Yellow Pages takes it one step at a time

“Let your fingers do the walking.”

It used to be Yellow Pages’ slogan, an allusion to browsing through the directory to find the right business number. Now, Yellow Pages is talking about steps again – but for a very different reason.

Yellow Pages Group (YPG) has launched its Changing the World, One Step at a Time campaign. It’s designed to encourage ethical and environmentally-sound decisions for individuals and organizations. Equiterre and Green Communities Canada are supporting YPG’s campaign.

There are already 12 steps listed on YPG’s site, in the following categories: Sustainable Transportation; Fair Trade and Ethical Consumption; Ecological Agriculture; Energy Efficiency; Waste Management; and Social and Community Involvement. YPG lists its own corporate actions and details for each.

YPG is no Johnny-come-lately to eco-friendly business practices. Its directories are already 100% recyclable. They’re composed of post-consumer fibre from Canadian suppliers, vegetable-based ink and hot-melt glue. Additionally, YPG uses only 100% recycled office paper at all its offices.

Their corporate actions include short, medium and long-term objectives. Some initiatives for 2009 include: offering the option to consumers to customize their directory order, reviewing the employee business travel policy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, implementing a more efficient energy-saving policy and offering fair-trade products.

YPG says it will publicly report its progress on the various actions and programs. This will keep them honest, of course, but it will do something else. It creates a resource and database. By revealing the efficacy of its programs, the public and other companies can evaluate and compare.

Some companies talk a good game, but Yellow Pages is walking the walk – fingers and all.

Lemon Power…it’s for more than just giving dish soap a boost

When life gives you lemons, make…a desk clock?

The thought of lemons, electrodes and a light bulb might take you back to the days of pocket protectors and Junior High Science Fairs, but is there really science behind lemon power?

Well yes, albeit simple science.

Just cut up a lemon and you’ve got a week’s worth of juice…for the clock. The clock is made using nails and copper wire. It’s the same basic principle that Alessandro Volta used to invent the conventional electric battery in 1800. The electrolysis of zinc and copper (the plug under the lemon) in a salted or acid liquid (the lemon) creates electricity through oxidation, which powers the clock.

Reportedly, a single juicy lemon will keep the seconds ticking for up to one week. And while running a clock on a lemon seems pretty neat, it’s not likely to be all that practical. Buying citrus just to run a clock and then throwing it in the compost bin seems silly and wasteful. And the lemon would start to rot, attract fruit flies or at best, act as an emergency highball garnish.

Don’t have the time of day for lemon-powered clocks? The truth is that the aim is not actually to replace conventional clocks with citrus energy generators, as much as it is meant to serve as a reminder that nature is still our best direct energy source.

Nothing could be simpler, or more eco-friendly.

Eco-friendly signs

Exit signs are telling electricity: don’t let the door hit you on your way out.

“Exit” is the one sign you definitely want illuminated at all times. Traditionally, building operators simply plug them in and think nothing more of it. McHenry, Illinois-based Jessup Manufacturing has come up with an ingenious – and cool – alternative.

Instead of electricity, Eco Exit signs are charged with ambient light. Jessup claims a building that replaces 100 incandescent exit signs with Eco Exit models can save about $3,450 per year. Even LED signs are pricier – costing around $712 annually to operate.

The Eco Exit uses one of nature’s favourite lighting tricks – photoluminescence. Each sign absorbs and stores ambient light, and uses it when it gets dark. It’s visible up to 100 feet away, and lasts 25 years with virtually zero maintenance.

The chief advantage, of course, is these signs can be off the grid. If an area isn’t wired, or operators simply don’t want monthly electricity bills or installation costs, the Eco Exit is a solid option. It just needs small amount of light during the day to work at night.

Will these replace standard LED exit signs?

Maybe, maybe not. LEDs are still code compliant and relatively energy efficient. The Eco Exit’s chief drawback is it’s not recyclable. But you can’t always have your cake and eat it too.

The Eco Exit may not need electricity, but there’s a tradeoff – no matter what happens, it’s destined for the landfill. Sometimes you have to choose between “reduce” and “recycle.”

Google Canada’s eco-friendly office

It would be hard to find a more modern, eco-friendly, cutting-edge office than Google Canada’s new Toronto digs.

The new suite of offices and board rooms mark the completion of a research project: the creation of an innovative workspace balancing environmental responsibility with a relaxed working environment.

From the entrance hall floor, made from reclaimed (and polished) concrete, to doors are made from wheat trees, to floors made from recycled bicycle tires, no effort was spared to make the office as green as possible.

Examples? Where to begin? All the lighting fixtures were chosen on the basis of lifespan (longest) and the wattage (lowest). The ceiling tiles, completely soundproof, use 70% recycled materials. Wall frames and structural paneling are made with 60-80% of recycled galvanized steel.

Consideration was even given to which colour to paint the walls – “green.” Not literally, of course – Google would never be so drab. Google used 100% acrylic low-odour, low VOC paints, cleaned using only water.

Besides eco-friendly design, Google eschews traditional office design and encourages its workers to find spots that suit them best. Employees are free to take their laptops into any yoga ball or massage chair-filled nook to work as they see fit.

Of course, a comprehensive green strategy extends beyond office walls. Google encourages their employees to use public transportation, offering a monthly subsidy added to that employee’s pay – no need to submit receipts or proof.

Google has reliably pushed the boundaries of contemporary office design, and its Toronto headquarters is no different.

Green Gift Guide

This holiday season’s biggest trend? It’s not Wii, or the xBox 360. It’s not Cabbage Patch Kids, Tickle-Me-Elmo, Furby, Beanie Babies, or other past superstars of the toy store. And it’s definitely not pet rocks, although technically speaking, they qualify.

According to consumer studies, this year the hottest trend is eco-friendly gift-giving.   

Give the gift of conservation. The World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) offers symbolic adoptions.  The proceeds of each gift go towards conservation efforts, and you get an uber-cute plush toy.

Protect your iPod. The Gidget Gadget Case is made out of recycled billboards, the perfect carrying case for iPods. 

Recycled your ride. Choose the billboard deluxe messenger bag, tote and wallet from GreenGuruGear. Made from more of that recycled billboard vinyl, these bags also boast a reclaimed inner tube rubber reinforced bottom.

Power up! SolarRoll is a flexible solar panel that can be used to charge your cell phone, digital camera, or even a car battery.

Spruce up the office. The Lawn PC looks cool and brings a much-needed hint of green to even the stuffiest of workspaces. Made from natural cotton fabric, each blade of grass is actually a solar cell, which generate about 60 watts per hour.

Does someone hate mowing the lawn?  The Robomower creates free time galore, and doesn’t use gas, oil, or produce any harmful emissions. 

Make a juice bag.  Inspired by a successful women’s cooperative in the Philippines, these bags are made entirely from Capri Sun drink pouches.  They’re the very definition of eco-friendly, and cool.  

Consider a stainless steel water bottle.  The hottest must-have gift, stainless steel bottles reduce waste and they are safe.

Green trains, the eco-friendly mode of transport

When it comes to transportation, trains aren’t exactly what springs to mind when you think about cutting-edge technology. Nor are they traditionally thought of as being the eco-friendly alternative.

Ah, the noble and venerable train.  

For hundreds of years trains have chugged across the country, earning a rather dirty reputation. Dirty and loud. Let’s face it, coal smoke is nasty stuff. Not exactly a tree hugger’s dream. But as the saying goes, trains have come a long way, baby. It’s time to take a fresh look at trains.

The rail industry has been working steadily on cleanliness and efficiency for years, working to improve efficiency and clean-up their reputation. Recently, the industry has made some rather interesting advances. Like what, you ask?  Try increasing fuel efficiency by 80 per cent since 1980.   How, you ask again?  One word – lubrication.  

Companies use a petroleum-based oil on the rails to reduce the friction allowing the train to move more easily along. It’s worked moderately well for decades. CSX, a company founded in the 1800s, has been testing soy-based oil.  Besides being a renewable  source, the soy lubricant is faster.  

Much, much faster.  

CSX is working on improving the performance of the actual locomotives as well.  One particularly innovative measure is the use of three engines, which activate sequentially.  Three sequential engines means significantly less continual use, which translates to at least 35% less maintenance. 

Even before these advances, trains were roughly twice as efficient as trucks for transporting freight.  That said, trains won’t ever completely replace trucks.  The obvious reason is the biggest one: trucks can go places trains never will.  

Granted, trucks are gradually becoming more efficient, with new fuel efficiency standards in place as of 2007 in the US, but with green innovations, trains are speeding further and further ahead.

Photo by Craig Zeni

Partners in Project Green

If everyone “knows better”, why are there still so many laggards when it comes to responsible environmental practices?  

You know the answer already: cost.  Unfortunately, it’s often cheaper to do things the old way. And many businesses live in a short-term results world.  

That’s why Partners in Project Green (PPG) is so exciting.  Officially launched on October 9, this collaborative venture transforms 12,000 hectares around Pearson International Airport into the Pearson Eco-Business Zone. 

Sounds great, right?  But what does that actually mean?  

Essentially, 12,500 businesses, employing some 355,000 people, are partnering to deliver a united green strategy.  The Partners in Project Green initiative includes transit, a green parking lot program, eco-efficiency audits, and shared-cost implementation programs.  

Set aside the good corporate citizenship and environmental impact for a moment, and think like a cold-blooded capitalist: this represents an enormous business opportunity.  By acting collaboratively, businesses in the eco-business zone expect to reduce the investment and operating costs of adopting eco-friendly practices. 

Even if the worst case scenario comes true and businesses within the Pearson zone break even or lose money on the project, there are still ample benefits to go around.  It’s smart branding, for one.  Being on the vanguard of progressive change is seldom a bad thing for brand perception.  

Oh, and it will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  That’s still the name of the game, right?

RVing a greener travel choice?

The next time you get frustrated trying to pass yet another slow-moving RV, remind yourself they may just be more environmentally responsible than you. 

A new study reveals that RVing is the travel mode of choice for eco-friendliness. The study compared the carbon dioxide emissions of a family of four traveling by RV and compared it to the emissions generated by other modes of transport, including driving your car or flying to your destination.

Conducted by an independent research firm, the study used a carbon calculator methodology developed by Conservation International. The study compared carbon dioxide emissions from vacations of 3, 7, 10 and 14 days in length. The study even factored in different makes and models of cars and RV for a fair comparison. 

How can it possibly be that an RV which has the aerodynamic characteristics of a cardboard box possibly produce less greenhouse gas than your average car? Well, no. It doesn’t. But when you take a vacation, that’s not a fair comparison, unless you drive there and sleep in your back seat. If that’s the case, bravo.

Air travel, as most probably understand, generates more carbon dioxide for the same trip than RV travel.  But hotel stays aren’t exactly carbon-neutral, either.  That’s not to say you shouldn’t stay in hotels, just that like anything else, they have a footprint.  Heating, air conditioning, laundry, restaurants, ice makers, room service; it all counts.

It seems when it comes to vacations, RV’s are number one. That’s the index finger, not the middle one.

Going away is going green

With rising fuel prices pushing operating costs to new heights, reducing, reusing and recycling is just plain good business in any industry. But in the tourism industry, where perception is everything, eco-friendly operators are using it to attract travelers who are increasingly aware of the environmental impact of travel.

From luxury hotels to major airlines, all across the travel industry, companies are stepping up and doing their part.

Energy conservation is the new standard in the hotel industry. Water conservation and energy efficient products are commonplace. Industry leaders are taking it one step further and re-using wastewater for flowerbeds, sourcing alternate energy, installing solar panels and recycling kitchen grease for bio-diesel.

Thankfully, airlines don’t have as far to go in going green as they used to. According to the IATA, jet engines are a whooping 40% more fuel-efficient than they were in the 1960’s. Carbon offsetting is commonplace with eco leaders like Virgin actively developing bio-fuel technologies. Aviation planners are looking at ways to streamline air-traffic control operations to further reduce fuel wastage.

Even attractions like the Calgary Stampede and Disney are stepping up their efforts to conserve energy and protect the environment. The Stampede not only seeks out energy efficient technology and right-sizes vehicles to reduce fuel consumption, it actively protects the local water systems. True to its trailblazing style, Disney is ‘imagineering’ new eco-friendly fireworks, and soybean oil-based bio-diesel.

It seems the new standard for luxury travel is the luxury of not harming the environment in the process.

Put energy in the bank during your home renovation

Some of the trendiest interior designers in the business are keen on green. Witness HGTV’s show, World’s Greenest Homes, which highlights the best of the best eco-wise homes.

Although the homes featured on the show resemble green versions of MTVs Cribs, don’t be discouraged – you can make trendy, earth-friendly changes to your humbler abode too.

Thinking about tearing out the old carpet? Instead of replacing it with new carpet, look into green flooring options like bamboo, eucalyptus or cork. Not only are these floor covering options made from sustainable harvested materials, cork flooring reduces heat loss which will help you conserve energy.

Once you’ve got the floor down, think hard about the appliances you’re going to perch on top of it. You can save even more energy with new ENERGY STAR appliances. Appliances with the ENERGY STAR rating can save you $80 a year on your energy bill. ENERGY STAR appliances that use water will also help you save on your water bill. Appliances that meet the regulations will use any where from 10 to 50 per cent less energy and water than your standard model.

And don’t forget to recycle when possible. Before you haul off the old to the landfill, try selling or donating your old appliances, recycle what you can and reuse what you still love.

Eco-friendly renovations and projects can cost a bit more, but think about taking steps to achieve your overall goal of greening your home. Set your priorities and make your renos over time. Not only will this help spread out the financial burdens of renovations, it will relieve the stress of large home-building projects.

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