Thursday, March 6, 2008

Incidental Environmental Efforts

With so much talk about our environment, I looked at a checklist in a recent magazine. I wanted to see how our business and home stacked up. Here goes:

1. We use compact fluorescent light bulbs where possible.
2. While our vehicles aren't known for being especially fuel efficient, they also have to perform for our work, we keep them maintained so they burn clean clean.
3. We re-use office paper, then recycle paper, cardboard, plastic, metal, concrete and glass, as well as clothing, books and other goods.
4. We compost leaves, plants and stockpile soil.
5. We add compost, from local sources, to amend soil when necessary, less chemical fertilizers.
6. We use green cleaners where possible.
7. We are careful with our landscape designs and don't advocate traditional irrigation systems.
8. We use the stairs and not so much, the costly energy sucking elevators.
9. We drink from reusable plastic water bottles whenever possible, and buy our drinking water in reusable 5 gallon bottles. Even the Saline Garden Club advocates members bringing their own coffee cup to save on those gol darn Styrofoam cups. Our landscape crew members bring their own water bottles and we provide chilled, filtered water.
10. In a reorganizing spree, we put a few items on Craigslist.com and set aside a box of office supplies to go to a new teacher's classroom.
11. We try to drive only when necessary, combining trips. We also try to drive with efficient speeds to minimize braking and excessive acceleration.
(Driving without drama is what Jo Ann says)

What have I forgotten? How does your list look?

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