At Wal-Mart headquarters in Arkansas, Greg Chandler is holding a paperless meeting. Instead of handing out copies of his presentation, he flips open his laptop and turns it around. Rather than finishing the meeting in the office, Chandler invites his associate to join him on a walk outside. He makes sure he shuts off the lights on his way out.
Meanwhile, Chandler’s associate, Rand Waddoups, spent the early morning turning his compost pile and trying to convince his wife to give up the clothes dryer and hang dry all the laundry.
Waddoups and Chandler take Wal-Mart’s charge seriously—to be part of the 200 million shoppers and employees making an impact on the health of our planet. “Sustainability is a part of every person’s job,” explains Waddoups, senior director for strategy and sustainability. Chandler couldn’t agree more. He, after all, headed up the marketing team that came up with Wal-Mart’s 200 million campaign.
The idea behind the campaign is if all 200 million Wal-Mart shoppers and employees use earth-friendly products, they can make the earth a healthier planet for generations to come and save money doing it. “There is an energy and excitement from everyone involved because of the power and hope behind the idea,” says Chandler, who earned his MBA from the Marriott School in 1996. “People recognize it’s not such an impossible task to make a difference even if they’re small efforts such as switching to compact fluorescent (CFL) lightbulbs, washing clothes in cold water, or buying earth-friendly cleaning supplies.”
These small efforts add up. In 2007 Wal-Mart sold 137 million CFL lightbulbs, which the company estimated saved customers up to $4 billion in energy costs and prevented almost one billion incandescent bulbs from being disposed.
As Chandler, or any other marketing expert will tell you, convincing people to change even small habits isn’t easy. “It can be daunting. People feel like hypocrites because of what they’re not doing to save the environment,” he says. “But if that’s the case, then we’re all hypocrites because we can all do better.” He recommends taking it one step at a time. “If you’re on a journey toward a more sustainable lifestyle, you’ll just get smarter and smarter about your choices, which usually begin in your own home.”
Chandler has a good point. If you’re like most people, you’ve probably made greener choices at home by switching to energy-efficient appliances, replacing old windows, adding insulation, recycling, etc. But what happens when you aren’t the one paying the utilities and worrying about those costs? Are you as conscientious at work as you are at home, or do your green manners take a rest when it matters most? According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the average employed American works 9.3 hours per day—that’s more time spent on work than any other activity.
Not surprisingly, one office worker can use a quarter ton of materials in a year—including 10,000 pieces of copier paper. Heating, cooling, and powering office space are responsible for almost 40 percent of carbon dioxide emissions in the United States and gobble more than 70 percent of total electricity usage. Commuter vehicles spew 1.3 billion tons of carbon dioxide a year. Computers burn $1 billion worth of electricity annually.1
Based on those numbers, you don’t need to be an accountant to figure out the potential ROI of going green, but there’s more to it than increasing your bottom line. Going green is good for business, and according to Waddoups, “Sustainability is the single greatest business opportunity today. It gives companies the competitive advantage that helps them save money, drive up quality, and deliver a unique value proposition.”
Adopting greener practices also enhances a company’s image, aids in employee recruitment and retention, boosts employee morale, and attracts better candidates. One-third of workers would be more inclined to work for a green company, says staffing firm Adecco USA, and more than half wish their employers would be more environmentally friendly.2
On the other hand, not going green can be bad for business. A study conducted by Yale and the George Mason University Center for Climate Change and Communication recently found that a growing number of Americans are willing to pay more for green products and even boycott companies that do not sell green products or have green practices.
“There are major potential consequences for not being green,” says Ron Hayes, director of marketing for Pacific Steel and Recycling in Great Falls, Montana. “The social networks that exist today are punishing companies not making an effort to reduce their carbon footprint.” He cites bloggers who tattle on companies not doing a good job, “and that hurts business,” says Hayes, who earned his BS in finance from the Marriott School in 1993. “Being environmentally responsible and transparent in your green efforts creates goodwill. It should be in the strategic plan of every company in today’s landscape.”
Waddoups also reminds companies that going green is more than a public relations initiative. “It’s a fundamental way of managing business that allows you to see and remove inefficiencies, waste, and unnecessary costs,” says Waddoups, who earned his BS in economics from BYU in 2000.
Hayes points out there are often upfront costs to being green. “Companies need to look beyond today’s profits to long-term ROI. It can cost time and money to be really involved in any kind of green process. If you change your culture in your business so it becomes something you really want to do, those costs almost go away,” Hayes says.
So where can you and your business start? First, start simply and do what fits your culture, advises Waddoups. “It’s important this be embedded into the business—core to what you do. If you take this approach, you’ll find long-term success.” Next, “Make goals, track progress, and hold yourself accountable, with clear measures of what you want to accomplish,” advises Chandler. And finally, don’t forget the little things and the difference each person can make.
Following suit with corporate campaigns, we believe every Marriott School alum can make an impact on the health of our planet. Here are a few suggestions, both big and small, of ways to conserve, reduce, reuse, and recycle in an effort to create a more sustainable workplace—maybe one with a few more paperless meetings.
Energy—Lighten Up
Did you know?
According to the EPA, more than 11 billion kilowatts, equivalent to $935 million, would be saved if the 55 million office computers in the United States used Energy Star power management controls. That’s comparable to taking 1.5 million cars off the road or planting 2.5 million acres of trees.
Tips:
- Connect office electronics to power strips, and turn them off after work and during breaks.
- Turn off the lights in common areas when no one is using them, and add motion sensors in common areas and restrooms.
- Use Energy Star or EPEAT certified equipment.
- Install skylights and dimmers.
- Switch to compact fluorescent bulbs, which are three to four times more efficient than incandescent bulbs.
- Get a programmable thermostat.
- Start air conditioning and heating units an hour later in the morning, and shut off an hour earlier.
Example:
Wal-Mart stores are adding skylights that are on a system gridded to what’s happening outside. “If it’s dark, lights come on, and if it’s sunny, the store uses natural light,” Chandler explains. This daylight harvesting practice reduces electric lighting in sales areas up to 75 percent during the daytime.
Office Space—Think about It
Did you know?
Commercial buildings consume 72 percent of the country’s electricity and 13.6 percent of its drinking water, while producing 38 percent of carbon dioxide emissions, according to the Environmental Information Administration.
Tips:
- Clean offices during daylight hours.
- Use shades or awnings to block sunlight in south-facing windows.
- Use environmentally safe paints and carpeting.
- Buy used or refurbished furniture.
- Install sensor faucets and low-flow toilets in bathrooms. (Waterless urinals, for instance, can save 40,000 gallons of water per year per fixture.)
- Use eco-friendly cleaning supplies.
- Xeriscape the landscape.
- Become LEED certified at www.usgbc.org.
- Find out about green tax incentives in your state.
Example:
The Tanner Building’s green features include energy-efficient mechanical systems connected to the campus central plant; long-lasting, energy-efficient light fixtures; and the use of materials high in recycled content—from structural steel to carpeting. The building was also designed for optimal daylight.
Recycling—Just Do It
Did you know?
Every day American businesses use enough paper to circle the earth twenty times.3 “Each ton of recycled paper saves seventeen trees, four hundred gallons of oil, three cubic yards of landfill space, 3,500 kilowatts of energy, and 7,000 gallons of water,” Hayes says.
Tips:
- Recycle office paper, newspaper, junk mail, cardboard, aluminum cans, electronics, cell phones, outdated or broken electronics, and print cartridges.
- Keep one trash can in each main room, and remove all others.
- Post what can and cannot be recycled on each bin. Savings note:
“Most reclamation companies will pay for paper, aluminum, etc. Often you can negotiate a lower trash removal rate because you’re sending less to the landfill, which charges by the tonnage,” Hayes explains. (On average, it costs $30 per ton to recycle trash, $50 to send it to the landfill, and $65 to $75 to incinerate it.4)
Travel—Cut Back
Did you know?
Traffic congestion created by commuters costs U.S. employers 3.7 billion hours of lost productivity a year, which adds up to $63.1 billion in wasted time and fuel every year, according to the EPA.
Tips:
- Take public transport, bike, or walk. If you must drive, carpool or get a hybrid or electric car or an alternative fuel vehicle, such as a motorcycle or scooter.
- Encourage workers to cut carbon emissions by providing bike racks and a shower for cyclist commuters.
- Offer incentives for employees to commute via public transportation or carpool.
- Consider hybrids for your office fleets.
- Whenever possible, utilize videoconferencing and conference calls as an alternative to travel.
Example:
To encourage carpooling, Wal-Mart designates some of its better parking spots for those who carpool. The company also has official bike to work days.
Office Habits—Make It Your Culture
Did you know?
Green features, such as improved air flow and plentiful natural light, could increase worker productivity by as much as 16 percent.5
Tips:
- Don’t print if you don’t have to. If you do, print on both sides.
- Email instead of faxing or writing a letter.
- Invest in reusable cups, plates, and silverware.
- Replace bottled water with a tap filter.
- Look for environmental certifications on appliances.
- Purchase reusable towels and rags for shared kitchen space.
- Ask yourself, “Are there any tasks I (or my employees) could be doing at home?” Working at home saves commuting and energy costs and boosts employee morale.
Example:
Wal-Mart has a program called personal sustainability project (PSP). Every store has a trained PSP captain who encourages employees to set sustainability goals. Such goals range from carpooling, exercising, quitting smoking, washing clothes in cold water, and cleaning up parks. “The PSP program is viral in our company, and we now have more than 600,000 employees participating,” Waddoups says.
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Article written by J. Melody Murdock
About the Author
J. Melody Murdock is a freelance writer based in Park City, Utah, who after writing this article, unplugged dozens of unused appliances, began printing everything two-sided, and started washing clothes in cold water. But she admits she is still working up the patience to hang dry the laundry.
Notes
- Lisa Takeuchi Cullen. “Going Green at the Office,” TIME. 7 June 2007.
- Ibid.
- www.pacebutler.com/blog/recycling-facts/#more-13.
- Ibid.
- Study by Carnegie Mellon University Center for Building Performance and Diagnostics.
