Most of us work in an office environment, whether it be in a big high-rise or a home office. Aside from moving the office outside like these people (summers wouldn’t be fun where I live), there are things we all can do to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The office may not be the first place you think of, but when we spend so much time there it really should be. Here are some ideas to help get you started.

1. Set a nice plant on your desk. It will get you in touch with nature as you sit in fluorescent hell, and you will have a natural air filter that will clean the air you breathe in as it simultaneously produces more oxygen.                    

2. Power strips – Take advantage of that red button and turn off the strip when not in use. Even though your computers, desk lamps, printers, etc. are turned off, the power strip is still using a small amount of energy. Every bit helps!                    

3. Encourage your office to use a shredding company. Most will supply your office with a large locked bin where you put all paper into, they then pick it up and haul off to the mega-shredder.                     

4. Create an in-office recycling center if you don’t already have one. There are recycling companies that will even come to your office and pick it up every week. Even if it’s a simple cardboard box where everyone can throw unwanted papers, water bottles, and other recyclables into, it gives them a place to put it instead of their wastebasket.                    

5. While we’re on the subject of plastic water bottles, http://www.recyclingconnections.org/ tells us that 190 BILLION water bottles were thrown out in a year. This was a stat from 2003, so you can rest assured that it can only be higher now. Don’t even get me started on the barrels of oil it took to produce those bottles. Suggest that everyone go out and make a small investment in a fun water bottle that they can reuse every day. Maybe it would make a good Christmas exchange idea; draw names and each person buys a water bottle that signifies the personality of the user. Just a thought.                    

6. While you’re at it, bring in some dishes- If your building has a kitchen area that stores only paper plates, cups, and utensils, send out a memo requesting that everyone bring in a few dish items that they don’t use from home. This way the kitchen gets stocked with reusable dishes that everyone can enjoy. Side note: Try to stick with glass plates and bowls. Heating your food in plastic has been known to release cancer causing chemicals that can leach into your food. Why risk it?                    

7. Replace all the bulbs. Easy. Walk around and replace any regular light bulbs with fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs).They use significantly less energy, yet work just as well.                

8. Turn off the lights, turn off the lights                

9. Switch to recycled paper- An estimated 40% of total waste in the United States is said to be made up of paper. Make the switch.                

10. Have a bin or folder where you put paper after it’s been used on one side. You can use this paper for jotting down notes, etc. Making copies? Make them double-sided when you can.    

     

     

11. Where are you getting your cup of java from? Make sure your company only purchases Fair Trade coffee and teas.          

12. Bring your own mug from home to drink that Fair Trade coffee and tea. I cringe when I see someone grab those disposable paper cups every morning.         

13. Work together to create carpools and educate all employees on bus systems available to them in your area. Better yet, encourage your boss to consider working from home or flextime.        

14. Don’t purchase new shipping and packaging materials; reuse, reuse, reuse. Saves money, too!       

15. Place a small “green tip” suggestion box that allows any employee to add to these suggestions on how to add a little green to the office.

    By Veronica Cannon

    Photo credit: Flickr: cake.group

     

     

Facebook has added a new friend, a profitable one at that. bsocial network, a social networking software company, has created a consumer to consumer (c2c) facebook application in which you recommend products to friends and in exchange; you make money when they buy. It’s like your own froogle wishing list; only better. This is what MSNBC has to say about the social networking widget, Market Lodge.

A new application aims to inject more commerce into the social playground by paying Facebook members who help merchants sell to their friends. The program, called Market Lodge, revolves around the notion that consumers are more likely to buy merchandise or services recommended by someone they know and trust.

This comes at a perfect time when Social Networking has exploded over the Internet with creation of sites like Facebook, Myspace and even YouTube. Bill Eager, Market Lodge Co-founder, estimates there will be as many as 250,000 sites that call themselves social networks within a year, compared with about 850 today. “Everyone will reposition their site to take advantage of this phenomenon. It happened before with portals.”

The concept is not new. Amway started it door to door (my father was really into Amway; if that says anything); it’s taking an old idea and making it innovative by incorporating Social Network aspect of it which can be exponentially rewarding. So how does Market Lodge exactly work?

Facebook members who decide to use Market Lodge can customize their own stores, selecting from more than 1,200 products sold by about 50 different merchants. You can even start selling event tickets online which has just been incorporated into the application.

Once the personal store is set up, Facebook users can then invite others in their network to check out the stuff they’re recommending. Market Lodge users can make purchases from their own stores and still qualify for the 10 percent sales commission.

All the inventory, order processing and delivery arrangements are handled by the merchants — just as they would be for any other sale.

Market Lodge itself is creating a massive buzz which has been featured in the Washington Post, USA Today, ECommerceTimes, as well as it’s own podcast from Wall Street Journal. Even green blogs like the Accidental Environmentalist have taken notice. Even if you don’t have a facebook account, you can still try out Market Lodge. Just go directly to the site and in five minutes; presto, your own ecommerce store awaits.

Sources:

USA Today

Ecommerce Times

MSNBC

Header Image Credit: Flickr VaXzine

Brought to you by Market Lodge

I use Facebook to stay in touch with friends and network with other environmentally minded bloggers to stay in know how of being green. Now there’s a Facebook Application by Market Lodge which gives Facebook users their own “market bazaar” by creating an online store on their personal pages.  According to MSNBC:

The program, called Market Lodge, revolves around the notion that consumers are more likely to buy merchandise or services recommended by someone they know and trust.

So this is how it works.

• Facebook users set up an account with Market Lodge
• Design and manage their store via a dashboard.
• Add products you like and recommend and the widget on your personal page.
• If a friend buys a product that you post, you get a 10% commission. (Paid Via Paypal)
• The process of setting up an account and doing an initial store design can take as little as five minutes

Market Lodge offers numerous Eco-friendly and green products ranging from body care products with all natural ingredients (like the Organic Travel Skin Care pack pictured above) to organically grown coffee to biodegradable rubber yoga mats. So you can become a little Ecopreneur with couple clicks from your computer!!! It’s like a Froogle Wish List with an added perk. bSocial Networks (founders of Market Lodge) are constantly adding new products to their inventory and you can even suggest products to be added.

This growing Social Networking widget has been featured on eweek, Wall Street Journal, USA Today and now on Accidental Environmentalist which is of course on par with above mentioned.
If you are on Facebook; you can Search Apps for Market Lodge.  Or, go to Market Lodge web site to start your own page if you don’t have a Facebook Account. (and if want to see how it looks, check out Jolly Green Girl’s) I am actually impressed with the products they have and hope they will continue to add more green products.  I am especially pleased with the yoga products, the natural rubber mat is definitely calling my name. Anyways, try it out and let me know how it work for you.