What Does a “Green” Employee Look Like?

There is a new generation of professionals seeking to leverage their knowledge, experience, and passion to promote eco awareness and business sustainability.   Job seekers are seeking out opportunities that align with their career ambitions and personal beliefs.  This green workforce is enthusiastic about making a difference, but what skill sets should employers be looking for in these new “green” employees?

Green jobs have become synonymous with any job related to sustainability, climate change, alternative energy, the environment, and many other things.  They have also become a signal of a shift in employment criteria form people looking for: 

•    Work that fills a desire to take on action that makes a difference.
•    Work that transforms our environment, improves energy consumption, and gives back to the community.

As a professional consultant, I have expressed to clients that pursing “green-minded” employees is a natural extension of any business sustainability plan.   Businesses that are embracing eco awareness in their organizations are attracting top talent, and top talent is arguably the greatest business resource. 

 However, employers often limit their searches by determining the skills required for a specific job function.  Sometimes overlooked are the long-term benefits a potential prospect might bring to the organization.   In searching for that “green” employee to add to the company, our professional consulting reminds clients that there are some additional characteristics to consider:

•    A genuine interest and passion for business sustainability
•    A record of accomplishment in applying sustainability concepts in business
•    Experience and credibility within the local community
•    Complementary environmental, social, and business experience
•    Not “too-green” for positions requiring commuting, travel, etc.

Organizations are served best with employees who understand how a business functions as well as apply sustainability concepts that add value.  In addition employers need to consider applicants who are also practical and realistic.  An ideal candidate is one who has a balanced perspective.

Many active job seekers are looking at green jobs as source of hope in these economic times.  They are inspired by the spread of eco awareness around the world and the shifts occurring in the business.  The business world has a unique opportunity to capture the inspiration of today’s green workforce.

Posted via web from 3BL Media, CSR News, and Emily

How About a PB&J for a Day?

By Sodexo Guest Blogger, Bernard Brown

Last year on Earth Day you probably resolved to take shorter showers, or to start composting your kitchen waste, or maybe to take public transportation to work. These are all important steps towards a more sustainable life, but this year how about a peanut butter and jelly sandwich? Huh? You may think that it may sound quite tasty, but how does it help the planet? Well, eating a PB&J or other plant-based meal instead of one based on animal products is actually a powerful step towards fighting global warming, saving water, and using less land.

We’re not talking peanuts here. We figure that if every one of the ten million people Sodexo serves goes for a plant-based meal on Earth Day, instead of what they’d ordinarily eat, we could all save about 12,400 tons of greenhouse gas emissions, about 1.3 billion gallons of water, and about 5,500 acres of land.

And making a difference can also be delicious! We picked America’s favorite sandwich to show that helping the planet is easy and tastes great, and on Earth Day we’re looking forward to the creative PB&J-themed dishes that Sodexo chefs are inventing across the country to make just this point. Don’t like peanut butter? No problem – basically any meal built around grains and beans will work – pasta, bean burritos, falafel, tofu. (We don’t want to scare anyone away by saying this is healthy, but we can’t lie: eating more whole grains, legumes, and veggies is good for your health too!)

We’re not talking about major life changes here, just to put this change in the environmentally-friendly toolkit along with taking out the recycling, riding public transportation to work, or screwing in a compact fluorescent light bulb. Any time you’re staring at the menu and trying to make up your mind, it is an opportunity to make a difference. We’re delighted to see Sodexo taking this Earth Day to share this powerful message with millions of Americans. And besides, which is more fun to eat, a light bulb or a PB&J? 

Click here to read more Sodexo blog posts

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Posted via web from 3BL Media, CSR News, and Emily

10 Ways to Green your Cubicle

Most U.S. employees want to work for businesses that are environmentally-friendly, though many admit they are not doing enough to help create a greener workplace.  In our sustainability consulting we work with both businesses and individuals to integrate sustainability concepts into the workplace and daily lives.  For workers frustrated with your employer not bringing eco awareness to your workplace, here are 10 ways to green your work space:  

1. Bring an indoor plant to work. They give your office a little green flair and give oxygen as well as help filter indoor pollutants. Best office plants include: spider plant, jade plant, and the peace lily. 
2. Recycle at your Desk. 
3. Get your daily dose of green and Subscribe to Blogs: BestGreenBlogs, Idealbite, and Taiga Company.
4. Engage your co-workers with a custom designed Sustainability Plan.
5. Showcase messages on your cubicle that promote environmental-friendliness and decorate your desk with earthy and recycled materials and objects. Consider transporting your laptop in a solar powered backpack.
6. Put your computer in sleep mode. Do so whenever you are away from the computer for any period of time, including short breaks.
7. Go paperless. This is one of the simplest actions you can take, yet it has one of the biggest impacts. Only print those documents you must print.  Save paper and print double sided or re-use printer paper. 
8. Invest in reusable containers and utensils for lunch.  Have a reusable coffee mug and glass for drinking. To clean, have available eco aware cleaning products to use.
9. Turn off your computer and its power strip whenever you leave for the night.
10. Make sure your office switches off its lights at night.
11. Eco commute: ride your bicycle, take mass transit, or carpool to work.

Posted via web from 3BL Media, CSR News, and Emily

5 Ways to Recycle Eyeglasses

5 Ways to Recycle Eyeglasses

I don’t know about you, but I’m one of the millions of people in the world that has worn eyeglasses since youth. I think it was genetic for me since everyone in my family has horrible eyesight, but I’m also guessing that those many mornings watching cartoons in front of the TV didn’t help my sight either.

I’ve owned at least 10 different pairs of eyeglasses in my lifetime, ranging from my first gigantor big pink plastic pair, to my current wanna-be hipster big brown plastic pair. Sadly, since I’m a packrat, I still have my last 4 pair of glasses. I know that many eyeglass locations recycle your old glasses, but I always seem to forget to bring my old pair when the new ones come in.  So I wanted to see what other eyeglass recycling options were out there for the absent-minded folks like me.

Here are 5 ways that you can finally get rid of those outdated eyeglasses!

1. Search online for a recycling center

Earth911.com has a great search engine for recyclables on its website. Click on the above image and type in the type of item you’d like to recycle, as well as your zip code. A list of recycling facilities will come up, and you can find a location that’s convenient for you.

2. Lions Club International

Ever heard of the Lions Club International? In 2009 the Lions Club collected almost 700,000 pairs of glasses to donate to developing nations with its program Lions Recycle for Sight.

3. New Eyes for the Needy

Founded in 1932, New Eyes for the Needy is a non-profit organization whose sole mission is to provide good eyesight to the less fortunate.

4. Third World Eye Care Society Canada

Here’s the mission of the Canada-based charity organization TWECS: “To collect old unused eyeglasses and distribute these eyeglasses in conjunction with eye exams given by properly trained individuals. The distribution of eyeglasses shall be in developing countries where, because of poverty or lack of availability of eye care services, individuals are unable to obtain eyeglasses and primary eye care.”

5. Make ART!

If you just can’t get rid of your old eyeglasses for some weird sentimental reason, then you can always convert them into a creative piece of art. Take for example the recycled eyeglass Spectacle chandelier of London designer Stuart Haygarth. It was made from over 1000 old eyeglasses that were linked together!

Now that you know what to do with your old eyeglasses, take a deep breath, grab them from your drawer or from that box in your closet, and recycle them for a good cause!

For more information and videos about the organizations we featured here, visit our blog.

Greenopolis.com is dedicated to our users. We focus our attention on changing the world through recycling, waste-to-energy and conservation. We reward our users for their sustainable behaviors on our website, through our Greenopolis Tracking Stations and with curbside recycling programs.

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Posted via web from 3BL Media, CSR News, and Emily

The Truth About Millennials

In our soon to be released Eco Pulse study, we see that Millennials (those aged 18-24) are just starting to put their money where their mouths are. In fact, they do a lot of talking — and they exhibit some aspirational thinking — but they’re really only just starting to buy green products and change their behaviors.

http://amplify.com/u/2ebk

Posted via web from 3BL Media, CSR News, and Emily

Recycling Zychal: Hoods and Doggie Coats Made from Broken Umbrellas

http://amplify.com/u/2ebb

Posted via web from 3BL Media, CSR News, and Emily

Is Green Contagious? Zola Goods Moves Communities toward the Green Tipping Point

As green efforts progress they’re moving toward a “tipping point” at which green takes off to transform daily life for all of us. Becoming a Zola Coordinator with Zola Goods (www.zolagoods.com) provides a new income for many and moves communities toward the tipping point where green truly becomes mainstream.

Is Green Contagious? Zola Goods Moves Communities toward the Green Tipping Point | 3BL Media

(3BLMedia/theCSRfeed) January 20, 2010 – The economy may be recovering but we’re not out of the woods yet; the December US jobs report suggests we’ve got a long way to go, with millions of people still looking for new jobs and a new direction. Environmental initiatives provide solutions by creating jobs, businesses and a better future. As green efforts progress they’re moving toward a “tipping point” at which green takes off to transform daily life for all of us. Becoming a Zola Coordinator with Zola Goods provides a new income for many and moves communities toward the tipping point where green truly becomes mainstream. 

Founded in 2007 by Beth Remmes in Atlanta, Georgia, Zola: The Art of Living Green (www.zolagoods.com) provides people with an opportunity to share an empowering message and initiate change in homes across the United States, while also offering the chance to earn a supplemental income.  Zola helps people to become more conscious consumers, making purchases more consistent with the long-term view of our impact on the environment and the world we’ll have in the future.
 
Embracing a grassroots approach, Zola Coordinators hold eco-home parties and workshops in their communities. With interesting and sometimes startling facts, a Zola Coordinator takes guests through the life of an average American consumer and demonstrates how to make small changes to improve their lives and surrounding environment. We often don’t see how much of an impact we have, or how we can make a difference. The conversation frequently turns to how people can participate in their local communities, from community gardens, to farmer’s markets, to recycling efforts in their schools and neighborhood.
 
Solutions and trends that transform society often come from the ground up.   In The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell writes, “To create one contagious movement, you often have to create many small movements first.” Each Zola Coordinator brings together small groups of people to share ideas and take actions that create a greener and more sustainable future. Groups that connect at Zola Parties are centers of change, spreading the green message outward to the rest of their community.
                                                                                                                  
Zola’s product line is carefully determined using the triple bottom line value system that focuses on People, Planet, and Profit. Featured are some of the best eco-friendly products on the market including, energy and water saving devices, reusable bags, recycled paper goods and soy candles. In addition to environmental benefits, many of these products will also save people money. Unlike other direct selling companies, Zola has no selling or recruiting requirements. Zola Goods continued to grow in 2009, despite the lagging economy, demonstrating the consistent interest in authentic green information and products and in new opportunities.
           
Tony Kvale, of Kvale Good Natured Games LLC remarks, “Zola is a direct-selling model that is focused on products and principles, rather than pure profit motivation. Zola’s message is a long-awaited breath of fresh air!” Zola Goods is also a Green America approved company, awarded this distinction because of its principles, policies, and practices that improve the quality of life for their customers, employees, communities, and the environment.
 
Zola, of Italian origin, means “piece of earth.” By making small changes, each of us can heal our own piece of earth and together create an abundant future for our planet. Each of us can make an important difference, starting with decisions we make every day in our homes. “People may be confused, suffer from green fatigue, or be under the impression that their contributions would be insignificant, so they do not act,” says Remmes.  “By educating people about the green movement in a fun, non-political forum, Zola empowers people to realize that individual actions are imperative to the health of our environment, and lays the foundation for people to be more open to large scale change, such as alternative energy.”
 
Have your own green business and want to get involved? Zola also highlights other green companies. Is your green business listed? If not, add yours today.  
http://www.zolagoods.com/links.php

 
If you would like more information about Zola, or to schedule an interview with Zola founder, Beth Remmes, please call 770-715-4525 or visit www.zolagoods.com.
 
Blog
http://theartoflivinggreen.wordpress.com/

Twitter
http://twitter.com/zolagoods

Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/Zola-Goods/42089946946?ref=ts

 
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CSR Minute: Aramark’s “How-To Sustainability Guide”; CERES Survey on Climate Risk

Corporate Social Responsibility News: Aramark + International Facility Management Association’s “How-To Sustainability Guide”; CERES Survey on Climate Risk

’09 was the year for GREEN to SHINE | 3BL Media

’09 was the year for GREEN to SHINE

What a blast 2009 was. Traveling and meeting such fascinating and wonderful people. And such breakthroughs! Natural gas from landfills to run garbage trucks, solar power and green building breaking through to mainstream and learning about ocean pollution Let’s make a new year’s resolution together to recycle more and waste less. Let’s help with ocean pollution by keeping our recyclables out of them! Let’s enjoy 2010 together knowing we all can make a difference. Thanks to all we met along the way and cheers to their stories, jobs and efforts in making ’09 the year for GREEN to SHINE.

Greenopolis.com is dedicated to our users. We focus our attention on changing the world through recycling, waste-to-energy and conservation. We reward our users for their sustainable behaviors on our website, through our Greenopolis Tracking Stations and with curbside recycling programs.

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