The Times They Are A-Changin'

apologies to Bob Dylan.



Come gather 'round people,
Wherever you roam
And admit the gas prices
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You'll be stuck in your home
If your gas to you is worth savin'
So you better start walkin'
Or you'll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin'.

Come hybrids and civics
More fuel-efficient
And dump your big trucks
The trend won't come again
And don't speak too soon
For the wheel's still in spin
And there's no tellin' who
That it's namin'.
The cost of one now
Will be later paid off
For the times they are a-changin'.

Come buyers and drivers
Please heed the call
Don't stand in the doorway
Don't block up the hall
For he that gets hurt
Will be he who has stalled
There's a battle outside
And it is ragin'.
It'll soon shake your windows
And rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin'.

Come mothers and fathers
Throughout the land
And don't criticize
What you can't understand
Your SUV’s and mini-vans
Are beyond your command
Your gas-guzzlers are rapidly agin'.
Please get into a hybrid
So you can lend your hand
For the times they are a-changin'.

The gas it is steep
The trend it is past
The small-scale now
Will later be mass
As the gas-prices now
Will never be slashed
The order is rapidly fadin'.
And the green one now
Will help the earth last
For the times they are a-changin'.

Rising Fuel Costs, Declining Quality of Service: An Alarming Trend

Everywhere you look, from taxis to airlines to buses, passengers find themselves dealing with (read: being charged for) the rising cost of fuel.

US Airways just announced that in order to maintain profitability in the face of ever-rising fuel costs, they will now be charging for each checked bag ($15) and even for formerly complimentary drink service ($2 for a non-alcoholic drink!). All of that, of course, in addition to other measures already taken to reduce costs for the airlines (slowing down flights, cutting flights altogether, eliminating courtesy magazines…). See Treehugger's slightly more in-depth and less biased account of the news here.

At the end of May, DC cabs once again reinstated the “Emergency Gas Surcharge”, “Emergency” in this sense meaning “Permanent”(there was an initial surcharge over two years ago, and the current 'emergency surcharge' has been continuously extended since November 2007). What is frustrating about the gas surcharge is that it is the same regardless of distance, meaning someone who rides two blocks will pay the same as someone who rides 6 miles and uses significantly more gas. Since the rule is intended to offset fuel costs, this clearly is neither sensible nor fair. The DCist has more information here.

Even on the notoriously discounted Chinatown buses' customers have felt the sting of inflation due to rising fuel costs. What were once extremely affordable $10 one way fares have doubled in the last couple of years, with average fares now $20 one way.

Noticing a trend? No matter the industry, the rising cost of fuel doesn't mean companies make less money, only that consumers have to pay more. Customer service and convenience are being sacrificed at the altar of high fuel costs to the gods of profitability. With that said, I think now is an appropriate and tasteful opportunity to subtly and tactfully mention that the company I work for, because it uses only fuel-efficient hybrid vehicles, manages to keep costs to our customers down while still providing excellent service.

Office E-mail: The Good, The Bad, And The Completely Irrelevant

In an earlier post I mentioned how brainstorming on the computer (using word) can help save paper, creating a greener workplace. Similarly, whether out of simple laziness, a genuine desire to conserve paper, or both, most offices, ours included, use e-mail to exchange quick messages, ideas, reminders, or compile data. Of course this is great for the environment blah blah blah… but there are definitely drawbacks.

Communicating via e-mail has many implications. It can lead to an awkwardly silent work environment comprised of hermit-zombies hunched in front of computer screens with ever-dwindling social skills. This can lead to more serious complications if your company is looking to recruit or relies heavily on the skills of its sales department. Sometimes, however, the exact opposite happens, and office e-mails are used for social and distracting purposes. Whether we’re talking about annoying forwarded messages (or worse chain mail: ‘send this to 10 people before noon or your computer will crash’), or pathetic failing attempts at flirtation amongst employees, office e-mail can be, and frequently is, abused.

But overall, office e-mail is a welcome addition to the 21st century workplace. It makes things easier, more efficient, and greener. Instead of walking down two flights of stairs (or in the case of our office, ten feet) to deliver a simple message or exchange documents, we simply press send. E-mail is also a much more informal method of communication and makes it easy to communicate and get to know one another. Plus we’re not really turning into zombies…are we?

American Cities vs. European Cities

Treehugger recently posted an article about high gas prices in the UK and how demand has gone down sharply there. The article brought up a really interesting point; many/most US cities, unlike older (read: pre-automobile) European cities, were designed so that their citizens are almost dependent on cars to get anywhere/do anything.

Definitely got me thinking about differences between European and American cities as far as culture, public transport and layout are concerned. There’s definitely a lot to say on the subject and I would love to hear any thoughts or personal experiences (since I myself don’t have any experience living in a European city for more than a couple weeks). I personally think it’s a pretty good insight and does help explain American dependence on automobiles and oil on a deeper level than “Americans are lazy and don’t care about the environment”. As long as we don’t use it as an excuse not to try and lower our own dependency on cars and oil, it’s definitely something to think about whether you’re a city planner, developer, or everyday citizen.

An Unsent E-Mail in My Outbox

To: AggressiveDriver@giantblackhummer.com
Cc: GasGuzzler@RedEscalade.com, JustBCyourSUVisExpensiveDoesn’tChangeYourMPG@MercedesM5.com, URguilty2@Landrover.com.


I couldn’t help but notice, when you so rudely (not to mention dangerously) cut me off on the beltway the other day that you were driving a giant red (atrocious-looking) hummer. Instead of being bitter and angry that you almost cost me my life and a huge increase in my insurance premiums, I simply wanted to ask a few questions to get to know you better, and even be gracious and magnanimous enough to offer you a few pearls of wisdom.


My questions for you are pretty straightforward:

1. Have you noticed that your “vehicle” (I use the term loosely in the case of your abomination) averages around 9-15 mpg?
2. Did you know that a very serious and real global warming is occurring mostly due to pollution and carbon emissions from “cars” like yours?
3. Are you aware your “vehicle” is entirely too big, taking up unnecessary amounts of space, creating more traffic, and making it difficult for other cars to maneuver in parking lots, residential streets, and even highways?
4. Can you think of a single reason, besides conspicuous consumption, why you would possibly need to drive a hummer, unless you are on active duty in the military?
5. Did you ever consider using a turn signal while on the highway or put any thought into possibly looking to see if anyone else might have had their turn signal on already, and might have been already halfway in the lane that you so ungracefully tried to maneuver into?
6. And then, afterwards, did you ever think about acknowledging your mistake or even giving a simple wave? No. You didn’t. You sped by obnoxiously only to be pulled over by a cop minutes later.


My advice for you is simple:

1. Take the bus, it will save the environment and possibly the lives of many people who run the risk of being mauled by a military capacity vehicle simply my driving on the same road as you.
2. Better yet, try an earth-friendly driving service like ours which uses only hybrid vehicles!
3. Try being genuinely nice and apologetic when you nearly decapitate people, because as you learned, what goes around comes around.



Thanks and have a GREAT day!

Is More Better, or is Less More: Marketing 'Green'

Below are some ways that incorporating “green” (literally and figuratively) into your marketing plans can help, and some reasons why subtlety might be a better choice.


Pros
· Easy for potential customers to see that you’re eco-friendly
· Makes choosing color schemes and other aspects of designing a marketing campaign faster and easier
· Can be done very tastefully and professionally

Cons
· Limits design options and overall creativity in marketing endeavors
· Can come off less professional-looking
· May pressure or annoy potential customers by being too ‘in-your-face’
· Might take focus off of products and services



Our Verdict:
Our company has chosen the subtle method for some of the reasons listed above. Our logo and websites don’t use green as a main color or theme. In fact, our website doesn’t use green in any of it’s fonts or titles, but instead includes a lot of pictures that subtly convey the themes of nature and the environment by including lots of sky, landscapes, etc.

We do value the environment and recognize that being eco-friendly is a critical component of our business. With that said, however, we felt it was important to emphasize our services first, because we pride ourselves on what we offer and didn’t want it to get lost in the shuffle. Plus, our customers are intelligent (at the very least, they’ve made one good choice!) so we didn’t feel the need to beat them over the head with the message that we are green.

Why Hybrids?

Our company has chosen to use only hybrid cars, which got me thinking about the larger trend toward (and in some circles, obsession with) hybrids. Bloggers have certainly taken notice; The Blog “Stuff White People Like” dealt with the trend pretty humorously (here) and Treehugger declared “It’s Official: Green is Sexy.” According to the Treehugger article, "Close to nine in 10 women (88 percent) say they’d rather chat up someone with the latest fuel-efficient car versus the latest sports car,” and, “Eighty percent of American car buyers would find someone with the latest model fuel-efficient car more interesting to talk to at a party than someone with the latest model sports car." So there’s no doubt hybrids are trendy, the question is why.

A few thoughts on some possible reasons people love hybrids:

· Hype surrounding global warming/pollution: All over the media there are examples of global warming and pollution. Then you step outside and its over 90 degrees, code red air quality, and overall just stiflingly hot and humid. This makes it difficult not think about your own personal effect on the environment.

· Conspicuous consumption: Hybrid models still cost more (about $2500-3000) than their non-hybrid counterparts.

· Hard to get: In many places there is a waiting list or limited number of hybrids available for sale. The laws of supply and demand dictate that this scarcity makes hybrids even more desirable.

· Gas Prices: Gas near me reached as high as $4.24 at the end of last week! Who doesn’t want a car that needs gas half as often?

· New and Exciting: Hybrids have only been offered in the United States for about ten years, so there is still a buzz of excitement and mystery surrounding them.


But I think the bottom line is that hybrids allow their owners to feel as though they are doing something for the environment without actually having to make any huge sacrifices or alter any of their already-set routines. And I think that’s part of what we as a company are selling; we offer all the same services without skimping on any of them, but we are also environmentally conscious.

An Open Letter To Bono

Dear Bono,

Let me start by saying that I am a huge fan of your music. However, what I really want to commend you on is your dedication to the environment and all of your other causes and achievements, which I won’t elaborate on because they make me feel inferior and guilty for not doing more.

I work at a new business; we are a private driving service that uses only hybrid vehicles. When we were brainstorming ways to grow our customer base, someone mentioned how great it would be to have a big-time celebrity or rock star use our service. It’s true that the idea is far-fetched and the chances of it happening are slim to none. I mean, it’s pretty laughable to imagine Paris, Lindsay, or Britney using our service. But still, we can dream. We would want someone who cares about the environment, someone who’s a good role model, a citizen of the world…someone with an international profile, who is a talented musician in a world famous critically acclaimed band…who has jet black hair and rocks tight pants…who wears trademark sunglasses and exudes a cool confidence in spite of being as old as my father…All signs point to Dave Navarro. Just kidding. We need you, Bono, and only you. You’re our only hope.

If someone as cool, popular, talented, worldly, and passionate about the environment as you are used our services, there’s no telling how many people would want to try us too!

Just think about it…

Sincerely,
The Joshua Tree was the first CD I ever owned

Photo from People Magazine

ZAK/GAMMA, BRIAN. Peace Be with You. 2007. www.people.com. 10 June 2008 .

Green means Go?

Now that mainstream media has more or less embraced the idea that Global Warming is, in fact, real (if you need proof look no further than movies like "An Inconvenient Truth" or "The Day After Tomorrow") consumers are becoming conscious of, and concerned by, their own impact on the environment. Into this scene enter the start-up business. It seems as though every new business out there (whether its a clothing store, a bakery, or what have you) is "green". What are some challenges and benefits for a fledgling company being green from the get-go?


Pros: Starting with a clean slate

· Don’t have to change the way things are done in the office, which can sometimes create other complications/expenses
· Don’t have to change products/services
· Don’t have to interrupt business in progress
· Don’t have to work against a pre-existing image as a polluter
· Don’t need to alter existing business relationships
· Can save money on energy costs


Cons: Not a lot of pre-existing resources

· Harder to finance going green
· Harder to publicize/market the fact that you are ‘green’
· Less existing networks
· Less experience in general

(The last two are problems any new business will face)

Obviously, this list isn't all inclusive, it's more of just a brainstorm. If you have any interesting ideas/stories/anecdotes you want to add, feel free!

Green Your Office

Lists like this one are all over the internet, but I figured for your convenience I would post here a few easy things we have tried and which have already made a difference for us.

In no particular order, since any and all of these things help:


1. Carpool- If you’re going the same place, why double the carbon footprint; ride-sharing makes environmental sense. It’s also a good way to build camaraderie, hear new music, and not to mention, you'll be saving big bucks at the pump.

2. Turn it Off- Shut down all computers and monitors at the end of the day. And not just on stand-by mode either; this still drains power.

3. Reduce, Re-use, Recycle- have recycling (for paper, glass and plastic) easily accessible in the office. The less effort it requires, the more likely people are to do it.

4. Less is More-Use less Paper! One way is to rely more on computers than on paper; you can use Microsoft Word to brainstorm instead of wasting a piece of paper. Also, try to print the fewest number of copies necessary. If, however, you must use paper, try using 100% post-consumer recycled paper!

5. Drink Smart-Have employees bring their own water bottles or containers and use an office water cooler instead of distributing individual plastic bottles all the time.

6. Think Light- Utilize windows and natural sunlight as much as possible. Also, consider switching to CFL light bulbs which last longer, are better for the environment, and save costs on energy.

7. Eat Well- Encourage employees to bring lunch in reusable containers rather than eating out all the time and generating more waste!

8. The Incredible Bulk- Buying in bulk reduces your expenses, but also creates less waste (less packaging and plastics) and means less carbon consumption (if you only require delivery once or twice a year, that’s saving a lot of gas compared to weekly or monthly deliveries).


I would love for you to share anything thats worked in your office (or home)!

Which is more important?

Are we a green-business or a business that is green? Which takes precedent; being green or being professional?


This was what we found ourselves struggling with while designing a marketing packet for prospective clients. We definitely wanted to include as much information as possible, and to maintain the professional appearance (single sided, good spacing...read: lots of trees). But does this contradict our mission and image as an earth-friendly company? When designing a multi-page informational packet; are professionalism and eco-conservation mutually exclusive? And, if they can somehow be reconciled, how much will it cost? Remember, we are a new business, so cost is always a colossal concern for us!

We spent a while brainstorming different ways to make a packet that was cost-effective, environmentally-friendly, and professional-looking. There were a variety of ideas discussed. Some were a little unorthodox; for example, I at one point suggested using recycled twist-ties from the supermarket to bind the packet together (okay, maybe more than a little unorthodox). One idea was to use both sides of the paper and another suggestion was to use hemp. I half expected someone to suggest tree bark as an legitimate option.

Ultimately we found a compromise in printing on extra long recycled paper that folds to make a four page (8.5x11) packet. So maybe you can have your (environmentally-friendly) cake and eat it too.

A Little Intro...

I work at a small “green” start-up and wanted to document all the trials and tribulations we will undoubtedly experience along the way in our quest to be environmentally-conscious and profitable. And maybe (just maybe) as our company matures and the misadventures become less frequent (knock on wood) this can also be a forum to talk about different environmental issues that we can all relate to.

It makes sense that a small business of a couple dozen employees who are all committed as individuals to being environmentally friendly, would commit as a group to being green. At the same time, it's a great business decision. A new niche has developed in the business world for consumers who don't want to feel guilty about their carbon footprints, and we hope to fill it. It also keeps our operating costs down by saving us on energy bills.

No one here would lie and say the financial aspect isn't a motivating factor in our efforts to go green, but it does help us sleep easier at night knowing that even if we aren't the real life version of Captain Planet saving the world, at least we aren't one of the bad guys destroying it.



*Feel free to comment on any post on this blog, it will be much appreciated!