How Green Is a Green Business Really?

When former VP Al Gore produced his Oscar-winner 'An Inconvenient Truth', and brought environmental consciousness to the public, there were lots of businesses going green already. It wasn't that they were ahead of the curve doing what was best for planet Earth. It's just that green business practices can often be more profitable. Getting new energy-efficient equipment for instance can save millions for any company. Wal-Mart for instance is turning itself ruthlessly efficient and cutting out unnecessary packing materials and other such waste. Since the retailer is so large, when it asks its suppliers all around the world to cut down on wasteful packing material, they all jump. Of course these businesses would be glad to let you think that they do this because they have Mother Earth in mind. But you do know better.So okay, green business practices make financial sense. But there is a point beyond which being environmentally conscious behaviour actually loses money for a company. What do they do then? They fudge facts, of course. The thing is, while the FTC does have lots of rules for what a company has to do to be able to claim credit for being green in any way, lots of businesses don't really do half of what they say. The FTC may have rules - but it never goes to check who's out of line.The small green business is always trying to sell you little precious ideas - shampoos made out of essential oils, cleaning products that contain no ammonia and that come out of agricultural waste, and so on. Did you ever give any thought to the possibility that these could be less green than the chemicas-stuffed mass-produced products you get at Wal-Mart? Lots of mega-retailers, Wal-Mart included will only sell concentrated cleaning products. What this means is, you only have to buy one package of a product in concentrated form as opposed to five of the environmentally friendly non-concentrated stuff. While small green business might love producing products that are great in themselves, producing non-concentrated stuff makes them use five times as much packaging. And the packaging, more than the product itself, is what causes all the environmental harm.The same goes for companies that use unrecyclable Styrofoam and plastic packaging materials. The alternatives tend to be heavier, and they tend to use more fuel in the transportation process. And that's where the real damage to the environment comes from. And finally, green business houses will often give green with one hand, only to take it away with the other. Companies like Toyota make great hybrid cars to help the environment of course. But then, they will also spend millions to try to get the government to take back some of its environment protection laws.The moral of the lesson is, it's very difficult to tell who was really green. And it will be that way until human nature changes.

Offsetting Air Travel Emissions As a Green Business Practice

We all know that air travel has impacts on the environment and a number of companies now include offsetting their air travel carbon impacts as one of their green business practices. However this is not as easy as it seems. Carbon emissions are not the only impact from air travel and different offset calculators use differing methodology to determine how much should be offset. Aside from this, the level of your personal emissions also varies depending on flight distance, the type of plane and whether you are flying business or economy. This article will help you understand some of the different factors that contribute to your personal air travel carbon emissions.Aeroplanes burn fossil fuels to operate which release CO2 into the atmosphere. There are different opinions on how much air travel contributes to global CO2 emissions with figures ranging from 2% to 10%. Not only are CO2 emissions an issue but aeroplanes also release water vapour, nitrogen oxides and methane. The environmental impact of these is greater when released at high altitude than what it would be at ground level. While these impacts are not entirely understood, it is generally agreed that a radiative forcing factor should be used when determining the impacts of air travel. Radiative forcing is the rate at which a given atmospheric gas alters radiation that is entering the atmosphere.Not all emissions calculators include the radiative forcing factor in their calculations which underestimates the environmental impact of the flight. To make it even more complicated there are differing opinions as to what the radiative forcing factor should be set to. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recommend a radiative forcing factor of 2.7 and this seems to be most commonly used. So for a more accurate assessment of your flights impacts, you want to choose a calculator that includes radiative forcing but the story does not stop there.There are a range of other variables that affect your individual emissions. First is the distance traveled and whether this is long or short. Short distance flights are less fuel efficient overall due to the fuel consumed during takeoff and landing but they also generate less condensation trails (water vapour) due to the shorter time spent at high altitude. The type of plane will also impact the level of emissions from the flight as newer model aeroplanes tend to be more fuel efficient.As for the emissions each passenger is responsible for, this will vary depending on whether the flight is full and whether the person is traveling economy or business. If the flight is not fully occupied, each person will have to offset a higher level of emissions to offset the whole impact of the flight and if you are traveling in business class, you are taking up more space and will be responsible for a greater percentage of the emissions.As you can see calculating the emissions to offset air travel is not as straight forward as it first seems, in spite of this an understanding of the factors that contribute to your personal emission levels from air travel gives you a better idea how your travel decisions impact the environment.

Dying the Green Way - How Green Business Practices Are Changing End of Life

Have you thought about what will happen to you after you die?As knowledge of how we impact the environment increases, many industries are considering how they can "go green". The funeral industry is no exception and the demand for green or environmentally friendly burials is growing. Funeral services offering green burials believe that aside from giving customers greater choice, they can also reduce the environmental impacts of chemicals in the soil as well as encouraging the use of biodegradable materials. This article discusses the main areas where the funeral industry is going green.More and more people are becoming concerned at the environmental impact of death and how this can be reduced. Green funeral homes provide a number of options to customers which will reduce their environmental impact after they are gone:

Not being embalmed - the choice to not be embalmed reduces the toxic chemicals leached into the land when a person is buried.
Choosing a green cemetery- some cemeteries are being returned to a natural state to provide habit for flora and fauna and reduce the use of herbicides and irrigation which are extensively used in traditional cemeteries.
Being buried in biodegradable materials such as plain wooden caskets, cardboard caskets or burial shrouds.
Although some of the options available to customers are clear, there is often misconception about embalming and whether it is legally required. Many people are not aware that embalming is only a legal requirement in certain circumstances and most often it is an individual choice as to whether the person is embalmed. This is good news for the environment as the chemicals used in embalming are toxic including a mixture of formaldehyde, methanol and ethanol. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency formaldehyde has been shown to cause cancer in animals and may cause cancer in humans. By not using these chemicals, the impact of them leaching and contaminating nearby soils is avoided. Some of the environmental impacts of burial can be avoided by choosing cremation. However cremation also impacts the environment by causing air pollution and carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels.Aside from green burial choices, there are other ways funeral services can implement green business practices. Some funeral homes are reducing their environmental impact by using recycled paper products for service cards and memorial books. Other ways to go green include choosing organic flowers grown without pesticides and chemical fertiliser and choosing local suppliers to avoid the environmental impact of transportation. In 2010 the Green Burial Council will put in place voluntary standards for burial grounds, funeral service providers, products and crematoriums.The funeral industry is one of many that are implementing green business practices. Through reducing both the environmental impacts of business operations and the impact of burial options, the industry not only reduces its environmental impact but also extends the range of choices available in the market. Consumers can support industry moves to go green by being aware of their options and choosing to support businesses that implement environmentally friendly practices.

Should a School Implement Green Business Practices?

Did you ever think you would send your children to school to become environmentally friendly? Once upon a time children were sent to school to learn only practical subjects however these days the range of subjects being taught to children has been extended. Schools now are looking to implement green business practices not only to reduce the environmental impact of the school but also to teach children about environmental stewardship. The desire to create new schools with green building concepts is not just about protecting the environmental but also recognition of how physical environments can affect learning. This article outlines drivers for schools to go green.Motivation for Green SchoolsSchools are one of the many industries seeking to green their business. As well as the cost savings that can result from implementing green business practices, schools also benefit by creating lessons for students around their own environmental initiatives. There is also recognition that green schools are not only better for the environment but are also better for students. By making sure classrooms have good acoustics, high-quality air and ample natural light a more productive learning environment is created. The importance of these factors is such that a number of States in America have policies requiring schools to be green.Green Business Practices for SchoolsSchools do not differ too much from other industries when it comes to green business practices that can be implemented. While they have some specific needs the key areas of energy and water use along with waste disposal still apply. Reducing energy use through making use of natural light and using occupancy sensors to automatically switch off light can create significant cost savings. In some schools solar energy is used to supply lighting needs. Water use can be reduced through installing low flow toilets and fixtures in bathrooms as well as educating students on the importance of saving water. Students can get involved in recycling programs not only reducing the waste disposed of by the school but also acquiring a good knowledge of recycling which they then take home with them. There are many green business practices that can be implemented without major alteration but new schools being constructed or those undergoing major renovation can be more environmentally friendly by creating green school buildings.Green Buildings in SchoolsThe US Green Building Councils LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification has a category specifically for school buildings. Aside from the usual green building issues, the certification also addresses such things as mold prevention and classroom acoustics. According to the Council 20% of America goes to school each day and greening both new and existing schools can impact student health, improve teacher retention and reduce school operating costs. A range of green school case studies can be found on their Green School Buildings website.Going green in schools is going to be an increasing trend. Although establishing green business practices can take considerable work the benefits of reducing operating costs and improving the well being of students and staff are likely to outweigh these. Further to this, incorporating environmental lessons around actions the school is already taking creates an understanding of environmental stewardship for future generations.

Will Green Business Take Off in 2011?

2011 is now underway and both individuals and businesses are refining their plans for the year ahead. There has been a lot of speculation about what will happen in 2011 and a quick Google search shows there are many predictions on key trends in economics, technology and the environment.Although environmental issues have enjoyed a growing awareness over recent years it does not seem that 2011 will be the year when green business gains traction and becomes common business practice. While the general consensus is that green business practices will not take off, the growing momentum of green issues is predicted to continue and the end of 2011 will see a greater global understanding of sustainability. As a result customers will increasingly ask about the environmental impact of a business and its products.Another trend is that customers will be increasingly important in 2011 and businesses will need to develop strategies that talk with their customers rather than at them. How a business defines and seeks out their customers is also likely to change. The greater use of technology is creating opportunities for businesses to reach out to customers beyond their immediate geographical sphere. The rising use of mobile computing and social media (another trend expected to continue in 2011) means customers are now more connected than they have ever been - not only with the business but also with other customers.This year there is also a focus on energy management. With the expectation of oil price increases in 2011, more and more businesses are realising that there are benefits in reducing costs associated with energy consumption. As well as having a positive impact on the bottom line, a focus on energy management to reduce carbon emissions prepares a business for carbon limits likely to be imposed (at least in developed countries) in future.An additional prediction for 2011 is that the gap will widen between businesses who have already started to implement environmental practices and those that have not. This gap may not impact this year but make it more difficult for firms without environmental policies to catch up later.Each business should consider whether these trends will influence how they conduct themselves in 2011. Introducing an energy management program or other green business practices will likely put a business in a more competitive position by the end of the year. Aside from benefits in reduced costs and better market position for the years ahead, 2011 will offer opportunities to engage with customers who have a greater knowledge of sustainability.