Green Options

In business, even the most effective environmental program can be held back by employees who "don’t buy into it," or who refuse to put forth the effort required to participate. While educating current employees about the measures they will have to take to help implement the program exists as step one to making the greening of a business successful, step two is just as important. When looking for new employees, it is [...]

Whether it is Portland, Burlington or San Francisco, some cities just seem to give out that green vibe. So, what exactly makes a city green? Is it the number of farmers markets? Is it the quality of public transportation? Does it have something to do with the number of residents and businesses who recycle? Sometimes it is difficult to tell weather or not a city is truly green, or just gives out [...]

For those of you who do not live in Michigan, or keep up on its politics, it may come as a surprise to find out that our economy is pretty much in the gutter. Our unemployment rate is the highest it has been in nearly six months, and it seems the bad news keeps rolling in. With large cuts in the automotive industry, coupled with the dissapearence of jobs from such powerhouses [...]

When you think of a modern "sub-division," what comes to mind? Treeless cul-de-sacs? Expansive golf courses and expensive country clubs? Brand new homes with over-manicured lawns? Well, EcoVillage Ithaca (EVI) and others like it are attempting to redefine what it means to live in a small neighborhood outside of the city.

While many say the trend began with the communes of the 1960s, the eco-village movement within the United States gained most [...]

This week the world mourns the loss of an inspired activist and entrepreneur: Anita Roddick, founder of The Body Shop. Sadly, Roddick passed away Monday at the age of 64. Known for her passion for the environment and her commitment to fighting social injustice, the passing of Anita Roddick reminds each of us of how far she was willing to go for what she believed.

Beginning in the world of business with absolutely no [...]

No manager or owner with even the best of intentions can successfully green a business without the cooperation and participation of their employees. Given that employees have a host of other things to deal with while at work, motivating them to work towards environmental sustainability can sometimes be a task. Because of this, I have come up with a few techniques to help any business get their employees excited about going green. [...]

With more and more people graduating from college every year, the pool of potential employees is growing at a breakneck pace. Not surprisingly, these new additions to the workforce have very different values than those that arrived on the scene some 20 years ago. More and more, potential employees are looking to work for companies whose views are aligned with their own.

Given that environmental issues top the list of concerns for generation [...]

With the growth in green technology comes a growth in the green business sector. While this is great news, it begs the question ‘who will lead the business community in the green revolution?’ Oftentimes, business owners are far too busy to brush up on their sustainability knowledge and managers have so much on their plate, that the whole process may just seem overwhelming.

More and more, small and mid-size business are turning to ‘green [...]

How guilty to do you feel when you forget to recycle your rubbish from lunch, or accidentally put the wrong material out for the recycling company? If you suffer from Eco-Guilt Syndrome, there just may be a cure. Dom Anthony Sutch, a Benedictine Monk from Suffolk, is offering people the chance to confess their eco-sins.

At the Waveney Greenpeace festival this weekend, Brother Sutch will be on hand to hear [...]

As an Eco-entrepreneur, I often find myself wishing I had more control over my surroundings. From despising the carry-out containers used by a favorite restaurant, to wishing the local baker would stop double-bagging the bread, there are certain areas of day-to-day life that we just have to deal with. Or do we?

The reality of the situation is that there are steps you can take to urge your favorite businesses to go green. [...]