Green Office Blog - LEED Certification: Your Next Step?

LEED Certification: Your Next Step?

Wednesday, July 23, 2008, 04:53 AM
Posted by Administrator

In the past few years large corporations have begun taking the green movement seriously. Since 1995, a diverse roster of companies like McDonald’s. Starbucks, and REI have built or refit their buildings and gained the LEED certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). There are also LEED certified Toyota showrooms and large office complexes like the 200 Market building in Portland, Oregon, the first multi-tenant LEED Existing Building (LEED EB) certified building in the country.

Offices around the country have been looking at how to be more “green”. For many, a new building isn’t an option. Even a LEED EB refit is out of the question. Other options and changes are being explored and implemented to create a more “earth friendly” environment.

There are, I’ve found, many shades of green. Does your company have a recycling program? If not, why not start one? Contacting your city’s solid waste division can score you the amount and type of recycling bins you’ll need. Then put together email memos or other company-wide notices announcing the program. Be sure to follow up periodically to remind everyone of the program and reinforce the importance of using it.

Want another “shade” to try? Why not switch from standard FAX to paperless online FAX? This will trim your electric bills and cut down paper usage.

If you search online, you’ll find there are a plethora of options for this. A few examples include eFax, online fax and Freefax. Some sites provide software you can download while others offer a toll-free phone number and monthly fees.

Whichever way you go – be it starting a recycling program, switching to online FAX or any other environmentally beneficial step – start somewhere. You and your employees will notice the difference.

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