Author Archives: eco-officiency

About eco-officiency

Eco-officiency offers sustainability consulting services. We provide expert business advisers and eco-living consultants to assist organizations and individuals in becoming more sustainable in their work and personal lives.

Understanding Sustainability Terminology- Listen to the ‘The Story of An Egg’

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Story of an Egg, a short six minute documentary film about the real story behind such terms as “cage free”,  “free range,” and “pasture raised” eggs. Learn what these words mean and how they are misinterpreted. In this documentary these poultry farmers explain the real story behind such terms as “cage free,” “free range,” and “pasture raised” so that consumers can make informed decisions when they go to their local supermarket. story of an egg

The Story of an Egg is a great example of how the lexicon or terminology of sustainability can mean different things to different people. There are two organizations that are helping to define terminology within the sustainability and green industry.

1. The Lexicon of Sustainability is multi-platform project based on a simple premise: people can’t be expected to live more sustainable lives if they don’t know the most basic terms and principles that define sustainability. Through use of interesting and wonderful photographic images, they help create visual depictions of what these words mean.

2. The International Society of Sustainability Professionals has a Lexicon Project that has engaged sustainability professionals to come to a consensus on terminology used by the sustainability industry.

If you would like your employees to understand more about sustainability terminology, consider offering our training, Introduction to Business Sustainability.

Defining Green Team Roles and Responsibilities

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Happy team. Isolated.Green Teams are groups of green-minded co-workers and colleagues that can provide guidance and direction on sustainability initiatives within an organization. Often these teams are loosely formed and their role and responsibilities are not clearly defined. Providing clarity not only motivates the green team but can often help businesses go to the next level with their sustainability initiatives.

The following are possible roles and responsibilities your green team could have within your organization:

  • Conduct and analyze sustainability assessment/s
  • Set sustainability priorities and goals
  • Develop a sustainability project plan
  • Coordinate,  launch and support sub-task teams for sustainability initiatives
  • Advise on sustainability opportunities and innovations
  • Track, monitor and analyze sustainability metrics and measures
  • Address and manage challenges and constraints to the sustainability initiatives
  • Develop a sustainability communication plan and process
  • Recommend or provide sustainability education, support and offer advise to other employees

Green teams are an important asset to any organization and can be a source of motivation for innovation and business process improvements. According to Greenbiz.com, The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) released a not-too-startling report entitled “The Engaged Organization: Corporate Employee Environmental Education Survey and Case Study Findings” which confirms:

“By engaging employees, companies can spark innovative changes in everyday business processes that save money and reduce environmental and social impacts while also inspiring employees to make sustainable choices at home and in their communities.”

For more information about how to effectively build a green team in your organization, contact us.

Water Saving Tips for Colorado Residents

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hand turning a tap on, isolatedAlthough Colorado received some incredible snowfall in April 2013, our water table is still low and drought conditions still exist.

According to the United States Drought Monitor approximately 90% of the state of Colorado is still identified “severe to extreme drought” conditions. It is important to be water conscious while Colorado still is in drought conditions.

As the season of hotter, drier weather approaches Colorado residents can begin participating in several water conservation efforts that will assist in preparation for the summer when the drought will likely be at its peak. Colorado residents can:

  • Water lawns between 7pm-5am and limit sprinkler use to only 1-2 times per week. Colorado residents should be aware that many counties will have mandatory restrictions. Denver Water has posted their drought watering times and restrictions.
  • Keep your grass longer by raising lawn mower blades and mow less frequently.
  • Consider xeriscaping your lawn or garden.
  • Repair leaky faucets and toilets. According to National Geographic ten gallons a day is lost through leaky faucets.
  • Consider converting to low-flow and WaterSense certified toilets, faucets and washers. Denver Water is currently offering rebates on both.
  • Take 5 minutes or less showers which can save about 12.5 gallons of water.
  • Be mindful of not letting your faucet run while brushing your teeth or shaving. Considering installing a foot pedal from Foot Faucet to reduce running water while using the kitchen sink.

For continuing updates on the drought, information on the current water restrictions and additional conservations tips please visit the Denver Water website.

Energy Produced from Footsteps: New Innovation Of Pavegen Floor Tiles

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pavegen tileIf you have ever seen those street scenes of New York City in the movies, you can really see how a product such as Pavegen, a simple rubber tile with a spring-like action which generates energy when stepped on, is a brilliant concept when it comes to harnessing human energy power.  Just imagine all the different places that could take advantage of people walking, jumping, dancing or just waiting in line, to harvest the kinetic energy generated by their stepping on Pavegen tiles.  These are the innovations that are possible for the future of sustainability energy solutions.

Affordable

The creation of these energy producing rubber tiles is affordable to begin with but with more large scale, and attention grabbing installations, the cost will continue to be attractive.  As people become familiar with the product and understand how much potential there is for application in business environments, the mass-production and subsequent drop in cost is inevitable.

Interactive

The initial applications were in schools where foot traffic throughout the day is fairly constant.  After all, these kids of today are our energy consumers of tomorrow.  They embraced the technology and even had fun with the interactive aspects of the product.  People really responded to the way the tiles light up.  In fact, they went out of their way to take time to generate power through play as seen in this video.

Applications

The goal is to create clean and pavegen conceptreliable off-grid energy that can be used to power various applications such as charging stations or lighting solutions. With enough power generated you could feasibly power an entire building. In an airport, for example, the heavy foot traffic could generate enough energy to power all the electric signage in the area.

Clean Energy

Kinetic energy is totally clean and sustainable and with new technology it has meant that the power generated can be used immediately stored in batteries.  In this way the energy can be more directly focused for optimum usage.

Green building options continue to be forefront in planning as we move into the future.  The Pavegen floor tile is an exciting solution that is worth watching as the site installations continue to grow and produce.  It is definitely one of the more exciting products we have seen recently.

Sustainability Resources for Small to Medium Sized Businesses in Denver/Boulder Colorado

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Denver is leading the way for the denvernation in striving to become the “greenest” city in the country.  Greenprint, CORE, Alliance for Sustainable Colorado and many more sustainability groups have played a vital role in Denver being named recently as 5th Greenest City Overall by Siemens.

Each of these organizations offer a wealth of resources to support small and medium sized businesses in the Denver/ Boulder area including:

Certifiably Green Denver: An Environmental Business Assistance Program with Greenprint that assists Denver businesses in identify opportunities to reduce waste, energy, air pollution and water.

CORE Catalyst: A program sponsored by CORE that matches talented graduate students from our leading Colorado Universities to do sustainability assessment and recommendation plans.

Sustainability Calendar: Managed by the Alliance for Sustainable Colorado, this calendar keeps track of all the Colorado sustainability events and activities.

Here are also some other ideas and initiatives to investigate in becoming a green business:

  • The Denver Energy Challenge will encourage energy efficiency investment in our state and help advance our energy independence through large scale upgrades.  They hope to have 1,200 businesses participating by May 2013.
  • A carbon calculator is a great way to find out how you can help lower the release of carbon dioxide into our air.  This tool will help you find ways that your business can save energy and money.
  • They challenge you to join the Energy Star® Change a Light Pledge by changing at least one regular light bulb to a compact fluorescent bulb.
  • You can also find links to LEED®-certified builders or Energy Star® builders who can help you with your design plans for your business or with additions to existing structures.
  • Of course, one of the simplest ways to make a real change with very little investment is to plant a tree!

At Officiency our mission is to support organizations and consumers in developing and implementing eco-friendly initiatives to reduce environmental impact, resource consumption and waste while maximizing efficiency within business and home environments.  We hope and strive to have Denver become the number one greenest city in North America!

Contact us and we can help you take small steps that will make a big impact.

Recommended Sustainability Apps to Track and Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

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carbontracker_appThere are apps that are designed to measure business and individual carbon footprint from daily activities. These apps not only identify the environmental costs of your business activity, they also suggest ways to reduce your energy usage and other activities that you can do at home or work to reduce your carbon footprint.  Here are some recommended carbon tracking apps for business and individuals:

  • Carbon Track by SAP gives users an estimate of the CO2 emissions associated with key business activities such as travel, electricity  usage, and waste disposal and helps them understand their environmental impact.  For example, users can calculate the environmental impact of their next business trip and compare the CO2 emissions of different forms of travel.
  • Carbon Tracker by Softzilla is an iphone app that helps businesses measure carbon with certain business activities such as with different modes of transportation, switching off different types of office equipment and carbon effects of business waste.
  • Green Outlet is similar to Carbon Track but is designed for residential use.  Green Outlet helps homeowners discover which of their household appliances use the most electricity, predict their monthly electricity bill, and make informed decisions about their electricity use.  The app will also alert users when they have exceeded US guidelines for recommended carbon usage and connects users to options for purchasing carbon offsets.
  • Green You can help individuals take steps toward greener living.  Users begin by entering basic information about topics such as transportation, food, and housing to calculate their carbon footprint.  The app then helps users identify specific actions they can take for greener living.  The app tracks progress over time.

Contact us for more information on how we can help you reduce your carbon footprint and improve your environmental impact.

PedalSmart Bike Ambassadors Program in Boulder – Free Training on Biking to Work

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PedalSmart_LOGO_WEBPedalSmart is a Boulder, Colorado based program used to encourage commuting to work via bicycle. PedalSmart Bike Ambassadors come to your place of business and give interested employees all the information and training they need to promote and inspire success. This is fully funded so the employer pays nothing. This program is sponsored by Community Cycles which has been promoting cycling in Boulder since 2006.

There are several benefits to having your employees bike to work:

  • Easier parking. No bike racks? Community Cycles can provide them at a very low cost.
  • Healthier employees means less sick time.
  • When biking, workers tend to arrive on time and in a good mood.
  • By promoting a bike-to-work program, you can apply to be part of the Bicycle Friendly Business program that presents awards and national recognition to businesses.
  • Earn prizes–As part of the program, your employees are given tools they can use to track their mileage. By keeping a record of how much they ride, they become eligible for prizes.

The City of Boulder provides excellent bike path maps and route finders. Would you like assistance integrating this and other alternative transportation programs into your entire sustainability plan? Contact us.

Alternative Transportation Options in Downtown Denver

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Not only is driving a large impact on climate change it also can be costly with gas and parking, especially if you are traveling to the downtown Denver area. In Denver, we are fortunate there are alternative transportation  options available. Options include the light rail, bus, bike and airport shuttles. In addition to these mass transit options there are public charging stations for the growing number of electric and hybrid vehicles in the area as well as car sharing programs.

Light Rail

The light rail system in Denver goes from Denver light railthe suburbs into downtown with 36 stops along the way. Most of the track follows the I-25 and is a great way to beat the traffic into work or to the big game. Many of the stops have free parking and fares are less than the cost of parking downtown. The bus system also connects at many of the light rail stops. Visit RTD Denver’s website for schedules.

Bus

The bus lines in Denver are extensive. In addition to the metropolitan service in the city of Denver the Regional Transportation District expands service into suburbs. Business travelers who need to fly to Denver International Airport can take one of the many commuter shuttles directly to the airport.

b CycleBike

Denver has hundreds of miles of dedicated bike trails available for riders. These trails improve safety by providing a lane for bikes to travel that is away from traffic. Denver also has a pilot program for sharing bikes. The B-Cycle program provides over 500 bikes at 40 different sharing stations. This unique option allows anyone with a credit card to borrow a bike from one station and return it to any station they choose. No round trip is required.

For those who don’t want to pedal themselves around there are Pedi-Cabs available in the downtown area. Pedi-Cabs are a combination of a bicycle and cart which allows passengers to sit back while someone else does the work. These human powered vehicles are widely used in downtown Denver as a great option to get around the downtown area.

MallRide

The 16th street shuttle is actually an alternative fuel vehicle that runs up and down the 16 block core of downtown. Called Mallride this vehicle is a hybrid that will quickly transport you to the hotel, shop or restaurant of your choice.

Car Sharing

eGo CarShare is a local based car sharing program that provides access to a network of energy-efficient vehicles throughout downtown Denver (and Boulder) area. It is a pay as you drive system that allows members to pay per trip without the commitment of owning a car. Vehicles are conveniently stationed, often near transit and bicycle facilities and are accessible to members with valid reservations 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Electric Vehiclesplug in

Alternative transportation doesn’t have to mean mass transit. A growing number of consumers are purchasing hybrid and all electric vehicles. Denver is also growing their infrastructure with public plug in locations. Luckily there is an app, Car Stations, available that gives the location of plug in stations in the Denver area.

For more information on alternative transportation options, please contact us.

Sustainability Professionals Conference in Chicago May 8-10, 2013

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issp_logoThe International Society of Sustainability Professionals (ISSP) is hosting its next conference of ISSP members and other sustainability professionals from May 8–10, 2013 at the Millennium Knickerbocker Hotel in Chicago, Illinois. Speakers from GRI, Alaska Airlines, The Nature Conservancy, Presidio Graduate School and other top flight organizations will address conference attendees. K.J. McCorry, sustainability consultant and owner of eco-officiency will be presenting on ‘Becoming an Effective Facilitator’ specifically for sustainability professional. Sustainable Urban Communities, Integrated Reporting, Sustainability In the Industrial Sector and Green Architecture are just a sampling of the great content that will be presented. Discounts are available through April 1st. See the ISSP website for more details on the sustainability professionals’ conference and how to register.

Greener Printing Methods and Products for Small Businesses

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Cartridge ChangingIn Office Depots 2012 Small Index Study, they found that 60% of small businesses want to green their ink and toner cartridges. Not only are printer and toner cartridges expensive for businesses, they have a high environmental cost. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), over 350 million printer cartridges are thrown away each year, and each one takes over 450 years to decompose.  That’s a lot of cartridges filling up our landfills.

There are several ways to green up your printer usage.

  1. Recycle Used Cartridges: Recycling used printer cartridges is a popular way to save money and help save the environment. Many office supply stores will take back used cartridges and give you a store credit in return. Office Max and Staples both offer a $2 credit for each cartridge, which also saves you money on office supplies if you purchase from these businesses. There are also numerous toner cartridge recycling businesses popping up nationwide. In addition to the environmental benefits, recycled cartridges often cost half of what new cartridges do, offering savings to business owners.
  2. Use Soy Ink: Another option is to switch to soy ink, instead of the more common ink products, which are petroleum-based.  Soy ink has several benefits. It is made from soy oil, which comes from a renewable resource, while petroleum products are not. Soy ink is more biodegradable, degrading four  times faster than regular ink. Also, less soy ink is required for the same amount of printing, leading to few cartridges made and fewer cartridges thrown away.
  3. Consolidate Printing: A final option is printer consolidation. Consider removing desktop printers and fewer networked printers. This leads to less printing by your staff and fewer cartridges that need to be purchased. Educating your employees on the costs of managing paper is also beneficial for a company attempting to go green in the printing department.

If you would like to move to a paperless office, then contact us for more information.