Greening Shops and Saving Costs


Book Description

The retail sector can play a key role in facilitating a shift towards sustainable consumption and production patterns, by adopting environmental management schemes for its internal operations, greening its supply chain and inform customers about sustainable products and services. This Resource Kit is aims to explain in a step-by-step approach how to successfully implement sustainability strategies in shops and therefore lead to cost-savings and new business opportunities.--Publisher's description.




Greening Our Built World


Book Description

“Green” buildings—buildings that use fewer resources to build and to sustain—are commonly thought to be too expensive to attract builders and buyers. But are they? The answer to this question has enormous consequences, since residential and commercial buildings together account for nearly 50% of American energy consumption—including at least 75% of electricity usage—according to recent government statistics. This eye-opening book reports the results of a large-scale study based on extensive financial and technical analyses of more than 150 green buildings in the U.S. and ten other countries. It provides detailed findings on the costs and financial benefits of building green. According to the study, green buildings cost roughly 2% more to build than conventional buildings—far less than previously assumed—and provide a wide range of financial, health and social benefits. In addition, green buildings reduce energy use by an average of 33%, resulting in significant cost savings. Greening Our Built World also evaluates the cost effectiveness of “green community development” and presents the results of the first-ever survey of green buildings constructed by faith-based organizations. Throughout the book, leading practitioners in green design—including architects, developers, and property owners—share their own experiences in building green. A compelling combination of rock-solid facts and specific examples, this book proves that green design is both cost-effective and earth-friendly.




Greening Your Small Business


Book Description

The ultimate resource for small business owners who want to go green without going broke. Greening Your Small Business is the definitive resource for those who want their small businesses to be cutting- edge, competitive, profitable, and eco-conscious. Filled with stories from small business owners of all stripes, Greening Your Small Business addresses every aspect of going green, from basics such as recycling, reducing waste, energy efficiency, and reducing the IT footprint, to more in-depth concerns such as green marketing and communications, green business travel, and green employee benefits. For companies too small to hire consultants to draft and implement green policies and practices, this guide is designed for easy use, featuring: ? Simple ways to make the workplace greener ? Two plans of action for going green (divided into two levels) ? Definitions for green terminology and jargon




Go Green, Spend Less, Live Better


Book Description

Go Green, Spend Less, Live Better is an authoritative, practical guide that details the money-saving side of greener, healthier, and simpler living. Bestselling author of It’s Easy Being Green and sustainable-living expert Crissy Trask provides a prescriptive handbook for making better decisions about our homes, how we get around, what we eat, and how we behave as consumers, in order to simultaneously achieve two desirable and imperative goals—to be better off financially and to do what is good for the planet. Laying out steps that will yield immediate results, Trask also provides explanations of bigger commitments that take time to implement, but also produce much bigger savings. With her practical money-saving strategies and environmental know-how, Trask empowers readers to confidently pursue change, knowing their bank accounts will grow as a result. Go Green, Spend Less, Live Better shows how typical families can easily save at least $10,000—and even as much as $30,000—in the first year alone by greening up some key areas of their homes and lives. Other areas covered include: How green living is not exclusive, but highly accessible and affordable Five reasons you will live better and save money when going green How to start reaping economic rewards right away Taking green to the next level and getting more for your money Earning rich returns on green investments The link between better health and greater wealth And much more!




Big Green Purse


Book Description

Read Diane McEachern's posts on the Penguin Blog. Protecting our environment is one of the biggest issues facing our planet today. But how do we solve a problem that can seem overwhelming-even hopeless? As Diane MacEachern argues in Big Green Purse, the best way to fight the industries that pollute the planet, thereby changing the marketplace forever, is to mobilize the most powerful consumer force in the world-women. MacEachern's message is simple but revolutionary. If women harness the "power of their purse" and intentionally shift their spending money to commodities that have the greatest environmental benefit, they can create a cleaner, greener world. Spirited and informative, this book: - targets twenty commodities-cars, cosmetics, coffee, food, paper products, appliances, cleansers, and more-where women's dollars can make a dramatic difference; - provides easy-to-follow guidelines and lists so women can choose the greenest option regardless of what they're buying, along with recommended companies they should support; - encourages women to spend wisely by explaining what's worth the premium price some green products cost, what's not, and when they shouldn't spend money at all; and - differentiates between products that are actually "green" and those that are simply marketed as "ecofriendly." Whether readers want to start with small changes or are ready to devote the majority of their budget to green products, MacEachern offers concrete and immediate ways that women can take action and make a difference. Empowering and enlightening, Big Green Purse will become the "green shopping bible" for women everywhere who are asking, "What can I do?"




The Complete Idiot's Guide to Greening Your Business


Book Description

Green is the color of money! Businesses are always looking to increase their profitability and market share. With rising costs of fuel and consumers targeting environmentally-responsible companies to patronize, businesses have jumped on the green initiative and reaped the financial benefits. The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Greening Your Business provides the most up-to-date, concrete, and practical steps for readers to follow to get rich by going green. *Solid authors with "green" background *White-hot green market *Comprehensive, practical business approach




The Power of Existing Buildings


Book Description

Your building has the potential to change the world. Existing buildings consume approximately 40 percent of the energy and emit nearly half of the carbon dioxide in the US each year. In recognition of the significant contribution of buildings to climate change, the idea of building green has become increasingly popular. But is it enough? If an energy-efficient building is new construction, it may take 10 to 80 years to overcome the climate change impacts of the building process. New buildings are sexy, but few realize the value in existing buildings and how easy it is to get to “zero energy” or low-energy consumption through deep energy retrofits. Existing buildings can and should be retrofit to reduce environmental impacts that contribute to climate change, while improving human health and productivity for building occupants. In The Power of Existing Buildings, academic sustainability expert Robert Sroufe, and construction and building experts Craig Stevenson and Beth Eckenrode, explain how to realize the potential of existing buildings and make them perform like new. This step-by-step guide will help readers to: understand where to start a project; develop financial models and realize costs savings; assemble an expert team; and align goals with numerous sustainability programs. The Power of Existing Buildings will challenge you to rethink spaces where people work and play, while determining how existing buildings can save the world. The insights and practical experience of Sroufe, Stevenson, and Eckenrode, along with the project case study examples, provide new insights on investing in existing buildings for building owners, engineers, occupants, architects, and real estate and construction professionals. The Power of Existing Buildings helps decision-makers move beyond incremental changes to holistic, results-oriented solutions.




Greening India's Growth


Book Description

India’s sustained and rapid economic growth offers an opportunity to lift millions out of poverty. But this may come at a steep cost to its environment and natural resources. This insightful book analyses India’s growth from an economic perspective and assesses whether India can grow in a "green" and sustainable manner. Three key issues are addressed. The first is the physical and monetary costs and losses of environmental health and natural resources driven by economic growth. The authors undertake a monetary valuation and quantification of environmental damage, using techniques that have been developed to better understand and quantify preferences and values of individuals and communities in the context of environmental quality, conservation of natural resources, and environmental health risks. The second part estimates the value of ecosystem services from the major biomes in India using state-of-the art methods with a view to preserving them for the future. The third section provides a menu of policy instruments to explore trade-offs between economic growth and environmental sustainability using a Computable General Equilibrium approach with particular attention to air pollution. The conclusions focus on the way forward in terms of policies, measures and instruments as India has to balance the twin challenges of maintaining economic prosperity while managing its environmental resources.




Smart Green


Book Description

"Do you think going green will give you a competitive advantage, even save you money? Do you think your customers are more likely to buy if you are green? Do you want to do better by the environment and your community? If so, you are not alone. Many feel the need to go green. Jonathan Estes in Smart Green turns this need into value and lays out the steps for going green.?Read it and get ahead of your competition and the green tsunami sweeping the country." —Frank Phoenix, PE, LEED-AP, Partner, Greenbridge Developments, LLC "Estes's book articulates the opportunities, challenges, and trends of the blossoming conscious consumer movement using insightful research to make the case for growing a green business. His compendium examines and dissects our cultural shift in which a handful of people are optimists, many are ambivalent, and everyone is a skeptic." —David Lubensky, President, Bagatto, Inc. "Smart Green is a very practical guide for getting started with greening your company. Estes has taken the principles of business planning and applied them to a very complex subject. Worth the read." —Michael Knupp, former CEO, The RETEC Group, and former member, World Business Council for Sustainable Development "Estes's Smart Green is a great resource for small to mid-size enterprises that want to make measurable improvement in performance and align themselves with the global green wave. From strategic planning to practical how-to examples, Estes demonstrates how we can go green and make some too." —Aaron Nelson, IOM, President and CEO, Chapel Hill-Carrboro (NC) Chamber of Commerce, and Executive Director, Foundation for a Sustainable Community




Sustainability Starts at Home


Book Description

Are You Overwhelmed by "Going Green?" You read the news about worsening air and water pollution, climate change, droughts and diminishing natural resources, and you worry if your family will have a healthy future. The problem seems so big and overwhelming. What can you do? Why bother? You have the power and it starts right at home. Change starts with each of us, right where we each live. By making a series of small, doable changes, in aggregate, you will make a big difference--in your budget, and in the world. Are You Ready to Make A Difference? In this book, top eco-blogger Dawn Gifford shares her extensive research into why today's environmental problems exist. She gives you all the facts and data you need to understand the issues, then shares simple, succinct actions that you can easily implement right away. You can start saving hundreds or even thousands of dollars a year, be empowered to greater self-sufficiency, reduce your carbon, water, energy and consumption footprints and have a tangible sense that you ARE making that difference. What are You Waiting For? Discover how to save up to $200 a year simply by lowering your thermostat to this setting. (Chapter 8) Learn how to save 7,500 gallons of water and $140 in electricity costs every year, just by installing these inexpensive plumbing items. (Chapter 12) Get your home or business electricity from solar for less than the cost of your current utility bill--and lock in those prices for years to come. (Chapter 11) Follow these steps to buy all your organic produce and pasture-raised meat, dairy and eggs at wholesale cost (Chapter 21) Sustainability Starts at Home will show you how to do all of this, plus give you hundreds more inspiring tips that will save you thousands of dollars a year--simply by making adjustments to how you maintain your home and make your day-to-day purchases. This book pays for itself (and then some) with the first tip you implement! You Can Change the World, One Little Step at a Time If you are here on this page, you are most likely deeply concerned about the state of the world, and you worry about where we are headed if we keep doing things the same old way we always have been. And, you care a lot about this beautiful earth and your family's future. You feel passionate about making a difference. But it can often be challenging to know where to start. And if you've already started and gotten comfortable with things like composting or making your own non-toxic housecleaning solutions, you might want to know how to take your passion for green living and self-sufficiency to the next level. This book has just what you need! Sustainability Starts at Home has 338 pages of ideas, tips, facts and inspiration to help you live a simpler, more sustainable and frugal life--no matter what level of knowledge you are starting from. You CAN do it, and every little effort does make a difference!