Green Business Bureau Blog
Visit The B Hive Salon for Sustainable Beauty Day
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2nd Annual Sustainable Beauty Day at The B Hive Organic Hair Salon
On Monday October 15th The B Hive Salon will open its doors for Sustainable Beauty Day. The event will feature hair cutting and styling services free of charge. Each client is encouraged to make a $15 minimum donation for the services and 100% of the proceeds will go toward The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation. The Foundation’s partnering NGO’s and civil groups in Brazil will lead an organized effort to plant and harvest the trees, ensuring that the “fruits of our efforts” will serve as a direct food source for in-need communities.
Last year’s Sustainable Beauty Day raised over $25,000 due to the participation of 54 salons in the US and Canada, and helped plant 6,000 fruit trees in Mozambique’s impoverished communities and at an orphanage in South Africa. Sustainable Beauty Day 2012 aims to raise $50,000 to fund a fruit tree planting project in Brazil.
The B Hive is a clean air salon using no sulfates, parabens or ammonia. All of their products are infused with organic ingredients and are never tested on animals. Consumers interested in healthy, innovative, organic hair care products and color performed by Certified Organic Colorists can call The B Hive Salon at 201-470-HIVE to make an appointment. Salon professionals can inquire as well for info on certifications and employment opportunities.
For more information visit their website www.thebhivesalon.com, or their location at 269 Broadway in Hillsdale, New Jersey.
Office Gemini Going Green Efforts
Office Gemini is a software manufacturer focused in the document management and document scanning industry. From great software products and implementation assistance to strategic document management and scanning consulting services, they are able to provide a wide range of services to end users and VARs equally.
As GBB Gold Member, Office Gemini was asked about their decision to go green? “Office Gemini strives to be a paper (less company) hence the development of our 2 products Dokmee a Document Management software and Diamond Vision production level scanning software . We realized that we need to practice what we preach and that’s how we decided to join the “Going Green” movement”.
When asked, What benefits has your GBB membership brought to your business in terms of operations, sales, branding, etc.? Office Gemini shared, “The biggest benefit I can say was bringing awareness and knowledge to our team about Going green initiatives that each of us were not aware of in our daily lives… It has helped us write more effective blogs about going green with Document Management Software and to teach others the effective ways of going paperless and going green ! We joined the movement”
When asked about cost savings, they shared, “Have eliminated the use of plastic cups, plates, utensils… every employee has brought in their own cups, utensils and plates for reusable use. Each department has brought in plants to help oxygen levels in our office… we are currently using recycle bins for any paper that might be used. Laptops and all computer and lights not in use are being shut up to help with energy saving costs”
Learn more about Office Gemini Products
GBB member Ecorite Imaging Helps Set the Stage for Obama¹s G8 Speech
President Obama gave a speech today launching a new era in food security — as a lead-in to the 2012 G8 Summit this weekend — in front of eco-responsible banners created by Paris Design. Paris Design, who also developed the graphic materials and conference signage, partners with Ecorite Imaging, Inc. <http://www.ecoriteimaging.
Hosted by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs <http://www.thechicagocouncil.
Bono, Hillary Clinton, African nation Presidents, federal agency and global corporate leaders participated in “Advancing Food and Nutrition Security at the 2012 G8 Summit.”
The banner backdrops feature African men and women engaged in sustainable agricultural practices. The banners were made of fabric woven from recycled plastic bottles – to underline the critical connection between sustainable environmental practices and food security needs.
All ERI biodegradable materials have unlimited shelf and display life. They are engineered to decompose only when they encounter microbial activity in the environment and specifically in anaerobic landfills. Traditional plastic substrates take centuries to start breaking down, while ERI’s bioactive plastics decompose naturally, depending on site conditions, usually in less than seven years, compared to hundreds of years for traditional plastic substrates.
Whether you are preparing a presentation by your board president, having the President of the United States as a guest, or simply want to use the most sustainable practices for all your print and display needs, Ecorite Imaging, Inc. and Paris Design are your “go to” companies.
To learn more about ERI products, or to request free samples, visit www.ecoriteimaging.com <http://www.ecoriteimaging.
What Does It Mean To Go Green?
Summer is just around the corner. Especially here in the South, summer means air conditioners going 24/7, and using lots of water for pools, lawns, and gardens. Are you ready to pay higher utility bills at home? What about for your business? Do you realize that you are paying up to 50% more than you should, due to decreased efficiency?
During the summer we all use up a lot of our natural resources, but most of us don’t fully realize the impact it has on our environment. Energy efficiency starts with YOU. Did you know that commercial buildings alone consume about 50% of the electricity used in the U.S.A.? Satisfying high energy demands using conventional electricity production not only leads to rolling power outages from stress on the power grid, but also drastically increased pollution. Willing to make a difference, the House of Representatives passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act, calling for carbon emissions (pollution) to be reduced 42% by 2030. That’s not that far away. How will you comply? Reduce your pollution output by increasing your efforts to “Go Green”. It can radically improve your resource usage while saving the environment at the same time…but what does it mean to “Go Green”?
As small business owners, we want satisfied customers, motivated healthy employees, reduced expenses and increased profits. The health of your business is measured in more than just profit and loss. You recognize that operating more efficiently enhances your bottom line. More than just finding the cheapest and fastest way to get things done, efficiency includes increasing productivity by reducing wasted resources. This is what it means to “Go Green”. The less energy and water that you waste, for example, the more money you will save – especially as utility rates continue to rise. In addition, the fewer resources you use, the less water that goes down the drain to be reprocessed, and the lower the demand on the power grid. This means less energy has to be initially produced, thereby producing less pollution. By producing less pollution, the entire environment is healthier. You reduce your emissions while reducing your bills.
Going green also means creating a healthier personal environment. A major part of this is improving your indoor air quality, (IAQ). Most people spend 90% of their time indoors. One EPA study found that indoor air may be up to 70 times more polluted than outdoor air! Poor IAQ currently costs U.S. businesses about $168 billion every year in productivity loss. Improving the IAQ in commercial offices has resulted in a more than 30% immediate increase in work productivity. Why? When the air you breathe is cleaner, there are fewer irritants and germs floating around to make you sick enough to go home, or just feel miserable at work. By improving your IAQ, you can help everyone affected to feel healthier, more alert, and therefore be more productive.
Save time, money, and the environment by supporting green sustainability efforts. There are many ways to incorporate greener practices and purchasing strategies (enviro-strategies) into your business and home. Start off with an efficiency evaluation of your current consumption of energy and water. You also need to have your IAQ evaluated, to learn how to improve health and productivity benefits – and that means a more favorable bottom line as well. Even large companies such as Wal-Mart, Nike, and Hewlett-Packard are increasing their efforts to go green, because they recognize that going green creates significant cost savings. Going Green may result in tax rebates, insurance discounts, and other financial incentives. It’s smart to follow successful examples. Additionally, the EPA is working hard to implement new environmental legislation and compliance enforcement regulations. Are you ready? Get an edge on your competition, and be the first to seek ways to promote greener practices in your own business – and home – environments. Invest in the success of your business, your community, and yourself. Go Green!
By Tina Gainey,
Certified Green Sustainability Specialist
Greenway Saves
Green/sustainability is not a trend – it is becoming a way of life. Greenway Saves (GS) is a conservation innovation consulting company. We offer enviro-strategy consultations, to evaluate your current efforts to reduce your use of energy and water; suggest methods to increase your efforts [including suggesting efficiency products from our hand-picked supplier network]; and certify your home or business as being one of three levels of “green”. Not only do we recommend ways for you to save up to 40% or more off your utility bills every month, but also how to implement greener practices to improve the health of your personal environment. For homes this can mean less time spent sick and at the doctor’s office, and for businesses it can mean increased productivity and decreased sick time use – an overall improved bottom line! PLUS, you may qualify for tax incentives and insurance discounts. It’s an immediate ROI benefit!
Watch our demo video, it explains everything:
Windsor Building Services Going Green with GBB
Windsor Building Services specializes in providing commercial janitorial services to businesses that absolutely must have their buildings cleaned correctly such as medical care facilities, ambulatory surgical centers, multi-tenant buildings, offices, manufacturing facilities, schools, churches, corporate headquarters, final construction sites and many other types of facilities. When you need dependable janitorial services you can rely on Windsor to provide the best, most convenient and environmentally-friendly solutions available today.
When asked why they chose GBB? “ we chose GBB because their initiatives were simple everyday things that we could easily implement into our procedures. We felt motivated to make changes immediately”
Windsor Building Services believes that anything that minimize their carbon footprint is beneficial. They are mindful that every single product and cleaning tool used has an impact on the environment.
“Reaching the Gold level was easier than we thought it would be. We are now striving to reach the Platinum level and that will entail some hard work. Implementing these new measures is not just for our company’s sake, we would like to see our employees applying these measures in their own lives. The number of plastic bottles and paper we consume on a daily basis is unbelievable – everyone should be doing their part to reuse and recycle. After all, don’t we want a clean environment for our children and grandchildren?”, Windsor Building Services.
Contact info - 1300 South Frazier Street, Ste 425
Conroe, TX 77301
Phone - Office (936) 756-7885
FAX - (936) 756-7882
Email: info@windsorservices.com
Green Tip May 2nd
The fastest and easiest way to save energy is to change energy usage behavior. For some energy savings tips please read http://www.seattle.gov/light/green/tips/tips2.htm
