Sorting out the green paper madness

You've decided to do the right thing and go green with all your paper goods. Forms, applications, even holiday cards. So you start shopping for the greenest choices, but before long, your head is aching and your mind is swimming.

Recycled........

Post Consumer...........

Certified...........

Pre consumer.........

Renewable........

Natural.........

Organic........

Reduced Carbon Footprint....

STOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What does it all mean???????

Here are a few websites to help clear up the madness and direct you towards the right materials for all your business paper.

For greeting cards, business holiday cards and such

For computer paper and copy paper and other general office paper

For photographers or anyone who uses photo paper

For businesses that buy paper in large quantities

Looking at the long run...learning about lifecycle costs

Sure, that new server or car or television set has a big seal proclaiming its energy savings. But that's for now. What are the long term energy and waste costs of owning it? And how do those compare with competing solutions that might have bigger seals or lower apparent efficiencies to start?

Years ago...maybe even decades, companies started looking at the lifecycle cost of technology and electronics. But the process fell out of favor.

The costs for running the numbers were too high. And the results were all too often unreliable. But as businesses become more concerned about the long-term costs of technology purchased today, the concept of lifecycle costs is making a comeback.

According to an article by Joel Makower,

In the past few months, LCA [Life Cycle Analysis] has moved to the forefront of corporate environmental efforts, propelled by enabling technology, the prospects of climate change legislation, and the growing demands for radical transparency by consumers, business customers, government regulators, and retailers, notably Walmart. And it's not just about modeling individual products and processes. LCA is moving from the shadows and into the limelight, a strategic tool for environmental leadership companies.

That's good news for cost and environmentally conscious companies...and for the rest of us who stand to benefit from cleaner, more cost-efficient technology. Read the rest of the story at The Renaissance of Lifecycle Thinking | GreenBiz.com



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The Truth About Green Business

The Truth About Green Business | The GreenBiz Bookstore | GreenBiz.com

Too many business owners and managers think they need to make a choice between being green and profitable. The author of this book dispels that falsehood and teaches you how greener business practices actually mean more green in your pocket!

We met an example of this earlier in this blog when we met carpet giant and successful business man Ray Anderson...learn why his story could be yours!

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The high cost of idling....

Soccer Moms and ballet Dads turn off your engines

Author: Lance Shugerman

It’s only a minute or two, right? Just waiting for your child to come out of school or get off the bus. Just a couple of minutes before ballet class or football practice ends.

But have you ever added up all those “few minutes?”

Idling your engine for five minutes a day waiting to pick up your child at school, multiplied by 180 days in the school year equals 15 hours a year.. Would you leave your car idling outside your house for 15 hours?

....Read the rest at ArticlesBase.com - Soccer Moms and ballet Dads turn off your engines

From Articlesbase.com.