Being GREEN at home and at work…

Being GREEN at home and at work… Amanda Gourgue, CMP amanda@startameetingrevolution.com

Agenda Introduction about Meeting Revolution and ME! Definitions Ways of being green at home and at work Individual and Group Work Wrap Up Additional Questions and Answers

Amanda Gourgue, CMP

Definitions • Energy Star • LEED • CSR • Sustainability • Biodegradable • Non-toxic • Organic

ENERGY STAR is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy helping us all save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices. Results are already adding up. Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved enough energy in 2007 alone to avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 27 million cars — all while saving $16 billion on their utility bills. Definitions:Energy Star

Let’s simplify…. 27 million cars – Enough cars to fill the Packers Stadium for 81 seasons!!! $16 billion - $16,000,000,000!!!! That is almost 500,000 houses – That is enough electricity to run all the houses in Milwaukee, Madison, Green Bay and Appleton

Definitions: LEED • Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design • US Green Building Council • Rating system: Certified, Silver, Gold, Platinum • New Construction, Existing Buildings, Core & Shell, Commercial Interiors, Healthcare, Schools, Retail, Homes and Neighborhood Development

Definitions: CSR • Corporate Social Responsibility is a concept whereby organizations consider the interests of society by taking responsibility for the impact of their activities on customers, suppliers, employees, shareholders, communities and other stakeholders, as well as the environment. This obligation is seen to extend beyond the statutory obligation to comply with legislation and sees organizations voluntarily taking further steps to improve the quality of life for employees and their families as well as for the local community and society at large. • Environment, Workplace and Community

Definitions • Sustainable: Capable of being continued with minimal long-term effect on the environment • Example: Bamboo is a sustainable product • Biodegradable: This unregulated term is meaningful only if it specifies the amount of time it takes for the product to decompose, as most substances will eventually biodegrade over time given the right conditions, such as sunlight. • Non-toxic: There is no official definition or third-party verification for this claim. Not meaningful. • Organic: Household cleaning products aren't regulated by the Organic Foods Production Act, but some of their ingredients, such as plant oils, can be labeled "certified organic."

Home: Appliances • Energy Star Appliances • Washers: Cut water consumption by 40% • No Central Agitator: • Front-loaders tumble clothes through a small amount of water instead of rubbing clothes against an agitator in a full tub. Advanced top loaders use sophisticated wash systems to flip or spin clothes through a reduced stream of water. Both designs dramatically reduce the amount of hot water used in the wash cycle, and the energy used to heat it. • High Spin Speeds: • Efficient motors spin clothes two-three times faster during the spin cycle to extract more water. Less moisture in the clothes means less time and energy in the dryer.

Home: Appliances • Dishwashers • Replacing a dishwasher manufactured before 1994 with an ENERGY STAR qualified dishwasher can save you more than $30 a year in utility costs. • ENERGY STAR qualified dishwashers use at least 41 percent less energy than the federal minimum standard for energy consumption. • ENERGY STAR qualified dishwashers use much less water than conventional models. Saving water helps protect our nation’s water supplies. • Because they use less hot water compared to new conventional models, an ENERGY STAR qualified dishwasher saves about $90 over its lifetime. • Helpful Hints: • Run your dishwasher with a full load. Most of the energy used by a dishwasher goes to heat water. Since you can’t decrease the amount of water used per cycle, fill your dishwasher to get the most from the energy used to run it. • Avoid using the heat-dry, rinse-hold and pre-rinse features. Instead use your dishwasher’s air-dry option.

Home: Appliances • Refrigerators • ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerators require about half as much energy as models manufactured before 1993. ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerators provide energy savings without sacrificing the features you want. • ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerator models use high efficiency compressors, improved insulation, and more precise temperature and defrost mechanisms to improve energy efficiency. • ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerator models use at least 20% less energy than required by current federal standards and 40% less energy than the conventional models sold in 2001. • Remember, saving energy prevents pollution. In most households, the refrigerator is the single biggest energy consuming kitchen appliance. Replacing a refrigerator bought in 1990 with a new ENERGY STAR qualified model would save enough energy to light the average household for nearly four months.

Home: Appliances • Refrigerator, continued… • Helpful Hints: • Position your refrigerator away from a heat source such as an oven, a dishwasher, or direct sunlight from a window. • To allow air to circulate around the condenser coils, leave a space between the wall or cabinets and the refrigerator or freezer and keep the coils clean. • Make sure the door seals are airtight. • Keep your refrigerator between 35 and 38 degrees Fahrenheit and your freezer at 0 degrees Fahrenheit. • Minimize the amount of time the refrigerator door is open. • Recycle older or second refrigerators. • Recycle My Old Fridge Campaign • More than 47 million fridges over ten years old in the U.S. • Recycle My Old Fridge is a new, nationwide effort by the U.S. Department of Energy and the government's ENERGY STAR program, RecycleMyOldFridge.com

Home: Appliances • Bottom Line - $$$ • Energy Star Unit Conventional Unit Cost $1,100 $1,070 Annual Costs: Energy Costs $40 $46 Life Cycle Energy Cost: Energy Costs: $395 (5,293 KWh) $464 (6,228 KWh) Purchase Price: $1,100 $1,070 Total $1,140 $1,534 – Paid Back 4.3 yrs Air pollution reduction equivalence (cars of road) - .13 Air pollution reduction equivalence (acres of forest) - .18 US Households – 111,162,259 Every person replaces their refrigerator: 14,451,093 cars 20,009,206 acres of forest

Home: Appliances • Bottom Line - $$$, continued… • Dishwasher Energy Star Unit Conventional Unit Annual Costs: Electricity $17 $24 Water $4 $5 Gas $7 $22 Energy Costs $28 $51 Life Cycle Energy Cost: Electricity $148 $209 Water $31 $47 Gas $65 $196 Total LC Energy Cost: $245 $452 Purchase Price: $545 $545 Total $790 $997 – Paid Back 0.0 yrs

Home: Car & Other Engines • Gasoline & Electric Hybrid Car • Examples: Prius, Ford Escape Hybrid, Nissan Altima Hybrid, Lexus RX, etc… • How it works? • A gas-powered car has a fuel tank, which supplies gasoline to the engine. The engine then turns a transmission, which turns the wheels. • An electric car, on the other hand, has a set of batteries that provides electricity to an electric motor. The motor turns a transmission, and the transmission turns the wheels. • The hybrid is a compromise. It attempts to significantly increase the mileage and reduce the emissions of a gas-powered car while overcoming the shortcomings of an electric car.

Home: Car & Other Engines • To be useful, a car must meet certain minimum requirements. The car should be able to: • Drive at least 300 miles (482 km) before re-fueling • Be refueled quickly and easily • Keep up with the other traffic on the road • A gasoline car meets these requirements but produces a relatively large amount of pollution and generally gets poor gas mileage. An electric car, however, produces almost no pollution, but it can only go 50 to 100 miles (80 to 161 km) between charges. And the problem has been that the electric car is very slow and inconvenient to recharge. • A gasoline-electric car combines these two setups into one system that leverages both gas power and electric power.

Home: Car & Other Engines • Parallel hybrid - has a fuel tank that supplies gasoline to the engine and a set of batteries that supplies power to the electric motor. Both the engine and the electric motor can turn the transmission at the same time, and the transmission then turns the wheels. • Series hybrid - the gasoline engine turns a generator, and the generator can either charge the batteries or power an electric motor that drives the transmission. Thus, the gasoline engine never directly powers the vehicle.

Home: Car & Other Engines • Driving More Efficiently • Drive Sensibly • Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gas. It can lower your gas mileage by 33 percent at highway speeds and by 5 percent around town. • Fuel Economy Benefit: 5-33% • Equivalent Gasoline Savings: $0.19-$1.23/gallon • Observe the Speed Limit • While each vehicle reaches its optimal fuel economy at a different speed (or range of speeds), gas mileage usually decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph. You can assume that each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.26 per gallon for gas. • Fuel Economy Benefit: 7-23% • Equivalent Gasoline Savings: $0.26-$0.86/gallon

Home: Car & Other Engines • Remove Excess Weight • Avoid keeping unnecessary items in your vehicle, especially heavy ones. An extra 100 pounds in your vehicle could reduce your MPG by up to 2%. The reduction is based on the percentage of extra weight relative to the vehicle's weight and affects smaller vehicles more than larger ones. • Fuel Economy Benefit: 1-2%/100 lbs • Equivalent Gasoline Savings: $0.04-$0.07/gallon • Keeping Your Car In Shape • Keep Your Engine Properly Tuned • Fixing a car that is noticeably out of tune or has failed an emissions test can improve its gas mileage by an average of 4 percent, though results vary based on the kind of repair and how well it is done. Fixing a serious maintenance problem, such as a faulty oxygen sensor, can improve your mileage by as much as 40 percent. • Fuel Economy Benefit: 4% • Equivalent Gasoline Savings: $0.15/gallon

Home: Car & Other Engines • Check & Replace Air Filters Regularly • Replacing a clogged air filter can improve your car's gas mileage by as much as 10 percent. Your car's air filter keeps impurities from damaging the inside of your engine. Not only will replacing a dirty air filter save gas, it will protect your engine. • Fuel Economy Benefit: up to 10% • Equivalent Gasoline Savings: up to $0.37/gallon • Keep Tires Properly Inflated • You can improve your gas mileage by around 3.3 percent by keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure. Under-inflated tires can lower gas mileage by 0.3 percent for every 1 psi drop in pressure of all four tires. Properly inflated tires are safer and last longer. • Fuel Economy Benefit: up to 3% • Equivalent Gasoline Savings: up to $0.11/gallon

Home: Car & Other Engines • Use the Recommended Grade of Motor Oil • You can improve your gas mileage by 1-2 percent by using the manufacturer's recommended grade of motor oil. For example, using 10W-30 motor oil in an engine designed to use 5W-30 can lower your gas mileage by 1-2 percent. Using 5W-30 in an engine designed for 5W-20 can lower your gas mileage by 1-1.5 percent. Also, look for motor oil that says "Energy Conserving" on the API performance symbol to be sure it contains friction-reducing additives. • Fuel Economy Benefit: 1-2% • Equivalent Gasoline Savings: $0.04-$0.07/gallon

Home: Car & Other Engines • Planning & Combining Trips • Commuting • If you can stagger your work hours to avoid peak rush hours, you'll spend less time sitting in traffic and consume less fuel. If you own more than one vehicle, drive the one that gets the best gas mileage whenever possible. Consider telecommuting (working from home) if your employer permits it. If possible, take advantage of carpools and ride-share programs. You can cut your weekly fuel costs in half and save wear on your car if you take turns driving with other commuters. Many urban areas allow vehicles with multiple passengers to use special High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes. • Traveling • A roof rack or carrier provides additional cargo space and may allow you to meet your needs with a smaller car. However, a loaded roof rack can decrease your fuel economy by 5 percent. Reduce aerodynamic drag and improve your fuel economy by placing items inside the trunk whenever possible. Avoid carrying unneeded items, especially heavy ones. An extra 100 lbs in the trunk reduces a typical car's fuel economy by 1-2 percent.

Home: Car & Other Vehicles • The new regulations take effect in 2010 for gas-powered marine engines, and 2011 for lawn and garden equipment of 25 horsepower or less. • Engine makers will need cut 35 percent of hydrocarbon and nitrogen oxide emissions for lawn and garden equipment, in addition to the a 60 percent reduction that was implemented by regulations two years ago. The new engines are also expected to achieve a 45 percent reduction in fuel evaporative emissions. • The engines in recreational watercraft will need to meet a 70 percent reduction in hydrocarbon and nitrogen oxide emissions, a 20 percent reduction in carbon monoxide and a 70 percent reduction in fuel evaporative emissions.

Home: Cleaning Supplies • KITCHEN • Countertops - For a “soft scrub,” mix baking soda and liquid soap until you get a consistency you like. The amounts don’t have to be perfect. Make only as much as you need, as it dries up quickly. • Ovens - To clean extra-greasy ovens, mix together 1 cup baking soda and 1/4 cup of washing soda, then add enough water to make a paste; apply the paste to oven surfaces and let soak overnight. The next morning, lift off soda mixture and grime; rinse surfaces well (gloves are recommended as washing soda may irritate skin). • Microwave ovens - These can be cleaned with a paste made from 3 to 4 tablespoons of baking soda mixed with water. Scrub on with a sponge and rinse. • Cutting boards - Sanitize them by spraying with vinegar and then with 3 percent hydrogen peroxide. Keep the liquids in separate spray bottles and use them one at a time. It doesn’t matter which one you use first, but both together are much more effective than either one alone.

Home: Cleaning Supplies • BATHROOM • Tub and tile cleaner - Mix 1 2/3 cup baking soda, 1/2 cup liquid soap, and 1/2 cup water. Then, as the last step, add 2 tablespoons vinegar (if you add the vinegar too early it will react with the baking soda). Immediately apply, wipe, and scrub. • A good all-purpose sanitizer - 2 teaspoons borax, 4 tablespoons vinegar, and 3 to 4 cups hot water in a spray bottle. For extra cleaning power, add 1/4 teaspoon liquid soap to the mixture. • Toilet bowl - Pour 1 cup of borax into the toilet before going to bed. In the morning, scrub and flush. For an extra-strength cleaner, add 1/4 cup vinegar to the borax. • Drains - Prevent clogged drains by using hair and food traps. To de-grease and sweeten sink and tub drains, pour 1/2 cup of baking soda down drain, followed by 1 cup vinegar; let bubble for 15 minutes; rinse with hot water. You might have to repeat the procedure more than once or leave the baking soda and vinegar to “cook” overnight.

Home: Cleaning Supplies • LIVING ROOM • General dusting - Best done with a damp cloth: Dry dusting simply stirs up dust and moves it around. • Furniture polish - Mix olive oil and vinegar in a one-to-one ratio and polish with a soft cloth. Or look in a health-food store for food-grade linseed oil, often called omega-3 or flaxseed oil, rather than the type found in hardware stores to finish furniture. Linseed oil sold for furniture use often contains dangerous petroleum distillates to speed evaporation. • Windows - Put 3 tablespoons vinegar per 1 quart water in a spray bottle. Some recommend using half vinegar and half water. For extra-dirty windows try this: 1/2 teaspoon liquid soap, 3 tablespoons vinegar, and 2 cups of water. Shake well. The best way to get streak-free windows? Use newspaper instead of paper towels to wipe them.

Home: Cleaning Supplies • METAL POLISH • Brass, copper, bronze and aluminum - To remove tarnish, rub metal with sliced lemons. For tough jobs, sprinkle baking soda on the lemon, then rub. • Sterling silver - Put a sheet of aluminum foil into a plastic or glass bowl. Sprinkle the foil with salt and baking soda, then fill the bowl with warm water. Soak your silver in the bowl, and the tarnish will migrate to the aluminum foil. Rinse and dry the silver, then buff it with a soft cloth. • AIR FRESHENER • A simple recipe of 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon vinegar (or lemon juice), and 2 cups hot water in a spray bottle can be spritzed in the air to remove odors.

Home: Cleaning Supplies • FLOORS AND CARPETS • Linoleum - For extra grease-cutting, try this formula: 1/4 cup washing soda with 1 tablespoon of liquid soap, 1/4 cup vinegar, and 2 gallons hot water. Put the washing soda in the bucket first and add the liquid ingredients; that way the soda won’t splash out. Caution: Do not use this formula on waxed floors. • Sanitize floors - Add 2 gallons of hot water to 1/2 cup of borax. Put the borax in the bucket first, then add water slowly to avoid splashing. • Wood floors - Add 1 cup of vinegar per pail of hot water. • Carpeting and rugs - To soak up and eliminate odors, sprinkle baking soda over the surface of the carpet and let it stand for 15 to 30 minutes before vacuuming.

Home: Cleaning Supplies • LAUNDRY • Laundry brightener - Add 1/2 cup of strained lemon juice during the rinse cycle. • Fabric rinse - Add 1/4 cup of white vinegar during the washing machine’s rinse cycle to remove detergent completely from clothes, eliminating that scratchy feel. (Note: This will not leave your clothes smelling like vinegar.) • Detergent booster - To reduce the amount of laundry detergent you need to use (especially if you have hard water ) add baking soda or washing soda. These minerals soften the water, which increases the detergent’s power. For liquid detergent, add 1/2 cup of soda at the beginning of the wash. For powdered detergent, add 1/2 cup of soda during the rinse cycle. • Bleach - Use hydrogen peroxide instead of chlorine bleach. • Dry cleaning - Many delicate “dry clean only” items can be washed at home by hand. In general, it’s best to use cool water and a mild liquid soap. Squeeze or wring gently and lay flat to dry.

Home: Cleaning Supplies • “Danger” refers to products that are corrosive, extremely flammable, highly toxic, or poisonous . Commercial toilet-bowl, oven, and drain cleaners often bear this label . • “Caution” or “Warning” are catchall terms for many other hazards, so scan for specifics, such as “Vapor harmful,” “Causes burns,” or “May be fatal or cause blindness if swallowed.” • “Irritants” refer to substances that cause injury or inflammation on contact. • “Corrosives” refer to chemicals that destroy tissue. • “Sensitizers” are ingredients that can cause allergic reactions and chronic adverse health effects that become evident only after continuing exposures. • “Chronic Health Hazards” may include effects ranging from sterility and birth defects to cancer.

Home: Cleaning Supplies • •Nontoxic. This implies that the product will cause no harm to the consumer or environment. However, there is currently no standard definition for this term, and unless otherwise specified, there is no organization independently verifying the claim . • •Natural. Though widely found on commercial cleaning products, the term “natural” doesn’t necessarily mean much. There’s no standard definition for this claim in industry, so manufacturers can use it as they please. What’s more, just because something is “natural” doesn’t mean it’s less toxic, or non-irritating. Even cleaners that are safe enough to eat, like lemon juice, can be irritating to the eyes or skin. • •Environmentally friendly. While this label implies that the product or packaging has some kind of environmental benefit or that it causes no harm to the environment, there is currently no standard definition for the term. Unless otherwise specified, there is also no organization independently verifying this claim. • •Biodegradable. This term is somewhat meaningful, but it can be misleading. “Biodegradable,” which implies that a product or its packaging will break down in nature in a reasonably short period of time, has been only loosely defined by the federal government.

Home: Cleaning Supplies • Check the ingredient list. Since manufacturers are not required to list all the ingredients in their cleaning products, unless they are active disinfectants or known to be potentially hazardous, it can be difficult to know exactly what you’re buying. And bear in mind that unlike food package labels, when a cleaning product’s ingredients are listed, the order doesn’t necessarily represent relative amounts. Companies that claim to disclose their full list of ingredients include Ecover, Trader Joe’s and Seventh Generation.

Home: Cleaning Supplies • Nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs). When they’re released into the environment, these chemicals can break down into toxic substances that can act as hormone disrupters, potentially threatening the reproductive capacity of fish, birds, and mammals. A recent U.S Geological Survey study found that 69 percent of streams tested in one Southeastern U.S. locale contained these potentially dangerous byproducts.

Home: Cleaning Supplies • Antibacterials - Some may cause skin and eye irritation, and certain types, such as triclosan, now found widely in the environment , may cause environmental harm by contributing to the emergence of antibiotic resistant bacteria. Recent studies have also suggested that triclosan could form dioxin, a carcinogen, in the presence of sunlight , and chloroform, a probable human carcinogen, in the presence of chlorinated water. What’s more, there’s a growing consensus that antibacterial household cleaners won’t keep you any safer from infectious illnesses than regular types. These findings may stem in part from the fact that most infections are caused by viruses, not bacteria. In fact, experts say, it’s not the type of cleaner that matters in combating germs, but the frequency and thoroughness of cleaning; plain soap and hot water are generally enough to do the job.

Home: Cleaning Supplies • Ammonia - Poisonous when swallowed, extremely irritating to respiratory passages when inhaled; can burn skin on contact. Found in floor, bathroom, tile, and glass cleaners. • Butyl cellosolve (also known as butyl glycol, ethylene glycol, monobutyl) - Poisonous when swallowed and a lung tissue irritant. Found in glass cleaners and all-purpose cleaners. • Chlorine bleach (sodium hypochlorite) - Extremely irritating to the lungs and eyes. (Note: Never mix chlorine bleach products with ammonia. That produces a poisonous gas.) Sold by itself and found in a variety of household cleaners. • d-limonene - Can irritate the skin. Found in air fresheners. • Diethanolamine (DEA) & triethanolamine (TEA) - Can produce carcinogenic compounds, which can penetrate the skin when combined with nitrosomes, an often-undisclosed preservative or contaminant. Found in sudsing products, including detergents and cleaners.

Home: Cleaning Supplies • Disinfectants - This a catchall term for a variety of active ingredients, including chlorine bleach, alcohol, quaternary compounds, and pine oil and ethyl alcohol. They are regulated by the EPA as pesticides and all have some health effects. Most can also cause problems in waterways by killing helpful bacteria. Found in a variety of household cleaners; many products that carry the “antibacterial” label are also disinfectants. • •Fragrances - May cause watery eyes and respiratory tract irritation. Found in a variety of cleaners and air fresheners. • •Hydrochloric acid - Can severely burn skin, irritate eyes and respiratory tract. Found in toilet bowl cleaners. • •Naptha - Can cause headaches, nausea, and central-nervous-system symptoms with overexposure. Found in furniture and floor polish and glass cleaners.

Home: Cleaning Supplies • Petroleum-based ingredients - Many ingredients are derived from petroleum, including some of those above such as APEs and naptha, and they’re commonly found in many cleaning products as surfactants. Other toxic ingredients derived from petroleum, including formaldehyde , can also be present at trace levels in cleaning products. Found in a variety of household cleaners. • •Phosphates - Can reach waterways and contribute to the overgrowth of algae and aquatic weeds, which can kill off fish populations and other aquatic life. Found in automatic dishwasher detergents and some laundry detergents. • •Sodium hydroxide (lye) - Corrosive and extremely irritating to eyes, nose, and throat and can burn those tissues on contact. Found in drain, metal, and oven cleaners. • •Sulfuric acid - Can severely damage eyes, lungs, and skin. Found in drain cleaners.

Home: Cleaning Supplies • Green Works – Clorox • A natural resource qualifies as a renewable resource if it is replenished by natural processes at a rate that's equal to the rate of consumption by humans. The plant and mineral-based ingredients in Green Works™ cleaners use materials that come from a resource that is renewable. • A biodegradable material is something that has the ability to safely and relatively quickly break down biological into the raw materials of nature and disappear into the environment. Much of the ingredients used in Green Works™ natural cleaners are biodegradable helping to minimize the impact on the environment. • A sustainable product is something made from renewable resources, which means they can grow back quickly and can be harvested with minimal harm to the environment. Our goal with the entire line of Green Works™ natural cleaners is to use materials that are renewable. • Animals were not used to test the safety and efficacy of Green Works™ natural cleaning products.

Home: Clothes • Clothing is not sustainable... so specifically buying clothing that tries to be more sustainable is a great idea. Re-use of clothing is the BEST option, this keeps items out of the landfill and saves all the resources that go into creating a new garment. • Denim Therapy www.denimtherapy.com to repair jeans... they look good as new at a fraction of the cost. • Getting hand me downs from friends is great as are second hand shops and eBay (you can get designer name children clothing at a fraction of the cost). • When buying new - Try to purchase clothing that is made with organic, natural and sustainable fabrics such as Organic Cotton, Bamboo, Silk, Hemp, PET (recycled from plastic bottles!).

Home: Clothes • Organic: Many T-shirts and jeans are made from conventional cotton—one of the most pesticide-ridden crops around. And chemicals that don’t leach into the soil or water or get emitted as toxic gas can remain trapped in the clothing you’re wearing next to your skin. • Renewable: Bamboo grows fast and furious without any help from us. It can be woven into fabric that’s soft and silky—as well as naturally breathable and antibacterial. • Recyclable: Ideally, your garb won’t end up in a landfill when you tire of the style. Patagonia fleece is recyclable through the company’s Common Threads program, and most sneakers can be recycled via Nike’s Reuse-A-Shoe program. (If you can’t recycle something, donating or reselling is a greener option than trashing it.) • Socially Responsible: In most cases, how green clothing is made is given as much thought as what it’s made from. “Sweatshop-free” apparel is more costly to produce—though that isn’t necessarily passed on to the consumer. • Green Practices: The greenest companies offer eco-friendly products and run eco-friendly businesses—powering their buildings with solar or wind energy, practicing recycling, and so on.

Home: Clothes Recycled: Making clothing and accessories from existing materials requires far less energy and resources than doing so with virgin materials. Patagonia recycles polyester to create many of its base layers and jackets, while aGain NYC fashions its handbags and accessories from repurposed fabrics. Mined metals and petroleum-based plastics aren’t the only options for zippers and buttons Seatbeltbags.com Messenger Bag $168

Home: Composting • Studies show that home composting can divert 700 pounds of material per year from each household. • Yard waste and trimmings account for nearly 17% of municipal solid waste in the US. This waste consists of grass, leaves, tree, and brush trimmings - adding up to approximately 31 million tons each yr. • Approximately 6.7% of the municipal solid waste in the US is food scraps. While it may seem like a small percentage, it adds up to over 13.2 million tons per year. Compost is organic material that can be used as a soil amendment or as a medium to grow plants. Mature compost is a stable material with a content called humus that is dark brown or black and has a soil-like, earthy smell. It is created by: combining organic wastes (e.g., yard trimmings, food wastes, manures) in proper ratios into piles, rows, or vessels; adding bulking agents (e.g., wood chips) as necessary to accelerate the breakdown of organic materials; and allowing the finished material to fully stabilize and mature through a curing process.

Home: Composting • What to compost:

Home: Composting • What NOT to compost: • Black walnut tree leaves or twigs • Releases substances that might be harmful to plants • Coal or charcoal ash • Might contain substances harmful to plants • Dairy products (butter, egg yolks, milk, sour cream, yogurt) • Create odor problems and attract pests such as rodents and flies • Diseased or insect-ridden plants • Diseases or insects might survive and be transferred back to other plants • Fats, grease, lard, or oils • Create odor problems and attract pests such as rodents and flies • Meat or fish bones and scraps • Create odor problems and attract pests such as rodents and flies • Pet wastes (e.g., dog or cat feces, soiled cat litter) • Might contain parasites, bacteria, germs, pathogens, and viruses harmful to humans • Yard trimmings treated with chemical pesticides • Might kill beneficial composting organisms

Home: Composting • All composting requires three basic ingredients: • Browns—Includes materials such as dead leaves, branches , twigs • Greens—Includes materials such as grass clippings, vegetable waste, fruit scraps, and coffee grounds • Water • Select a dry, shady spot near a water source for your compost pile or bin. • Before you add your brown and green materials, make sure larger pieces are chopped or shredded. • Cover your composting area with a 6-inch layer of brown materials. • Add a 3-inch layer of green materials and a little soil or finished compost. • Lightly mix the two layers above. • Top with a 3-inch layer of brown materials, adding water until moist. • Turn your compost pile every week or two with a pitchfork to distribute air and moisture. Move the dry materials from the edges into the middle of the pile. Continue this practice until the pile does not re-heat much after turning. • Your compost will be ready in one to four months, but let the pile sit for two weeks before using.

Home: Electricity • AVG/DAY – Allows you to see your average daily electric use in kilowatt-hours (kWh). Your average daily use is determined by the billing period kWh divided by the number of days in the read period. • Member Service Charge – A set monthly charge to cover fixed operating and maintenance charges.

Home: Electricity • Delivery Charge – The price per kWh for delivering electricity to your home or business. • Stranded Cost Charge – A per kWh charge that pays for part of the costs related to the Seabrook Station nuclear power plant and the cost of terminating a long-term power supply contract with PSNH.

Home: Electricity • System Benefit Charge – A per kWh charge that consists of two components: energy efficiency programs for Co-op members; and the State of New Hampshire’s Statewide Electric Assistance program which provides bill relief for residential members who meet income qualifications. • NH Consumption Tax and Business Enterprise Tax (BET) – A State of New Hampshire tax charged on all accounts.

Home: Electricity • Regional Access Charge – A per kWh charge for the cost of accessing the regional transmission grid and related expenses. • Optional NHEC Foundation – If you have not opted out of the Round Up Program, your monthly electric bill is rounded up to the next dollar, with the proceeds benefiting the New Hampshire Electric Co-op Foundation. This line indicates the amount of your monthly contribution. Your yearly contribution will be shown on your December bill.

Being GREEN at home and at work…