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While most of the coverage of ‘green’ issues in the media and in environmental campaigns tends to focus on how an individual can promote a more eco-friendly lifestyle, arguably the biggest impact on the environment can be achieved by businesses and corporations addressing these issues. In this post I explore how a business can actually achieve environmental targets by keeping accurate records of their fixed assets – ie equipment, machinery, vehicles etc – and their carbon footprints.

Fixed asset management has many advantages. It allows your organisation to manage internal and external service providers to reduce administrative costs associated with asset maintenance and repairs. Software-based systems can capture data adrift in paper-based processes and provide asset-specific total cost of ownership information that can be analysed at a corporate level. However another dimension has been added that makes reliable asset management programmes even more essential. Whether you agree with the theory of man-made global warming or not, the UK government has decided to adopt a target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80% over 1990 levels by the year 2050.

Image credit: johnb/uk

The Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) requires that companies must achieve energy efficiencies (or purchase allowances from the government) based on the amount of CO2 emitted. Companies that achieve significant reductions will be rewarded financially. Those that do not will suffer the consequences. Carbon taxes will inevitably become more significant mechanisms for the Exchequer and there’s likely to be an increasing emphasis on enforcing regulations governing the collection, treatment and recycling of all sorts of waste, especially electrical and electronic equipment as specified by the WEEE directive. The Carbon Reduction Commitment will affect approximately 20,000 organisations in the public and private sectors and the Environment Agency requires disclosures to be submitted by those companies by the summer of 2010.

Sustainable environmental management is not only concerned with supply chain resource or carbon emissions management. It also addresses the wider issues of sustainable planning and design, waste reduction, water management, the efficiency of electronic and electrical equipment etc. All these facets of business operations are inputs into an organisation’s environmental impact and ultimately its bottom line. From a sales and marketing point of view, companies are also going to have to prove their “green credentials” to consumers and who are increasingly demanding that green tinge of virtually every product or service. Doing all this will create a significant cost for business, unless they get their fixed asset register in order. Organisations now have to prove their commitment to green issues through information transparency and fully auditable policies.

At the core of this approach has to be consistent and detailed information about the life cycle of all fixed assets, from country of origin, maintenance schedules and carbon efficiency to final disposal details. A good, up to date central asset register therefore will not only streamline year end audits but will also provide highly detailed insight into corporate assets that will enable management to make more informed decisions. Until you truly know what assets you’ve got, which you own and the real operational/ownership cost of those assets, managers cannot make informed decisions about capital expenditure, carbon footprint reduction and how to “green” the business in the most cost effective and beneficial way possible.

About the author:
Tom is a blogger currently working for a company specialising in software for asset tracking and fixed asset accounting. He passionately believes that businesses can go greener at the same time as cutting costs.

Did you know that coffee is the most popular commodity in the world, after oil? Of course you did… you’re smart and sophisticated. That’s why you’re reading this blog. But what most people don’t consider is that all of this demand for coffee is beating up the environment. Just think of how many coffee houses there are in the US. Then think about the coffee shops in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia. Then consider the amount of fuel it takes to transport coffee beans from Indonesia, Africa, Columbia, etc across the world. Then imagine the millions of disposable paper cups, styrofoam cups, napkins, coffee stirrers,coffee tops, etc. that are thrown into garbage heaps every day. Then think of how much water it takes to cultivate, harvest, and eventually brew all of that coffee. Some stats say that it takes 200 liters of water to produce just one latte.

These stats are pretty dis-heartening, but don’t let it get you down. Yes coffee does do a number on the environment, but it doesn’t mean you have to stop drinking it altogether. Luckily, there are plenty of things you can do the lessen the effect of your coffee habit on the earth.

1). Drink Less – This isn’t the easiest thing for most people, but cutting at least some coffee out of your diet is bound to help the environment (not to mention keep your teeth wither) If this isn’t possible, don’t fret, there are plenty of good tips below.

2). Drink Local Coffee – Because shipping coffee beans around the world spews tons of toxic smoke into the atmosphere, look for coffee beans grown in countries closer to you. Love Kopi Luwak (the bean is best when it passes through the digestive tract of a small tree mammal called the luwak)? There are tons of other specialty blends that you can get that are grown much closer to home. I know Kopi Luwak tastes good, but it comes from an animal’s feces and it shipped from half-way across the world. I’m just sayin’…

3). Buy Organic – Organic coffee is great because it’s (obviously) grown without chemicals, and is usually grown in such a way that protects sensitive ecosystems and the birds that live within them. Most of these toxic chemicals are produced in factories that spew toxins into the environment themselves, so you’re killing birds with one stone by going organic.

4). Stay Away From Corporate Coffee – More and more coffee giants are cutting down forest and converting them into large agricultural coffee plantations. The deforestation is not only horrible for the environment, it produces inferior quality coffee. Add that to the fact that the coffee farmers themselves can barely make a living working in these massive corporate coffee farms.

5). Choose Fair Trade Coffee – If you’re going organic, and avoiding corporate coffee, you might as well buy fair trade coffee. Rainforest Alliance and Transfair coffees not only ensure fair living wages for coffee farmers, they take into account environmental standards in their certification process. It won’t immediately lift people out of poverty, but it’s a start.

6). Just Use a Mug – This one is a no-brainer. But it’s easier if you invest in a really cool mug that you will want to use over and over again; eliminating the need for plastic or Styrofoam cups. There are plenty of websites that sell cool, unique, and funny coffee mugs. Or you can create one by yourself at CafePress.

7). Ditch the Stirrer – Rather than mixing sugar and cream with a plastic spoon or stirrer, try pouring them into an empty cup. Then gently pour your hot coffee on top, letting the heat naturally dissolve the sugar and mix the cream. It takes some practice. Or you could just use a metal spoon.

8). Use Better Filters – Not only are they better for the environment, re-usable gold coffee filters yield a better, less bitter cup of coffee. If that’s not your thing, just look for unbleached, biodegradable ones.

9). Make a Compost Heap – If you already have a compost heap, you probably throw egg shells, banana peels, and old food into it. Why not add coffee grounds (if you don’t already)? The next time you make some coffee, rather than throwing out the used coffee grounds, toss them in your compost heap, or directly into your garden. All the nitrogen in the coffee is a powerful fertilizer.

10). Keep Away Pesky Felines – Instead of using harsh chemicals in your garden to keep away unwanted pests like ants and neighborhood cats, sprinkle coffee grounds and orange peels in your garden. The nitrogen in the coffee burns ants’ legs and is better for the environment than using harmful chemicals. Cats don’t like the smell of coffee either.

So here are 10 easy ways to make your coffee habit less harmful to the environment. I’m sure there are tons of others. Please feel free to share your own tips.

http://TheCoffeeMakerStore.com is a daily blog and e-commerce store about coffee, coffee makers, and coffee culture. Feel free to download the free “eco friendly coffee tips” widget from there as well.

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Anyone who has been reading this site for any period of time, knows that I am very interested in creating my own rainwater harvesting system. In fact I think we will end up with 3 separate systems.

Ideally all of these systems would tie together into one larger one, but with 3 different structures on the property several hundred feet apart, it just isn’t practical. Also with our property sloped it makes sense to have separate systems at different levels to allow us to irrigate by level without the need for pumps.

We recently had new gutters put on the house from Mastershield. These gutters have micro mesh screens that keep ALL debris out, and they work phenomenally well. Our house sits near several old growth Douglas Fir trees. These trees drop several hundred pounds of needles every month. Most of which seem to land on our roof, and it being a metal roof, promptly fell into our gutters. Before the new Mastershield gutters I would clean the gutters no less than once a month, and by then they were packed full of needles. Needless to say the new gutters were a good investment, even if we weren’t planning a rain barrel system.

We are planning to capture the rain water. The gutters help in that regard as well, because now we don’t need to filter the water before putting it into the storage tank. one less thing to worry about.

the next step for us is finding the right “rain barrels“, and I recently came across a website that just made that search easy, http://www.simplyrainbarrels.com. They have a ton of rain barrels for sale. From small 55 gallon drum sized containers to 3000 gallon bladders, they have a very wide array of choices. I am very impressed with the variety, and quality of choices. The tough part will be on choosing one.

I recently came across a site that I find tremendously useful, ShopWiki. It reminds me of the game changer that Google was when it came into being, however rather than organizing the web into a search-able structure, shopwiki puts every product sold on the Internet in one place. This is huge, I am always trying to find gardening tools or hoses or a wide variety of other products needed in my quest to turn my home into a self sustaining “homestead” and this tool just made it much simpler to do that. it is a game changer.

The first question you have to be asking is “How is this green?” It is not overtly green, however not having to drive all over town to track down a particular product is very much a green shopping ideal. Another way this is helpful is giving the little store around the corner the ability to compete with large Internet retailers and big box stores. All the Mom and Pop needs to do is get their products online and there they are.

With the ability to search all products listed on the Internet you can find very specific things, and to me this is the greatest benefit. I want to find locally sold, owned, and manufactured products first. Better yet are they done in a sustainable fashion out of reclaimed materials? Just imagine how Google has changed the web, and now imagine finding tools, and products with that same unimaginable depth and refinement. That is exactly what Shopwiki.com is.

As promised here are a few of my favorite products and services I met at the Everything Green Expo:

1) EcoStone -Eco-Friendly pavers made from reclaimed granite.

Ecostone Booth at the Everything Green Expo

EcoStone is a Portland based company that manufactures tile, landscaping pavers and interior/exterior stone from reclaimed granite and other natural stone. A typical kitchen granite counter install results in a 30% waste of material, most of which ends up in landfills. EcoStone collects this “waste” material from several stone fabricators in the Portland area and uses a patented hydralic press to tranform it into solid granite tile and pavers of various shapes and sizes. Any resulting waste is crushed into gravel and used as aggregate with zero net waste ending up in ladnfills. Thier goal is to keep 1,000,000 pounds of waste out of Oregon landfill each year. I hope they exceed this goal. In fact we will be installing an EcoStone patio to replace our existing ground level deck that is in it’s last years of useability. I will definately be posting more about this product, and the installation of our patio in the near future. Check out http://www.ecostonenw.com for more information.

The Solar Oregon Booth at the Expo

2) Solar Oregon – Good Energy for Oregonians, is there slogan. My first question to them was: Is Oregon sunny enough for solar?The answer a resounding YES! Even portland and the rainy Willamette Valley recieve as much sunshine as the average US city. In fact, solar is Oregon’s most abundant renewable resource. Today, more than 17,000 Oregon households use solar energy systems to generate electricity or heat water. Suprisingly half the power we use in Oregon is generated by power plants that contribute to climate change and pollution. the sun is a clean, renewable source of energy that can help us reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. Okay, great we can do solar in Oregon, but what does Solar Oregon do? They make it easy for homeowners to install solar energy systems. They are a nonprofit organization that offers free workshops, expert advice, cash incentives from the Energy Trust, State of Oregon Tax Credits, information about Federal Tax Credits, referrals to qualified contractors and access to affordable financing. To learn more or attend a free workshop go to http://www.solarnoworegon.org Their Solar Now! campaign connects Oregonians with the resources and assistance they need to choose solar energy.

3) McGee Salvage- Purveyors of quality reclaimed hardwood floors. Their business is reclaiming hardwood flooring from gymnasiums, homes, hotels, churches, dance halls, etc. around the Pacific Northwest. They then sell the reclaimed materials to customers who are interested in hardwood flooring that is unique in character, antique out-of-production, and green eco-friendly. You can visit them online at http://www.mcgeesalvage.com

The Master Shield demo at the Everything Green Expo

4) Master Shield – Gutter protection that actually works. the single largest problem with gutters on my own home is pine needles. They clog the downspouts, fill the gutters, and always seem to somehow overcome any device designed to stop them. But, believe me this system actually works. We are having them installed on all our gutters. I will be writing about the install with plenty of photos.  They say it keeps ALL debris, including leaves, pine and fir needles, twigs, seedpods, oak tassels – you name it! And after seeing the product I believe it. They give an unconditional 100% money back warranty if it ever clogs. They say they have never had a gutter clog, anywhere, nationwide.

This makes the water in the gutters the cleanest of any gutter system, and eliminates all debris. Which brings about the real importance of this system, it makes rainwater cistern projects much simpler. And this is why we are so excited to install the system. Our hope is to soon be installing a gray-water system for the toilets and gardens using the rain water from the 8000 gallon cistern.

You can learn more about Master Shield and find a local contractor to install the system at their website http://www.mastershield.com

5) Skylights NW- Adding light to your life. Skylights are less than exciting. Though, we will be adding a few to our home to allow more natural light. What is exciting is this 65 year old, established company is now selling and installing Velux Solar water heating systems. On average, installing a solar water heater, your water heating bills should drop 50%-80%. Also, because the sun is free, you’re protected from future fuel shortages and price hikes. On average it takes 3-7 years to payback the system in most areas.

We have not yet chosen a solar hot water system or contractor, but this Velux system is one of the more interesting ones. You can find more information at: http://www.veluxusa.com/solar

In the next part of this series I will be talking of several photovoltaic systems, and  more from the Everything Green Expo.

American made Non-Toxic Toys

One of the greatest times of the year is getting together with family for Christmas morning. Two of my favorite reasons are my niece and nephew. They are fun, happy and are a joy to be around. They are 7 and 4, great ages for Christmas; young enough to still believe in Santa Claus, and old enough to know what is going on and be excited about it.

Children, bright eyed, and full of wonder on Christmas morning is a beautiful sight. In their home surrounded by a mountain of toys, most requiring batteries, with blinking lights, making noises and whirring. Other toys in their toy box because they are broken, the batteries died, or their parents are tired of the noise.

Watching them unwrap their presents I noticed several things. They were only really interested in the process of opening the present and finding the surprise inside. They wanted the toys, but only for a little while. Once they were opened and the surprise was gone, the toys were mostly forgotten. It might be that they only wanted the toys because of tv commercials etc. but it could also be the overwhelming amount of toys they receive on Christmas day and even larger pile that they already own. I really don’t know, but it was clear they wanted to OPEN presents, not really caring about having the contents.

For some time I’ve believed that most toys have taken the imagination and fun out of playing. As a child I loved the original legos, before they started making all the specialty kits. When the niece and nephew come over, they love to get out my old legos and will play for hours. This is something I’ve never seen them do with their pile of battery powered gizmos at home.

I also can’t help but wonder whether all the blinking, talking, whirring, buzzing, lights and sounds of modern toys isn’t somehow associated with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). With so much input, including tv and video games screaming for attention in their lives, kids seem to have trouble sitting down and focusing on one task for any period of time or simply using their imagination.

What we are teaching them by constantly buying them everything they desire and purchasing cheap, foreign made toys?  Children today are surrounded by disposable throw away toys, and items that only fill a want propelled by advertising and “keeping up with the Joneses”. Shouldn’t we be teaching them the benefits of quality over quantity? Shouldn’t we be teaching them to seek the best in themselves and the products they will eventually puchase on their own?

Over the past few years, there has been a great deal of news about toxic pet food,  bad medicine and tainted toys coming into the US market from China. Most recently the press storm has been sparked by the massive recall of Chinese-made Barbie dolls, Polly Pockets and other potentially dangerous toys. Honestly I’m not all that surprised, if you are importing products without restriction or inspection from a country with low safety standards and poor labor laws you should expect cheap, and potentially dangerous products.

The toys we buy today are typically bright, flashy, disposable and often won’t last as long as New Year’s Eve. For our children, they are distracting, annoying and offer little in the way of imagination. Often, they are made in nations without enforceable product or worker safety laws. Sometimes they are even created by workers in slave like conditions who are paid next to nothing.  None of these are values I want to pass on to my niece and nephew.

Next time you are in the market to purchase toys for your children,  try to find toys made in the United States of America, toys that inspire imagination and toys that are of a quality that they could be passed down through to the next generation. There are too few places to buy safe, green toys for the health of your child and the planet. One such store is Hazelnut Kids. Yes, they may be more expensive than the big box stores, but the quality, workmanship and safety of their toys more than make up for the cost differential.  Consider buying more by actually buying less.

My wife and I made the decision to only buy American-made, safe toys for the children in our lives.  Our niece and nephew loved their presents this year, and we feel good about the purchases we made. We know the toys will last a lifetime, and possibly be passed down through several generations. Next time you need to buy a toy for a child in your life, check out Hazelnut Kids and give a gift with value.

Roxy, one of my "kids"

In my case the kids refers to 2 dogs and 2 cats with a taste for house plants. The cats in particular are fond of anything green trying to survive indoors. But not to be outdone Roxy our precocious 3 year old Blue Heeler mix has a thing for my small grove of citrus trees. I find her munching on the leaves regularly. So when I noticed several of the citrus trees infested with spider mites… well lets just say I thought I was faced with a choice of the trees or the kids. And some times that is a tough choice to make.
 
I have grown the little trees from seeds. The seeds all came from the old fashioned method of saving seeds from fruit rather than tossing them out. Everyone told me “They will never grow” or “They will never produce fruit”. The common assumption being fruit is irradiated to kill bugs and such, so the seeds would not be viable.

I have withstood much ribbing and teasing by my spouse and friends, regarding their viability. Much to their chagrin, the seeds did sprout. In fact nearly all of the seeds sprouted and several of the little trees have flourished. These I have protected and pruned. they have become more than the little experiment that I started on.  They are still little more than tiny saplings, and consequently none have flowered, yet. Regardless they have become a symbol, of something bigger. That I was right, and they were wrong.

 Even more than the validation of my idea, they make me feel anything is possible. Very few citrus plants can grown in my region. So these little guys surviving is a symbol of hope, and survival.

The orange Grove winter home

 Attributing so much to these 7 little trees, is a bit much, and setting yourself up for heartbreak, I know. But here I am with all this hope, anticipation and everything.

 Now imagine my horror when I noticed something attacking one of the little trees. It seemed to be sucking the life out of it. Once I noticed, the infestation was quite advanced. Several of the trees were affected, and one was in dire shape indeed.

 I started the way I always do, pruning away the most affected areas. This had a minimal effect.

 So now there I was, my hope infected with mites. Could I disregard my deep sense of dislike for chemicals, to save the “orchard”? Or was there another, better way?

 I always want to use organic methods. Up until that point, I had no real nasty bugs to eliminate. So it had been easy, and I was clueless.

 I didn’t want to make the kids sick. I want to use organic methods, if possible. I want to save the little trees. So, what to do?

 The internet is an amazing tool. After a few minutes of research I found a whole host of solutions, and in that search I located a site that has become a lifeline, Arbico Organics.

 For the past 30 years Arbico Organics has been producing and marketing natural products for organic homes, businesses, lawns, gardens, farms and pets. They had several products that work for the problem I was faced with.

 Since purchasing the  spray for my little trees, I have not noticed any recurrence of spider mites. The trees again look healthy. And none of the kids seems to have had the slightest ill effects. I am hopeful that after 2 or 3 more growing seasons they will finally flower, but if they just survive that long I will be proud. For now they are a nice little edition to our deck in summer, and our guestroom in winter.

About the Author: Christian Hammer is a self proclaimed Serial Entrepreneur, inventor and green advocate. His website, www.mindzle.com is a resource for people who are wanting to live a more sustainable life, but don’t necessarily know how to get started, or are worried about how they can afford it. He tries to lead by example, with a wide variety of projects, ideas and how-to’s.