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'.

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?

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.

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)!

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!