Green Options

What were you thinking about on September 16, 2008? Green business ideas probably weren’t at the top of the list… September 15 was the day that Lehman Brothers went belly up, and you were probably more focused on your portfolio and savings. As such, Tim Sanders’ book Saving the World at Work (released on - you guessed it - September 16) got buried under talk of a second Great Depression.

Sanders and publisher Doubleday decided to give the book another go, and relaunched it on September 16th of this year. I’m glad they did: while the title led me to believe I was going to be reading another “how to” book on greening the workplace (which is not a bad thing), Sanders goes well beyond tips on saving paper and electricity. There are ideas for “greening” a company, but Sanders contextualizes these action steps within an examination of the “triple bottom line,” and a broader “Responsibility Revolution”: “…a broad-based movement of people and companies taking a disruptive approach to making a difference - contributing to our quality of life, locally and globally, for current and future generations.”

What to do when colleagues in the workplace just won’t — will not, will not, will not — reach a little further to the left with that grip of paper they no longer want hanging around, instead opting for the trash can rather than the nearby recycling bin?

Not long ago, when I finally joined Big Cooperate America after resisting for more than a decade, it didn’t take long to realize I had cloaked myself in an environment that was not ‘green.’

The company, a rather major one, considers itself an environmentally aware corporation. And it is — to an extent.

But only to the extent of its masses, which are still more inclined to consider recycling paper and plastic bottles the cutting edge of the green game.

Being environmentally conscious at the workplace can be a challenge, especially if your employer is resistant or doesn’t readily see the economic benefits of going green. However, on the flip side, many employees aren’t doing all they can either. By taking a few simple steps each day, everyone in the office can do their part to help the company become more eco-friendly.

A recent survey found that 73% of people believe it [...]