is harvested. However there is still concern that bamboo is environmentally damaging as in some places existing forests have been cleared for bamboo plantations.

The US Green Building Council recognises the use of FSC certified wood, reclaimed timber and rapidly renewable materials for awarding points under its LEED green building certification. So as well as being a green business practice, choosing more sustainable wood and wood products could also help with environmental certification.

Next time you are purchasing wood or a wood product, think about where it comes from and and the environmental impact of its creation. Asking your suppliers about the environmental impacts of their products and more sustainable alternatives is one of the steps in implementing green business practices.

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