| One of the most valuable lessons I learned | | | | so many chemicals in our homes that are unsafe |
| growing up in Australia is how precious our | | | | for our children and our pets. Choose a product |
| resources are. In a small country like Oz, there is | | | | that is non-toxic and environmentally aware. |
| a respect for the land, respect for farmers who | | | | Choose paperless - change your status with |
| for decades made their living off the land, respect | | | | major utility companies and your |
| for a country that created wealth from the | | | | telecommunications providers and request your |
| natural resources and respect for the earth to | | | | statements and bills be emailed to you instead of |
| ensure it was there for future generations. As I | | | | posted. This small step has huge impact. It |
| grew up I saw this evidenced through practical | | | | reduces paper, electricity use, fuel and labour. |
| activities like recycling, water preservation | | | | Unsubscribe - remove yourself from mailing lists, |
| (Australia is currently experiencing its worst | | | | journals, magazines and articles you don't read. |
| drought in 100 years), tree planting for soil erosion | | | | Buy a refillable water bottle - while bottled water |
| and many communities choosing to reduce plastic | | | | is a healthier alternative to soda and some juices |
| shopping bags. | | | | it is also creating a huge amount of waste in our |
| I have noticed that lately being 'green' is a 'hot | | | | land fill as each bottle is used and discarded. Find a |
| topic' of conversation, movies, magazine features, | | | | non-toxic refillable water bottle that you can carry |
| advertising and education - I think that is great! I | | | | with you. Buy one for your car, your office and |
| believe the more we talk about it with our | | | | your gym bag. |
| colleagues and our communities the bigger impact | | | | Compost - just like you recycle paper and plastic; |
| we can have. | | | | think about creating compost for your grass |
| What does this have to do with productivity you | | | | clippings, vegetable peelings, old flowers and |
| ask? Simple really, if we are enjoying our | | | | leaves. |
| environment (whether that be work or home) we | | | | Choose plants with variety of purposes - choose |
| are going to use less energy and focus more time | | | | plants that can support the birdlife, create a |
| and attention on the things that matter most. | | | | visiting place for butterflies and provide flowers. |
| Here are a few some simple ways you can | | | | Drink tap water - at restaurants and cafes, ask |
| increase your green productivity and reduce your | | | | for tap water instead of bottled water. It is OK |
| footprint at home and work. | | | | to drink and will save on land fill, manufacturing, |
| At Work | | | | not to mention fuel carting it from one side of the |
| Turn off - remember before you leave your | | | | country to another. It is an easy choice to make. |
| office to turn off anything that requires power i.e. | | | | Test your home for lead - if you have an older |
| your printer, photocopier, computer and lights. | | | | home ask for an expert test for lead. This simple |
| This will also have an added benefit of reducing | | | | act is also a great protection for your children to |
| your electricity bill. | | | | avoid lead poisoning from paint and old style |
| Stop printing - encourage your team to question | | | | windows. |
| each time they press the print button - do you | | | | Eliminate air fresheners - those plug ins and other |
| really need to print all those documents, emails, | | | | air freshener products are full of chemicals and |
| reports? Can you view documents online or print | | | | not necessary in your home. Make your home |
| one for reference for a meeting instead of a | | | | healthier by removing these and replacing them |
| copy for everyone? Think of clever ways to | | | | with soy candles or pump bottle air fresheners |
| inform without needing to waste more paper. | | | | made of non-toxic products. I really like EON |
| Choose recycled paper - the quality of recycled | | | | Organics products - you can buy them online at: |
| paper is now high and is suitable for many | | | | Recycle - ask your trash company to provide you |
| projects. Instead of throwing away printed paper, | | | | with recycling bins. Yes it does cost more, but it is |
| ask yourself if you can use it again for internal | | | | a great way to make a difference in your home |
| use. | | | | and to role model to your children the value of |
| Use long life bulbs - can you replace your current | | | | this daily habit. |
| light bulbs with longer life bulbs? Ask your office | | | | Buy organic - where possible choose products |
| manager or office service to use more | | | | that have been grown naturally, without chemicals |
| environmentally aware items for your office. | | | | and with more awareness of natural breeding and |
| Place recycling bins on each floor - organise these | | | | living conditions for the animals. |
| for paper, plastic and aluminium. You can place | | | | Buy local - get to know your local Farmers |
| recycling bins in the lunch room and also paper | | | | Market and produce stores. If we all buy more |
| recycling bins in the mail room and on the floor. | | | | locally we support our communities and avoid |
| Encourage everyone to do their part. | | | | those huge tractor trailers sitting on the freeways |
| BYO Coffee mug - instead of getting a new | | | | burning fuel and causing more damage. It is fun to |
| paper or Styrofoam mug from your local coffee | | | | spend a Saturday morning investigating what the |
| store, take your own coffee mug and ask them | | | | local farmers have grown and it tastes 10000% |
| to refill it for you. If we all did this we would | | | | better than something that has been picked green |
| remove so much waste from landfill. | | | | and left to ripen in cold rooms and on trucks. |
| Offer paperless to your clients - many companies | | | | Select your supermarket - many major |
| have realised the cost and environmental impact | | | | supermarket are choosing to support their local |
| of sending thousands of pieces of paper to their | | | | farmers and produce i.e. Wholefoods and |
| customers. Can you offer a paperless alternative? | | | | Wegmans in the US and Coles in Australia. Choose |
| Smith Barney have taken this one step further | | | | to support these grocery chains. Look for an |
| and for each customer that goes paperless they | | | | organic line of items at your local grocery store. |
| donate funds to ERTHNXT | | | | Stay no to plastic bags - invest in a few fabric |
| Use rechargeable batteries - this simple act will | | | | tote bags and carry them with you to the store. |
| avoid dangerous lead batteries ending up in our | | | | Leave them in your car to remind yourself to |
| land fill. | | | | take them to store. Say no to all plastic bags, |
| Offer flexibility - can your team work remotely? | | | | these don't break down and cause damage to our |
| Can they job share? Can they travel at off peak | | | | landfill, our oceans and our wildlife. |
| hours? If you can allow telecommuting and | | | | There are so many ways you can help our |
| flexibility this also has a huge environmental | | | | environment but making small daily choices. While |
| impact. | | | | this list is not exhaustive there are many great |
| At Home | | | | websites and books dedicated to this topic. Check |
| Use environmentally friendly cleaners - there are | | | | out your local bookstore for more resources. |