Chicks go green...

Greening Your Work Space

Are you ready to go green at work? It can be a challenge to achieve a more environmentally-friendly work space. Our advice is to take it one step at a time.

This week’s tip: Save paper; do you really need to print it out? 

•  Print out fewer documents
•  Read your documents on-line or on your mobile device 
•  Buy recycled paper
  

Specifically seek out Post Consumer Recycled. (Often called PCR or PCW; post consumer waste.) Be wary of recycled paper that does not indicate the percentage of post-consumer content.

Check out Mr. Ellie Pooh the green business of the year for 2008 making elephant-poo paper.Choosing Mr.Ellie Pooh papers and products partially made from elephant dung, helps to preserve forests, provides jobs in Sri Lanka, and saves the elephants.

On-line retailer Green Office shares the philosophy that “businesses should exist to improve lives while sustaining the planet.” Green Office challenges manufacturers to do their part and empowers you to do yours by offering webinars like Office Greening 101.

For a detailed list of resources to help you green your work space, visit planet green.

Energy audit

Did you ever want to have an energy audit done on your home but didn't know how? With the cold winter months approaching, now is a great time. Here are some details.

• Contact your local utility company (they sometimes offer free audits).
• Contact a local energy assessment professional or home energy auditors (google home energy audit and your city name to get someone near you).
• Do an energy audit yourself. Visit: http://hes.lbl.gov/
• Here is the US Department of Energy's website with information about audits.

A professional assessment runs about $350 to $500 but will pay for itself with the energy savings you will benefit from if you make improvements.

Transportation tips

There are some easy ways to save on gas and energy. You can promise to take fewer car trips, and replace them with walking, biking or public transportation (or even riding a horse). One way to keep track of how much you are spending on gas (so you can see it go down) is to start tracking everytime you buy gas. Keep a notebook in  your car and write it down!

Think about all the bonuses you reap if you cut down on car trips. You will get more activity/exercise (burn calories), more fresh air, reading time (if you take the bus or metro), and community interaction.

What's not to love about that?

Some great links... for real food

I subscribe to the Green Guide put out by National Geographic and they had some great tips for sources of real food:

• Search for farmer's markets, family-owned farms and other sources of locally grown produce by entering your zip code at:  http://www.eatwellguide.org
• Locate restaurants that serve organic cuisine at: http://www.chefscollaborative.org.
• Find local food in the Midwest by clicking on: http://www.familyfarmed.org
• Learn more about the joys of eating locally at http://www.slowfoodusa.org

They also have an online newsletter to keep you up-to-date on all things green. Check it out here: http://www.thegreenguide.com/newsletter.

You can also order a subscription through Amazon:

Green Guide, Summer 2008 Issue

Green for the holidays...

Here are some great books that will give you lots of green ideas:

Green Guide: The Complete Reference for Consuming Wisely

 
True Green: 100 Everyday Ways you Can Contribute to a Healthier Planet (True Green (National Geographic))

 

True Green Kids: 100 Things You Can Do to Save the Planet

Green Planet

I just found the tv channel, green planet, the other day. Emeril has a great show called "Emeril Green" and I just love it.

Check it out and see if it is on your cable network.

Checking in...

I went to Dallas recently for the eWomen Network conference and was bombarded with marketing messages. It was a bit overwhelming at times but I had a great time anyway. I didn't go to the conference to build my business (I have just the right number of clients), I went for my personal development. I am going through a divorce right now and the conference really empowered me to remember how beautiful I am. What struck me most was the video montage at the end of the last day. It showed pictures of the women at the conference and every one of them was smiling and radiating their beauty. They might not have been "good looking women" (although some of them were), but they were all beautiful and smiling and radiating their good fortune. They all looked FABULOUS! That reminded me of the fact that anyone can be beautiful if they have a smile on their face and are enjoying life. It doesn't matter how big or how small you are, as long as you are happy--you are beautiful.

A friend of mine sent me a link to a blog post the other day and it reinforced that message. It is more about body image but the end result is the same--I am perfect just the way I am.

Here is that blog post if you are curious:

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=61706395&blogID=400908621

The author is an excellent writer and I was moved by her words. Happy Monday.

Another great blog...

I am always on the lookout for great blogs to follow and I just found another one that is noteworthy:

www.ecowomen.wordpress.com

I love their subtitle: "Protectors of the Planet!" So, stay tuned to their blog and keep the green flowing.

Eco-friendly dry cleaners

I just found a website that lets you look up by zip code and find green dry cleaners! I am thrilled to know that I have several choices in my immediate area. Check them out here:

http://nodryclean.com/

Another great green biz...

I love to promote other green businesses and today I am here to tell you about a very special new company. They are launching September 1st, but have some great pre-release pricing. I just had a demo of the system today with Lloyd Eggers, CEO/President, and I am trully impressed by what they are going to be offering. Please note that although we have the same company name, we are not affiliated (but I think very highly of them). Here is a little bit about Green Office Solutions:

Green Office Solutions.biz is "Your Anywhere, Anytime, Green Office Solution". Increase your productivity, decrease your travel time, and your carbon footprint!

Let’s face it gas is expensive and will only get more expensive in the future. Always driving or flying to meet customers no longer makes sense. It’s time to find a new way to meet your customers, business associates and/or co-workers.

Start saving time, money, and the environment today. All you need for a brand new way to meet with customers, business associates and co-workers is an internet connection and Green Office Solutions.biz!

They are offering a front end package with a great meeting/webinar space that is super affordable and full featured. Check them out here:

www.greenofficesolutions.biz