Green Notes

Saying something and actually doing it are two totally different things. As trendy as it is to sell our companies’ products and services as being green, there has to be more to the overall equation for true success.

Would you be surprised to learn than so many products on the market today are only labeled “Green” or “Organic” for the simple boost that claiming these concepts can bring to a product’s gross sales? It happens every day – and while labeling products as such is not usually a complete and total outright lie, the facts are not always the definition of fully truthful either.

What’s the point to all of this?

Well, basically the point is that standing behind a commitment to being green is just the right thing to do ethically and for the good karma that it will likely bring in the long run. And a full commitment to being green involves so much more than just one little aspect or another.

Businesses that claim to be green should be following most, if not all of these green business practices:

· Maintaining A Low Paper Office – Going totally paper free, while a noble concept, is usually not realistic. However, a green office is an office that reduces unnecessary paperwork and waste of paper products.

· Resourceful Recycling – After shredding all discarded paperwork, does your company follow through and actually recycle all of it too? This one is often taken for granted, but it’s amazing how many offices still pile up their paper to send off to the landfill instead.

· Use Efficient Computers – One of the biggest ways to save energy in a typical office environment is to restructure the IT deployment to use efficient power saving data centers and servers. This brings both big costs savings and eco-savings at the same time.

· Low Energy Consumption Fixtures – Just like using low power consumption computer equipment can deliver huge green results, so can going green with the lighting fixtures in the office. There has been some controversy over the minute amount of mercury they contain, but CFLs (compact fluorescent light bulbs) do save a remarkable amount of power.

· Switch To A Four Day Work Week – The workforce today is definitely eager and ready to try new work arrangements. The fact is that going with a shorter workweek cuts back significant travel and office energy consumption. Another alternative is allowing workers to work from home. It’s been proven to be a very wise thing to do when it comes to productivity – plus it’s just the green thing to do.

Again, saying and doing are two totally different things. When it comes to being green, is your company saying or doing?