Healthy Environment
REDUCE WASTE
Consider your packaging
Do you sell a product that needs to be shipped? Wrapped? Bagged? Take another look at what you're putting into the packaging. Is it all necessary to protecting your product? Are there cloth, paper, or cornstarch alternatives to any plastics you're using?
If you own a retail operation that is typically sending purchases away in a plastic bag, think about what you might be able to replace them with. Plastic bags are made of polyethylene, a petroleum product, and its production contributes to air pollution and energy consumption. Four to five trillion plastic bags are manufactured each year, and Americans throw away approximately 100 billion polyethylene bags per year. Of those 100 trillion plastic bags, only 1% are recycled.
The good news is - there are GREAT alternatives to plastic bags! Legislation in many countries and states banning plastic bags are leading to surge in production of fun and effective alternatives, and dropping prices.
Recycle everything possible
There are amazing recycling services available in our community - especially for its size - from basic plastics, bottles, cans, newspapers, food waste, confidential shredding, plastic film, batteries, cell phones, toner cartridges... the list goes on and on. If you're not sure what's recyclable - ask! The Recycling Hotline, Disposal of Toxics, and Sanitary Service Company can answer your questions and send you in the right direction for proper disposal.
RE Sources for Sustainable Communities has created the "Business Evaluation Program," a free service to help businesses in establishing their recycling and waste reduction systems. You might want to set up an appointment for your free evaluation if you have questions about how to improve your practices.
***EXAMPLE: Quicksilver Photo Lab and Gallery takes cardboard to Parberry's, batteries to Disposal of Toxics, and sends inkjet cartridges to the Funding Factory.
Reuse what you can't recycle
If there is something in your waste stream that can't be recycled - like a lot of random plastics in Whatcom County, in small amounts - take a moment to brainstorm what you might be able to do with that waste instead of throwing it away. Reusing mailing envelopes with plastic linings is a great example of what you could start doing right now if you're not already. Of course there are certain items that should be sent out of house with a professional appearance, but then there are others that can just be dropped in an old mailer with a new label.
Give away what you can't reuse
There are some items in Whatcom County that currently are not recyclable - typically certain forms of plastic. Ready to get creative? Not only is one person's trash another person's treasure, but there may be items you consider unusable that are still in a decent enough condition that somebody else would be grateful for them.
*** EXAMPLE: Fairhaven Runners collects reasonable and serviceable shoes from customers to donate to people in need at the Lighthouse Mission and We Care of Whatcom County.
***EXAMPLE: La Fiamma Wood Fire Pizza announces their non-recyclable plastic containers (the only item they haven't been able to find a recycling option for) on craigslist.org in Bellingham. Once they've collected a bunch and put them out by their dumpsters, they go like hotcakes - free to folks who want them for planting and craft projects.
***EXAMPLE: Greg Aanes Furniture gives away sawdust in a box filled with shavings that are available to the public and is frequently emptied in a short time, often used in personal gardens.
Learn more about zero-waste
The first 80% of a zero-waste effort is the relatively simple to implement - products and services exist to meet those needs for your company. Consider at least reducing the first 80% of your waste, and seeing where you can go beyond there over time. More and more local companies are beginning to implement zero-waste policies, including Ryzex Inc., a local barcode scanner remanufacturer, and La Fiamma Wood Fire Pizza.
STAY TUNED for a fall 2007 workshop entitled, "The Journey to Zero Waste," detailing how your business can easily begin reducing significant amounts of what it typically sends to the landfill.
Collaborate with other businesses
If you can't recycle an item, can't reuse it, and people aren't interested in picking it up from you for free, put on your thinking cap again and brainstorm other local businesses that might use your output as an input. "One person's trash is another person's treasure" goes the same for business. Consider used cooking oil! Just a few years ago it was considered waste, and now biodiesel manufacturers are starting to pay to pick it up from restaurants. There are a LOT of products in our waste stream that may be a prize for someone else - it's up to us looking for and finding the missing links to close the loop on waste.
PURCHASE RESPONSIBLY
Buy in bulk
An easy way to start reducing packaging is to buy in bulk - and it's cost effective too. There are probably many products your business purchases in bulk orders, and maybe more that you haven't considered. On idea is to check out your anticipated cleaning supplies costs for the year, and go ahead and make that large order once instead of every three months. It will not only cut down on trash, but save you time and money in the future.
Look for environmentally preferable products
The first step to disposal is what you purchase in the first place - not only will it determine how you get rid of it, but your purchase has the power to drive demand. Remember this power - and vote with your dollars! Whether you're remodeling your office space, printing new brochures, or hiring a cleaning service for your showroom - specify environmentally preferable products. Once you've seen a quote you'll know what choices you can afford.
Here's an easy tip: Grays Harbor Paper’s Harbor 100 is a high quality printing and writing paper - it won't jam in your copier! Harbor 100 contains absolutely zero virgin fiber material. Instead, 100% of the papermaking fibers are post consumer recycled materials purchased exclusively from high quality suppliers - AND it's produced with 100% certified renewable energy. Grays Harbor Paper is produced in Hoquiam, WA and is available locally at Northwest Computer.
Know when something should be certified
There are a lot of certifications to keep track of these days: Organic, EnviroStar, Fair Trade, LEED, FSC, etc. Take the time to familiarize yourself with the most important certifications in your industry.
PROTECT OUR WATERS
Take the Whatcom Watershed Business Pledge
The Watershed Pledge is a voluntary pollution prevention program developed by staff at Bellingham's WA State Department of Ecology office in the mid-90's. Nearly 600 businesses in Whatcom County have taken the Pledge, and countless residences as well. Set up a brief site visit with Cathy Lehman at Sustainable Connections, and learn more about how your business can reduce its impact on our watershed.
The Whatcom Watershed Business Pledge is a project of SC's Sustainable Business Development program.
Prevent treated water from entering storm drains
Did you know that storm drains DON'T lead to a water treatment facility? They are designed to drain rain from our roads and parking lots to prevent flooding. If you are washing cars or pressure washing near a storm drain, chances are that soil, oil, and debris are all washing into the drain and heading into Bellingham Bay, affecting our water quality and habitat for salmon and other aquatic life.
Remember, storm water, NOT wash water, goes down the drain.
Collect and use rainwater
In the U.S. 74% of fresh water is used in homes for drinking, washing, watering and flushing. Harvesting rainwater can be excellent source for non-potable sources. The City of Bellingham offers an instructional brochure that will help you through the process of building your own rain barrel by contacting www.cob.org or waterconservation@cob.org. Also, Sustainable Connections (SC) member Cypress Designs, offer rainwater collection systems www.cyrpessdesigns.com
Minimize the use of pesticides
As much as possible, avoid using commercial pesticides in your lawn care and landscaping. Not only will it keep people healthier, it will keep the ground and runoff free from chemicals as well. If you must use a chemical pesticide, treat sparingly, and make sure to cover your face and hands when doing so.
One easy way to avoid needing pesticides is to plant native plants as much as possible. They are more suitable to local weather conditions and diseases, and will be easier to care for in the long run - which also saves money!
Install permeable surfaces
Permeable surfaces help rainwater return to the ground through systems like porous concrete, interlocking pavers and reinforced grass surface. These strategies are examples of Low Impact Development (LID) that can be applied to existing neighborhoods as well as new construction. Two great SC members and civil engineers are 2020 Engineering, and Chris Webb and Associates www.2020engineering.com, http://www.christopherjwebb.com
Avoid disturbing waterfront habitat
Protecting our natural resources and wildlife corridors, while minimizing developmental impact, is an intricate balance. Fortunately, there are solutions and models that showcase BOTH systems working together. SC member Common Ground Environmental focuses specifically on the balance of human and environmental needs with regards to development - www.cgenvironmental.com
AVOID FOSSIL FUELS
Learn your bus routes
Whatcom Transit Authority has expanded their routes significantly in the last few years, even creating GO LINES along high traffic routes with busses every 15 minutes. If you haven't been on a bus in awhile, maybe it's time to give it another shot. Check out www.ridewta.com.
Get on a bike (or walk!)
We use much more energy in the form of fossil fuels to get ourselves where we need to be than we would expend in human power by our own two feet. When considering that obesity and poor physical fitness are rapidly catching up with smoking as the leading causes of preventable death in the United States, and the rising cost of gasoline, doesn't it make sense to bring exercise and transportation together? Plan your day so backtracking is minimized, and see how much more enjoyable it is to get your heart rate up a bit on the way to that meeting across town than circling the block looking for a parking space.
Bike to Work and School Day is every May and your business can have a big hand in the fun, but there are many ways to be involved throughout the year. Visit www.everybodybike.com for details on local biking events, mileage trackers, prizes and more!
Minimize single-occupant car trips
Beyond global warming, air pollution, traffic and all the other impacts of driving - it's also expensive. Carpools can be organized in an informal fashion among friends and colleagues who live and work in similar areas - or easily through a message board in a staff break room.
Invest in clean vehicles
Next time your business needs to add another truck to the fleet or a company car, think about the options available that will also cut down on your impact on the environment. Biodiesel is becoming easier and easier for fleet trucks, with improved technology and availability. The cost of hybrid vehicles are also coming down.
Create incentives for your customers and employees
Many local businesses offer incentives and rewards to biking customers during Bike to Work and School week in May of each year, but it would be a really simple way to share the values of your business by adopting a bike-friendly policy all the time. Some ideas include discounts, installing bike racks, providing directions on your website for biking, offering to hold purchases until a later date, and shower facilities for employees.
***EXAMPLE: Mount Bakery recently added table toppers in their restaurant announcing a discount to anybody arriving by bike.
***EXAMPLE: Steve Roguski at Fairhaven Runners encourages his employees to bike or walk to work with a small pay incentive - a $.25 per hour pay bonus for non-automobile transportation.
Install bike racks
The single easiest way to encourage folks to ride their bikes is to make space for bike parking. Covered parking is even more ideal. Racks don't need to cost a fortune, and can encourage customers and employees alike to visit you on two wheels.
NOTE: If your business is located in downtown Bellingham and has a public right of way nearby, you may qualify for FREE bike racks and installation thanks to a new pilot program sponsored by the City of Bellingham. For more information and to see if your business qualifies, contact Kim Brown @ 676-6961 or kimbrown@cob.org.
Use Community Car Share
Community Car Share of Bellingham is a 1 year old nonprofit that has purchased two vehicles for members to share. Based on the Flexcar model (but much better!), Community Car Share has a pay as you go system that is flexible and easy to understand. A Prius is located downtown in the parking lot of Bellingham Public Market, and another VW Beetle is available as well. Please visit http://communitycarshare.org for full details.
CONSUME ENERGY WISELY
Sign up for Green Power
Between September 2006 and February 2007, the Bellingham Green Power Community Challenge successfully increased Bellingham's Green Power purchasing by approximately 10% - making us the largest EPA Certified Green Power Community in the country! A partnership between Sustainable Connections, Puget Sound Energy, and the City of Bellingham, the GPCC was led by Founding Partner businesses who stepped up to the plate early in their commitments to renewable energy. More than 50 local businesses signed on to the campaign as Founding Partners, and the Bellingham City and Whatcom County Councils made 100% Green Power purchase commitments within weeks of the kickoff of the campaign.
Your business can sign up for Green Power, whether you pay your own electric bill or it's figured into the cost of your rent. Start driving the demand for renewably-generated electricity right here in Whatcom County! Learn more at http://www.sconnect.org/energy.
Turn down your thermostat
Thermostats, where they are located in your business or home, and how you set them can be the most important factor in determining the size of your fuel bill. One common myth is that when you reduce the thermostat for only a few hours it will take more heat to bring the space back up to the desired temperature. This is not so. You will save money and fuel because your heating system will not have to keep your rooms so warm during hours when nobody is occupying them. You will use less energy overall even when you warm up from a cooler temperature.
For greater ease and comfort, install a programmable set-back thermostat. They are available for most gas- and oil-fueled central heating systems. Most of these thermostats come with two setbacks, and some setback thermostats have different setbacks for weekends. If you frequently forget to setback your thermostat, the programmable setback thermostats will be a great investment. Even if you are already pretty good at remembering, these devices can frequently enable you to set back the thermostat a few extra degrees, providing you with additional savings.
Change ALL your bulbs
One of the quickest and least expensive ways to save electricity is to install compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL’s), which are typically 75% more efficient than incandescent bulbs. Compact fluorescents do contain mercury, so they cannot be disposed of in the trash. However, they last many times longer than regular light bulbs, so you can collect old bulbs in a safe space until you have enough to warrant a trip to Disposal of Toxics. The energy savings in one bulb is so high, that experts consider the use of mercury to be a nominal concern (if disposed of properly). Some time soon, we'll have energy efficient light bulbs without mercury, but until then CFL's are the way to go.
Replacing every bulb possible will make the most difference in your bills. However, for those businesses that depend upon lighting for showroom floors, retail displays, etc., consider lighting those spaces that DON'T require such high performance lighting like walkways, register areas, restrooms, employee break rooms, etc.
Puget Sound Energy makes replacing your bulbs with old light bulbs by providing FREE 18 watt CFL's to their customers. All you have to do is fill out the form HERE.
Recharge those batteries
If your business uses a lot of batteries, consider rechargeable batteries. Their technology is getting better, ensuring a longer charge and less hassle. Look for a recharger at your local electronics or hardware store and tell your employees where it's located and how to use it. Batteries should not be disposed of in the garbage, so the less we can generate used dead batteries, the better.
If you do use regular batteries, keep them in a ziplock baggy until you've collected enough to warrant a trip to Disposal of Toxics.
Install solar panels
Sure it's a significant investment upfront, but photovoltaic systems are becoming more and more affordable in the long run as we see more government subsidies and incentives and the payoff time decreasing. Particularly if your business is a large consumer of energy, solar panels could be very cost effective and pay off in a relatively short amount of time.
One common myth is that solar isn't a feasible energy source for our neck of the woods - and is definitely not the case. Since our sunny season consists of nearly twice as long days as our dark season, we actually make up so much solar energy in the summer as to create quite an impact. So if you see the meter spinning backward in the middle of summer, you're simply going to be using excess energy credits you've already fed into the grid later on that winter.
Check out www.ecotechenergy.com, www.sdc-homes.com, and our local chapter of Solar Washington with any questions.
TAKE YOUR CARBON SERIOUSLY
Calculate your greenhouse gas emissions
It's an early game yet in the whole carbon economy, but there is certainly one thing we can be sure of: the impact of carbon emissions costs money. Any early steps which can be taken to move the economy towards commodifying carbon, and thereby driving demand for cheaper alternatives, is a GREAT thing! Even if you don't decide to become Carbon Neutral, the first step is having information about what kinds of greenhouse gas emissions your business is responsible for. The whole process goes like this: MEASURE > REDUCE > OFFSET > CELEBRATE!
Calculate your impact with any number of reputable calculators: www.terrapass.com, www.carbonfund.org, www.nativeenergy.com.
Becoming a Carbon Neutral business
Carbon offsetting is the act of mitigating ("offsetting") your greenhouse gas emissions. A well-known example is the planting of trees to compensate for the greenhouse gas emissions from personal air travel - however tree planting is rapidly being replaced with more effective methods of mitigation like wind power, solar installations, our own local methane digester in Lynden, etc. Offsets may be cheaper or more convenient alternatives to reducing one's own fossil-fuel consumption.
Consider purchasing carbon offsets from a reputable company for your business, and let your customers and employees know. It's a big, big deal, and a pioneering step your business should be very proud of. Check out one of our favorite companies, NativeEnergy.
***EXAMPLE: Paul Haskins at Adventures NW Magazine recently made the commitment to becoming a carbon neutral business by buying offsets from CarbonFund.org Foundation.
Offset your travel
Even if you're not ready to become a Carbon Neutral business, one easy way to start moving in the right direction is adding the cost of a carbon offset fee to your travel expenses. It's not too difficult to add to an expense that is already pretty subjective, and it will help you and others (including the airline industry) start to see the true cost of air travel and start investing in solutions. Since greenhouse gasses emitted high in the atmosphere from airliners are more damaging than other emissions, we recommend if you're going to do just one thing involving your carbon footprint this year - this would be a great thing to start with.
Communicate your carbon priorities
Talk to your employees and customers about what your business is hoping to do to reduce its carbon footprint, and what impact that might have on their working and shopping experience. Odds are you'll find a champion in your ranks who is passionately committed to reducing carbon and will help lead the charge in your workplace. Not only is it smart to be ahead of the curve when it comes to carbon, but communicating to others what you're doing and why you're doing it will help ease the transition and make it more 'normal'.
Another important thing to remember - people are attracted to fun. If there are changes you're going to be making in your business, think about how you can communicate it in a positive, abundant manner. If you're eliminating plastic bags, put up a colorful display letting folks know what exciting things are happening as a result, sell funky cloth alternatives, and give away prizes for the best new bag design. Not only will a positive message include people in your decision, but will help them feel like this is a change for the better and they're so lucky this local business has taken it!
BUILD GREEN
Say no to toxins
Most paints, adhesives, carpets and products in our homes and business contain Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and can off-gas a substantial amount of toxins. Look for materials that contain “low” or “zero-VOC” and “urea formaldehyde free” labels. And if you can't find a product available here in Whatcom County, the Environmental Home Center in Seattle distributes environmentally friendly products for your home and business and is locally owned too!
Locate your building wisely
Creating communities that focus on compact, walkable business districts and neighborhoods are a large part of creating a healthy, vibrant city. Choosing to operate your business in an existing urbanized area promotes density in development instead of sprawl into nearby farmland, and alterative transportation like reduced automobile dependence, bus and bicycle transportation and pedestrian access.
***EXAMPLE: Northwest Computer worked hard to find a space in Downtown Bellingham that they could relocate to when moving their business, because it was a high priority to them to stay in the core of commercial activity.
Let in the light
By installing photovoltaic systems we can capture the energy of the sun as a power source for our homes and businesses. However, using sunlight to simply light our space is even easier, and has an inordinately positive impact on the health and productivity of employees - not to mention ambience for customers. Additionally, positioning a home or business to accept passive solar maximizes the natural light gained in a space. If designed correctly, the sun will not only provide light year round, but will assist with heating in the winter.
***EXAMPLE: The new LEED Gold Whatcom Educational Credit Union building on Holly Street demonstrates the use of natural lighting in their lobby.
Reuse building materials
One-quarter of all landfill waste comes from construction. Incorporating reclaimed or salvaged materials in your own project - whether big or small - is an easy solution, and also supports those businesses that work to divert usable materials from landfills. The ReStore in Bellingham is a great resource for your demolition and reclaimed building needs. www.re-store.org.
Install Energy Star products
There are numerous ways to reduce carbon emissions and expenses in the long term through your lighting, heating and cooling systems. Products in more than 50 categories are eligible for the ENERGY STAR designation. Look for the ENERGY STAR label for increased efficiency on computers, copiers, refrigerators - you name it. These products use less energy, save money, and help protect the environment. Check out www.energystar.gov for more info.
Two SC members that sell ENERGY STAR products in Bellingham are Village Lighting and Lehmann’s Maytag Supply.
