The Light's turned Green
I'm going GREEN...not with envy, but I seemed to have suddenly developed a conciousness about the environment and sustainabililty.
I recently started work at a well established Engineering and Environmental services firm. While I had heard about them being sustainable and eco friendly, I genuinely believed that it was nothing more than a PR stunt. But much to my pleasent surprise, sustainability is a practice that is deeply engrained in the work ethos here. Everything is recycled, there are worm bins in the kitchen and even a worm house on the deck where the worms are regularly fed kitchen waste. All printing is double sided, eco friendly stationery and other utility products are purchased and even our clients and suppliers are selected accordingly or educated in the fine art of being green.
So two minutes into the job (I've not even been there a month) and I'm already starting to make subtle changes to how I do things. I use the car only to go grocery shopping and I no longer accept carry bags from the supermarket. I seem to be going out of my way to ensure that I carry my own bags or just put everything into the boot of the car (PAk n Save style).
I should have adopted all these good practices years ago when I was being taught about sustainability in Prof. Eddie's Anthropology class. But like most of his students, I slept through the lecture.
I can't help thinking that if small offices and mid to large corporations took sustainability seriously, and incorporated it into their daily business, they would find so much benefit in the whole exercise, not to mention the substantial savings in their overheads. (I remember with shame how much paper was wasted in the investment bank I worked for in London.)
Sustainability and eco friendly practices are not difficult. They require a little effort which can easily develop into a natural habit. It's not rocket science after all, but simply common sense.
I recently started work at a well established Engineering and Environmental services firm. While I had heard about them being sustainable and eco friendly, I genuinely believed that it was nothing more than a PR stunt. But much to my pleasent surprise, sustainability is a practice that is deeply engrained in the work ethos here. Everything is recycled, there are worm bins in the kitchen and even a worm house on the deck where the worms are regularly fed kitchen waste. All printing is double sided, eco friendly stationery and other utility products are purchased and even our clients and suppliers are selected accordingly or educated in the fine art of being green.
So two minutes into the job (I've not even been there a month) and I'm already starting to make subtle changes to how I do things. I use the car only to go grocery shopping and I no longer accept carry bags from the supermarket. I seem to be going out of my way to ensure that I carry my own bags or just put everything into the boot of the car (PAk n Save style).
I should have adopted all these good practices years ago when I was being taught about sustainability in Prof. Eddie's Anthropology class. But like most of his students, I slept through the lecture.
I can't help thinking that if small offices and mid to large corporations took sustainability seriously, and incorporated it into their daily business, they would find so much benefit in the whole exercise, not to mention the substantial savings in their overheads. (I remember with shame how much paper was wasted in the investment bank I worked for in London.)
Sustainability and eco friendly practices are not difficult. They require a little effort which can easily develop into a natural habit. It's not rocket science after all, but simply common sense.
Comments
We are born morally, socially and environmentally aware.
Kirk.