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Best Practices

At the Office 

    • Form a Green Committee.  Put together a team that includes representatives from departments that can make change happen (IT, Marketing, Catering, Purchasing, Office Administrators.)  Work with building management to develop recycling programs in the building, and serve as the leaders for changes to green
    • Organize your efforts into low cost, no cost and investment required
    • Hire a sustainability consultant to conduct an audit of your Firm and identify opportunities to convert to green
    • Highlight the Firm’s culture of sustainability on website and marketing collateral
    • Establish a "Green Team" e-mail account for ideas and questions
    • Consider creating “Green Jeans Day Friday” for all employees who commute in green-friendly ways (e.g. bus, bike, Metro, ride sharing) and produce a sign which would be placed in reception areas announcing Green Jeans Day Friday so that clients are informed
    • Participate in the ABA-EPA Law Office Climate Challenge and other EPA Programs (Waste Wise, Green Power Partnership, Energy Star)
    • Buy, order, store and consume items in bulk rather than in small pre-packaged units
    • Set Firm printing to default double-sided ("duplex") and avoid printing unless necessary
    • Support vendors, companies, services that are green – and tell them why
    • Assess and purchase carbon offsets to counteract impact of air travel
    • Add prompts for green practices to e mail signatures
    • Preference for car services with hybrid cars
    • Replace the use of plastic water bottles with pitchers in conference rooms
    • Provide Firm logo permanent, washable coffee mugs to employees and use them instead of plastic or cardboard
    • Use washable linens, dinnerware and silverware instead of plastic
    • Install a bike rack
    • Post signs encouraging people to turn off lights, recycle, etc.
    • Use e-cards instead of hard copy holiday cards (start with a goal of converting 20% the first year if you’re getting push back.)  If using hard copy cards, be sure the paper is recycled.
    • Ask your cleaning service to use non-toxic, biodegradable products
    • Place recycling bins in every conference room and copy room
    • Give away “green” chatchkes
    • Provide e-materials instead of hard copies

 At Home 

    • Properly inflate your vehicle tires
    • Install Energy Star rated appliances
    • Maintain your furnace (change filter regularly)
    • Install a blanket on your hot water heater or install a tankless hot water heater
    • Avoid the purchase and use of bottled products
    • Walk, use public transportation and ride share
    • Purchase locally-produced items
    • Support local clean-up initiatives
    • Collect and safely recycle batteries, paint cans and electronic equipment
    • Use nontoxic paints
    • Buy recycled grocery bags and take them to the store with you instead of using plastic.

 Resources and Information 

    • American Forests
      The average person is responsible for emitting 94 pounds of carbon dioxide every day. It takes four trees, which act as natural air filters, to offset the carbon dioxide each person generates in a month. For each dollar donated, American Forests plants a tree. For more information and to plant trees, visit www.americanforests.org.  
    • Earth 911
      Find information about environmental services and events in your community, visit www.earth911.org.  
    • Engines Off
      Lynn Romanek from       Glencoe, Illinois, has organized parents at her children's schools to turn off their cars instead of idling in the parking lot. Idling 10 minutes less per day can keep 550 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the air every year. For more information visit www.enginesoff.org. 
    • Green DC 
      Site designed to be a comprehensive resource on environmental issues in the District of Columbia. Here, you'll find information about current programs, policies, services, events, and issues.
    • Greendimes
      A group that reduces junk mail and plants trees. For more information or to sign up, visit www.greendimes.com.  
    • Treehugger
      For ideas on green living, visit www.treehugger.com.  
    • Stop Global Warming Tour
      Learn more about Sheryl Crow and Laurie David's tour and what you can do to find solutions for global warming. Visit www.stopglobalwarming.org for more information.
    • The Green
      Simran Sethi hosts The Green on the Sundance Channel. Visit www.sundancechannel.com/thegreen for more information.
    • The Green Book by Elizabeth Rogers and Thomas Kostigen
      Simple things you can do to save the planet. Find more at www.readthegreenbook.com.
    • We Can Solve It
      The We Campaign is a project of The Alliance for Climate Protection -- a nonprofit, nonpartisan effort founded by Nobel laureate and former Vice President Al Gore. Our ultimate aim is to halt global warming. Specifically we are educating people in the US and around the world that the climate crisis is both urgent and solvable. www.wecansolveit.org        
    • Shopping and Cleaning
      • Ecobags
        Bringing your own bag when shopping saves plastic bags. Visit www.ecobags.com.  
      • Method Home
        Method offers some cleaners that are dye- and perfume-free, nontoxic, biodegradable, naturally derived and never tested on animals. For more information, visit www.methodhome.com.  
      • Mrs. Meyers cleaning supplies
        All of their cleaning supplies are made with natural essential oils, are biodegradable and phosphate-free. For more, visit www.mrsmeyers.com.  
      • Seventh Generation products
        Seventh Generation is one of the leading brands of nontoxic household products. For more information, visit www.seventhgeneration.com.
      • Shaklee
        This company has been producing natural cleaning products—everything from dryer sheets to stain removers—for 50 years. Call 800-670-6251 or visit www.shaklee.com          
    • Energy
      • BITS Ltd. smart power strips
        Even after turning off a computer, power continues to flow to computer peripherals like printers and scanners. A power strip stops the energy from being wasted. For more information visit www.bitsltd.net.  
      • Carbonfund.org and Terrapass
        If your local utility company doesn't offer green power, you can reduce the environmental impact by purchasing offsets. In this system, you give money to companies like Carbonfund.org or Terrapass, which use it to develop renewable energy sources. For more on purchasing power offsets, visit www.carbonfund.org or www.terrapass.com.  
      • Duke Energy
        Duke Energy provides energy efficiency starter kits.  The kits are available to their customers in         Indiana and Kentucky who qualify for in-home energy audits. For additional information visit www.duke-energy.com. Check with your local energy company for similar ways to save energy.
      • Energy Smart lightbulbs
        Energy Smart bulbs use 70 to 75 percent less energy than incandescent lightbulbs and last up to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs. For example, by using a 26-watt compact fluorescent lightbulb—equivalent to a 100-watt incandescent lightbulb—users can save up to $59 on energy costs over the life of the bulb.