Tips & Resources For Living a Green, Healthy, Sustainable Life Thinking of starting a Green Committee at the office? Here are a few ideas to get you started: Getting To The Office and Back 1.) Encourage staff to commit to taking alternative modes of transportation for their daily commute. This can include options such as car-pooling, cycling, taking public transit or walking where possible. 2.) Avoid air travel by using video-conferences for meetings. The world's 16,000 commercial jet aircrafts produce more than 600 million tonnes of CO2 every year, nearly as much as all the countries of Africa put together. 3.) If you have a fleet of vehicles, try to use the most energy-efficient models possible. Encourage regular tune-ups to ensure vehicles are in tip-top shape, and eliminate idling, which hurts the environment, the company’s bottom line, and the health of bystanders. All Things Paper 1.) Think twice about printing – do you really need to print or can you read and save on-screen? 2.) Encourage staff to set their computers to use both sides of the paper when printing or photocopying. 3.) Re-use old envelopes by sticking a label over the previous address. 4.) If you cannot reuse paper, use recycled, Forest Stewardship Council approved paper. Your paper supplier will be able to suggest options. 5.) Set up a recycling program for used paper, aluminum and other materials. Make sure there are plenty of recycling cans near printers, photocopiers and desks. Reduce Energy Consumption 1.) Buy energy-saving office appliances and equipment, such as EnergyStar-approved computers, LCD monitors, printers and photocopiers. 2.) Request energy-efficiency upgrades and retrofits to office buildings.     3.) Monitor how much water your workplace uses and look at how you can reduce use.   4.) Fix leaking taps in the bathrooms and kitchen area right away.     5.) Turn lights on only when needed. Turn all office lights off at night. It’s good to have the last person leaving check that all the lights are out.     6.) Remind colleagues to switch off their computer monitors when away from their desks and to switch off all unneeded appliances.     7.) Set the thermostat at 19 degrees celsius. This is generally the optimal temperature for comfort and energy efficiency.     8.) Keep windows and skylights clean and clear to make the most of daylight. 9.) Keep radiators clear. Don’t block radiators with furniture as it reduces efficiency and output. 10.) If you can’t measure it you can’t manage it! Check your use of electricity, gas and oil to evaluate how much energy your office uses and how much you can reduce. Toronto's first Buy Local Week was December 1-7, 2008.  Here are 10 good reasons to shop from locally-owned retailers: 1.) Money spent at locally-owned businesses goes around longer in the local economy, as local business people pay for all types of local services, spend their profits and pay taxes locally.  Purchasing locally helps grow other businesses and the Toronto tax base. 2.) Local businesses generate more income, jobs, and tax receipts for local communities than big box stores. 3.) Non-profit organizations receive greater support from local business owners than they do from non-locally owned businesses. 4.) Supporting local businesses preserves the economic diversity of our communities and the unique character of our neighborhoods. 5.) Local businesses have a reduced environmental impact because they can make more local purchases requiring less transportation. 6.) Local businesses yield two to four times the economic benefit to you, the local resident, compared to non-local businesses. 7.) Local businesses are owned by people who live in this community, and are more invested in the community’s future. 8.) Local businesses often hire people with more specific product expertise and offer better customer service. 9.) Competition and diversity lead to more choices. 10.) Local businesses require comparatively little infrastructure investment and make more efficient use of public services. WWW.BIGBOXEVALUATOR.ORG is an-line tool providing unbiased information for anyone wanting to know more about “big box” retail stores and their potential positive and negative impacts on the local community. This free resource gives you a way to think about how big box stores may affect a community’s economics, environment and community character.  The interactive format lets you learn basic facts, test assumptions, explore interactive models and draw your own conclusions.