Paint Me A Picture Of...

Let’s play a little game called “paint me a picture”. Although you’ll be doing this on your computer desk where I couldn’t see it, it would really help if you play this as if you are “painting” a picture to someone in the room. I’ll be describing a scenario and try to get a mental image in your head of what it would be like with those instances. The objective of this game is for you to feel what it’s like the things I’m about to describe. Now, let’s start…

•Paint me a picture of a world where computers doesn’t exist. What do you see?
•Paint me a picture of a society with no health care benefits.
•Paint me a picture of a young boy begging night and day for food.
•Paint me a picture of a bird not afraid of humans because humans are the only one who has food.

Now, let’s see what you’ve got. For the first item, I would guess you’d paint a world where mails are delivered the old fashion way, where it would take a number of days before you receive one. Or you would have an image of a person, let’s say an HR assistant, manually stacking all the employee records in one filing cabinet considering there are 30,000 employees in the company.

On the second item, a society with no health care benefits would depict a culture either overly engrossed with their daily jobs just to make sure they are prepared for an emergency or a community helping one another financially just to afford the professional fee of a certified doctor.

A boy begging for food is something we all see daily on the streets. But what if these boys multiply themselves shifting the balance between the rich and the needy? Do you think it would be a nice picture to paint?

How about birds or animals even who doesn’t care if humans would hurt them so long as they find food among the wastes thrown out by people? It would be a very scary place to be where no boundaries between humans and animals exist.

Now you would ask me, where am I driving this at? Simple… Regardless which scenario indicated above, whether pictured overly grotesque or drawn in a way where you cover the truth under a pile of lie, it would seem that the world is not responsible for all these things to happen. I read this morning on the local newspaper that local leftists are protesting for change well in fact that they themselves do not have an alternative plan. It would seem that all we ever do now is talk and talk and talk. All talk no actions. If we can’t pin the blame on someone, we blame it on something. In this case, it’s either the environment or the event that which caused the problem. I noticed that we don’t care if issues get to be resolved, what we only care about is the propagation of our own interests. In return, everything around us suffers.

Like the issue of global warming. A lot of people are saying that these are not caused by man but a series of changes nature intended to be. The problem with that analysis is that while I agree that it is a change made by nature, the contribution of mankind to these changes are pushing it to its limits therefore allowing nature to change course on a dangerous level. This in return makes our world a not-so-better place to live in.
The scenarios that I asked you to paint above are results of our careless actions today. I don’t mean to generalize everyone and I know that there are a lot of non-profit groups out there with different advocacies trying to make a difference in their own way. I applaud you for doing that.

In the end, it’s just a matter of doing what you can and hoping that everyone else will do it. Not a beggar left on the streets, everyone well insured, and most of all, living a comfortable life despite any circumstances.

My Thoughts on Shopping During the Holidays...

I always feel strange when writing about shopping since my career revolves heavily around marketing. I think one of the reasons I feel reserve from the subject is because I have an idea how the marketing industry works. Especially during the holiday season where consumers flock shopping malls in frenzy just to get the best bargain. During this season, countless bazaars and mall-wide sale populate the entire city enticing each person to buy stuff they may or may not need. As high as 70% off on regular items, who could say no to that offer?

Being in the marketing field for about 5 years now, it makes sense that people buy because marketers tell them to buy. Marketers take advantage of tapping into different emotions during this time and believe it or not, it actually works! With the right image and mixture of words, retail profit shoots up drastically during this time of the year. And the funny thing is that I fall for the same tactics and the same alluring marketing ads even though I knew that underneath it all, it’s nothing but glitter.

Now looking at how our economy benefits from these “pre-determined” events, I think there is a social responsibility that needs to be addressed by these people or company who participates in discount shopping. Yes I agree that these price-offs tend to satisfy the hunger of the common shopper and it actually helps the economy revolves the trading of goods among consumers and merchants but there is a moral dilemma that I think is prevalent in this scenario. While it is true that it helps increase revenues and in return creates more jobs for the people, it doesn’t justify the fact that these companies or individuals rob people of their hard-earned money for 11 months and carelessly sell it at 70% off on the 12th month of the year. Yes, you read it right – rob! If companies or individuals can afford to sell everything at a mark down price then the months prior to that big blow out sale is nothing but a big cheat!

Don’t get me wrong, I love bargain shopping but I also have this inherent responsibility to myself and to the world I live in. I believe that in order to get the most of our hard-earned money, these stores should also give us the right quality that our money deserves. When you look at it a bigger perspective, if companies or individuals can mark their items at a discounted price for a period of time, it means that they can afford to let go of something that they are selling at a higher rate for the past 11 months. Does this not alarm you that what they could be selling on a regular day might not have the standard quality you deserve just because they stick a brand that sounds classy when pronounced with a foreign accent? I don’t want to name names but let me just tell you what happened to me before when I went bargain shopping. Brand X polo shirt cost P3, 800 priced regularly - less 50% during 3 days mall-wide sale, it now costs P1, 900. I bought it obviously since the brand in itself speaks for quality and went home with a happy and content heart. After I tried it the second time, I heard a ripping sound at the left side (arm pit section) and to my dismay, the P1, 900 Brand X polo shirt is now worth like a P50 t-shirt I could buy at Divisoria.

I am not saying that these happen a lot but for a P1, 900 polo shirt – well, I expected more. This made me think on the thousands of money we spent during holiday season just to go with the shopping craze marketers tried so hard to create. And after the holidays, we just end up asking ourselves, “where did my 13th month pay go?”

While it is true that it is tradition that we buy gifts during the holidays, this is not an excuse for us to waste our hard-earned money to something that is not worth buying. If we allow ourselves to practice this during the holidays, and then just think how this would impact not only the aspect of our financial capabilities but also our environment. So as a golden rule, before shopping anything for your love ones or friends, try asking yourself these questions and this will definitely help you make the right choices specially today where different marketing messages are thrown at us to confuse us more with our purchasing power.

1. Does he/she really need it?

2. Is there an alternative to the gift you are about to give?

3. Is your idea of a gift long-lasting?

4. Can he/she use it regardless of time, date, season or occasion?

5. Is there a way for him/her to recycle, reuse or reduce your gift to maximize product usage?

Apple on the Environment.

Apple did it again! Introducing their newly engineered notebooks, Apple is proud to release their latest line of portable notebooks that adheres to the highest standards of environment protocols. Redesigned to minimize energy consumption and allowing 100% recyclable materials, these new gadgets are changing the way we see computers.

The new gadgets are the 13-inch MacBook and 15-inch MacBook Pro portable notebooks. Significantly changing the industry standards, these handy gadgets are slimmer, hipper, and more cost-efficient than previous laptops.

Apple believes that improving their environmental performance of their business will start from their products. From ipods to iphones to notebooks - Apple indeed set the standards for this industry.

Some of the environmental feature of their new notebooks are:

Mercury-free LCD display
Arsenic-free display glass
Brominated flame retardant-free
PVC-free internal cables
Highly recyclable aluminum and glass enclosure
37% smaller packaging
Meets Energy Star Requirements
Reduced electric consumption equalling 1/3 power of a light bulb

For more information of their new products, go to the Apple website. For the environmental report, click here.

8 Ways of Becoming a Zero-Waste Society

8 Ways of Becoming a Zero-Waste Society

There has always been a series of discussions regarding zero-waste societies and how we can achieve it.  Some goes against the idea but I think there is still a way in attaining a society with zero-waste. It all depends on how we define the term waste and how we look at it.

According to www.dictionary.com, waste used as a verb actually means - being gradually consumed. Therefore in a much micro-perspective, to be consumed means to be used as much as possible as long as it is still usable to some living thing. Whether it is between both humans or between bacterias, as long as it serves it's purpose, I think that is the best way in understanding the word waste.

So, I made up a list that I think is the best way for us to attain zero-waste culture, and here they are.

8 Ways of Becoming a Zero-Waste Society:

1. Minimize Product Packaging - Whenever I go to any store, whether an appliance store or a retail store of shoes, it seems that the packaging of most items are made to impress people just to make them feel that what they are buying is pure quality. I believe that minimizing the product's packaging will zero the waste since while maintaining it's allure to the consumers. Added benefit is that the manufacturer can save a lot from raw materials in packaging their products. There are brands that are commendable in reducing the total cost as well as the raw materials used when they are packaging their items. I believe as consumers, we can influence the manufacturers way of producing these packaging by being effective product stewards in choosing the most cost-effective and eco-friendly items in the stores.

2. Go For Biodegradable Items - if you are planning to go for a camping trip or family picnic, or do something that you only do once or twice, try purchasing biodegradable items so that just in case your friends or family members throw it away carelessly, you are assured that somewhere in time, those items are eco-friendly and are easily converted to biodgradable form.

3. Composting: Not Rocket Science - some won't go for composting because they think they can't do it or it's difficult. Well, I say it's not and it's actually fun when you get used to it. All your compostable waste will turn into FREE FOOD for your plants. :) Just follow the proper waste seggragation scheme.

4. Reusable Containers are the Future of Pack Lunches - I went to the supermarket the other day and I just found out that there is a dedicated rack for reusable, microwavable containers in different sizes and colors. I think this is a good way in zeroing out waste since it will help us reduce our consumption of plastics.

5. Recycle - this is an obvious suggestions.Try to recycle all items that you think is recyclable. If you are unsure of an item if it can be recycled then go online. Search for the product specifications and where is the nearest factory that can disposed of that item in your area.

6. Go for Long Term - when buying a product, go for brands that you think will last you the longest. I know that there is an economic crisis today but when you look at it at a bigger perspective, the longer you have it, the more savings you will have since you won't go buying the same expensive item over and over again.

7. Effectively Dispose Non-Usable Leftovers - for items that are no longer usable, try to separate them from your other usable items and practice searching for best ways in disposing them. Online communities are great when it comes to that. Your junk might be a treasure for someone else. :)

8.TAKE THE FIRST 7 STEPS AND PUT IT IN YOUR HEART - the first 7 steps are useless if you don't take it yourself to care. So start caring!

8 Ways to Practice Product Stewardship

Product Stewardship is the process of evaluating the life cycle of the products we buy and use. It involves how they are made, how they arrive at stores, how you use them and what happens to them when you no longer need them. As a consumer, it is our right and obligation to know these things because this will not only help the quality of products being manufactured but also helps in improving the manufacturing process for a greener earth. 

Here are 8 ways to ensure that you are being a good product steward.

1. Stay Informed - wherever you are, as a consumer you are being bombarded with different marketing campaigns telling you how "green" their product is or how their product qualifies for an "environmentally-safe" insignia just to sell their goods. We also have to understand that there are different levels of being "green" to keep in mind. While a carbon offset is a nice gesture by the company to think of the environment, a change in manufacturing to remove harmful chemicals is probably more meaningful in the long run. Companies play a huge role in product stewardship but without the proper endorsement of informed consumers, these means nothing.
Extra Spending Won't Hurt You - price is a huge factor when you are shopping, but keep in mind that product stewardship costs everyone money. Companies spend more to manufacture eco-friendly products so if you can afford the extra cost, the environment (and the future generations) will thank you.

2. Locate Your Products - imported cheese from France may taste great, but what is the cost for the environment when it is shipped to you. Consumer products list where it comes from on the package, so take a look the next time you buy a product. An eco-friendly solution is to shop at a farmer's market at least once in a while. This will not only lessen the toll on the environment but also supports the local economy.

3. Check the Ingredients - with all the fad diets today, almost everybody is checking the nutritional panel at the back cover to check for carbohydrates and trans fats. Why not do this for other consumer goods. The next time you buy a product, check for it's composition. One thing to look out here are the products that contain lead and mercury which are chemicals that can wreak havoc to the environment.

4. Reduce Your Packaging - when was the last time you bought something not wrapped in paper or plastic? To be more eco-friendly, try using a reusable canvas bag when you shop at the groceries or try buying in large quantities the products that you normally use to lessen the packaging being thrown into landfills. This will also help the companies to change their packaging cost to a minimum to be more environmentally friendly.

5. Recycle - do I need to say more? :)

6. Take Advantage of Take Backs - a lot of companies today, specially electronic goods (like laptops, mobile phones, pda's, etc) offers a free service of taking back the used battery or any part that can be recycled so that consumers need not to worry about disposing this hazardous parts. Some even offer monetary compensation for old parts.

7. Close the Loop - the recycle symbol has two purposes: first is to tell you how the recycling process is done and the second is what is being made of that recycling procedure. The recycled content will then be sold again to maximize profit and at the same time helping the environment. Buying recycled is how you close the loop; otherwise it becomes less important that it was recycled in the first place.

8. START TODAY!

So what are you waiting for? Start being a productive and efficient Product Steward today!!!!

Urban Homesteading

We rural folks always refer to living in the big city (manila) as "kada-galaw, may bayad" (every action needs payment). I believe that the reason behind this is because in the big city, in order to survive, one has to embrace the true meaning of capitalism and make sure that each individuals rights are properly met. Some even exploit this social structure just to get ahead. Granting this is the city life, one thought always pop in my head - "how can one be self-sufficient in an environment where everything has a price tag?" As a boy growing in a rural community, I did not adjust to the urban life immediately.

Urban Homesteading is a process of being able to provide for oneself despite living in an urban community. Simply put, urban homesteading means self-sufficiency. A lot of people in first world countries are now getting into this new habit. You can see on high rise apartments several organic farms being cultivated to provide basic needs for a family. Depending on the season, one can see different varieties of fresh fruits and vegetables being planted.

This initiative by urban folks is a major step in getting back to our organic roots where fruits and vegetables are organically grown from dirt. Unlike today, where majority of the can goods being sold at supermarkets are genetically modified to last longer. The problem with GMO's is that the consistency of the nutrients are no longer present therefore it poses a great threat to the health of the consumers. Corporations in the food industry are now taking advantage of GMO goods because it is not only efficient in their part but also it's efficacy to generate huge amount of money is unstoppable.

Urban homesteading is a great way in going back to our roots and also assuring the environment that there is still hope in making this world a better place to live in. Being a homesteader means being an environmentalist by heart because you are making sure that the life you want to live is as organic as possible. A greener life means appreciating all the things the environment has to offer. And when you look at it at a macro perspective, eating and producing foods from your own backyard is a great way in helping the environment. For one thing, you don't need to drive your car and burn fossil fuels just to go to the grocery or local market just to buy a piece of vegetable that you could organically grow. This will also make sure that imported goods are no longer patronize which will make these foreign companies to rethink their marketing strategy in disposing their goods. And by practicing urban homesteading, this will also lessen the importance of eating can goods and other meat products that require heavy machinery to produce. And most of this will make sure that your health is at optimum level because you know what is entering your body.

I found this one website that has a great collection of resources pertaining to urban homesteading. For more info, click here.

Shopping for Recycled and Reused Retail Goods

Urban Green Shopping

Shopping is on every one's mouth when it comes to the holidays. Mall wide sales and extreme discounting schemes are coming out one after the other just to convince people to shell out their hard earned money. I have always believed that this is a ploy of mall titans to raise their sales figure or try to salvage what's left in the market to reach or go beyond their annual sales target. This is also a strategic move in making sure that the cash flow in the retail industry is still normal and one great indication is the power of the people to purchase basic and complex goods.

Now looking at how shops lower down their prices just to accommodate this "seasonal" sale extravaganza, some shops would go as low as 70% off on all their merchandise. When you think about it, who would say no to that. It is really a bargain that is way too much to resist. As a consumer, this made me think on the pricing scheme of these shops and how much they can afford to loose if they opted for 70% off all year round. Maybe, the shops are secretly pricing their items3 to 4 times the total cost just to afford the losses of the calendar year. Or it may be that the items being sold are either their old stocks or poor in quality.

Now as a consumer, it wouldn't really matter how shops tagged their items as long as it's a good bargain and it makes me feel good about myself. But as a passionate environmentalist, this really is an issue since the price can easily be lowered to an amount that is highly questionable. If prices can be lowered to such an amount, it means that its either the quality is poor, which will result to poor quality raw materials or poor manufacturing process, or the items being sold are old stocks.

As an environmentalist, I think there is an environmental threat when it comes to the retail industry. I think that people are focusing today at affordable shopping that being an effective product steward is no longer in effect. If retail goods are being manufactured poorly, then the process itself and the equipment being used to produce these goods are harming the environment since they do not conform to environmental standards. It does not follow that poor quality is a result of good manufacturing process and neither it is for the opposite. So how does one meet both ends? How does one shop for Eco-friendly items without sacrificing their budget. I know that organic or Eco-friendly merchandises cost more than regular products. But there is actually a solution to this...

Fashionistas fret no more since the retail industry is now slowly moving towards an age of producing greener goods. Doing my research for this topic, I found out that there is this great store in the US that offers recycled and reused goods for a very affordable price. They are Savers and they are a chain of stores that accepts goods that can be recycled as donations to create new pieces to quench the thirst of fanatic fashionistas.

I really admire these stores because not only they promote greener alternatives but they actually lessen energy consumption, raw materials procurement, eliminate waste and best of all, reduce the number of landfills that was used to be for the items not being recycled.

During this holiday season, shopping is inevitable. So plan ahead and try to shop within budget. Look for retail stores that offer recycled goods and who knows, maybe it might suit your taste.

Tips in Achieving a Greener Bathroom

Tips in achieving a greener bathroom

A bathroom is an essential part of a house that most people spend a fraction of their time just to get some peace and quiet. Behind closed doors, it is by far the most used area in one's house whether a person lives in a condo unit or in a cottage in the suburbs. Therefore, it is only logical to invest in making your bathroom a better place to spend your most precious time.

Now some people would argue that the bathroom doesn't really need proper attention. As long as you have something to flush down your "shit" (sorry but I can't think of a better term to use) and something to wash away the dirt on your body then that's it. But ladies and gentlemen, the issue I am seeing with this kind of thinking is that the bathroom is a serene place where you and your body is exposed to all sort of unseen organisms. A recent study done by some German baubiologie (a German word for building biologists) showed that an unhygienic bathroom is directly proportional to a lot of health issues. From dust to pollens to molds, a lot of unwanted reactions are documented from these sources just because a bathroom is not properly installed.

This brings us in the discussion of alternative solutions in fighting these unwanted health issues. My philosophy is that whenever there are issues or problems affecting my life, I always go to the root of the cause, and in this case the bathroom. So best alternative solution - Greener Bathrooms

Greener Bathrooms are the key in creating a more Eco-friendly and healthy lifestyle. It assures people that when installed properly, bathrooms could last a lifetime. Now we have to assume that not all are aware of architectural design or know the best practices in building a house so it is best that we discuss basic concepts in green architecture so that by the time you are ready to build your own nest, you have an idea on what you want for your place. Since green architecture is such a broad topic, we will limit this article in discussing fundamental principles pertaining to your bathroom.

So what does it really mean to have a greener bathroom? Simple... when you are in your planning stage, just remember this few suggestions:

Greener Bathroom Tip 1: Install Tiles in all areas exposed to Water
Making sure that you install tiles in areas of your bathroom that gets wet is a great way in avoiding mold production. Tiles are made to last a lifetime and with proper maintenance, it can even last till the next owner of the house. And for the price-conscious folks, home depot offers great items that are cheap but durable at the same time.

Greener Bathroom Tip 2: Replace your Bath tubs with a Shower
According to a recent study done by the United Nations Environment Programme, bath tubs waste more water than showering. So whenever you encounter an environmentalist, they will always tell you to shower instead of taking a bath since majority of today's shower heads are equipped with sensors that can control the water flow coming from the tank. So in short, taking a shower instead of long baths saves water and at the same time saves you space and money since showers are installed vertically in a limited space and quick showers can lessen your monthly water bill.

Greener Bathroom Tip 3: Change your Galvanize pipes to Copper
Galvanize pipes tend to be corrosive in a span of time so it means that in 4 or 5 years time, you have to replace all your pipes. Which means it will cost you more money for renovation and it is not environmental since fixing requires newer raw materials. Having a true environment-friendly bathroom means it must lasts a long time to avoid short-time renovations.

Greener Bathroom Tip 4: Look for Eco-Friendly Individual Items and Fixtures
Bundled or set fixtures are tempting but I suggest go for individual items. This will allow you to choose unique items that you can mix and match in order to get the look that you want. This will also allow the buyer to practice effective product stewardship since the buyer is involved in choosing the best Eco-friendly items for his/her bathroom.

Greener Bathroom Tip 5: Look for non-toxic paints
Newer paint technology is now being offered as non-toxic and environment-friendly. When you go to your local paint shop, a lot has change since the late 70's and more and more non-hazardous paints are being offered to consumers. Also, try looking for paints that will last for a couple of years so that you won't need to paint the untiled walls of your bathroom every now and then.

Greener Bathroom Tip 6: Ask an Expert
To be sure that you are on the right track, always consult an expert. A lot of architects or designers today are well aware of greener alternatives. And don't be afraid to ask if the expert knows any cheaper alternatives that doesn't compromise the quality and I'm pretty sure that these experts know a lot of these great items.

So there you have it, simple suggestions that can make your next bathroom a greener and more healthier place to spend your quality "me" time.

Green Living - Three Steps in Greening Your Business

Green living - three steps in greening your business

During the late 1990's, there was a massive movement from different industries in changing the way they operate. From acquiring raw materials, manufacturing the products, shipping to consumers, and processing all business-related concerns in the corporate office, major companies today are redirecting their goals in attaining a more sustainable business. In order to achieve these goals, corporations are now more attentive in greening their workplace. 

Now there has been a lot of definitions of the word "green" because from a simple word describing a primary color, it has now evolved to something we relate to as environmental. The word has become a noun, a verb, and an adjective all at the same time just to put emphasis on its importance. 

But what does it really mean when you say "green"? Some would immediately relate it as being a "tree hugger" or "vegan practitioner" or even someone who just loves the environment. These are broad definitions and also limited in describing the word. In this context, the best definition is that going green is a process in investing all time and efforts in promoting environmental responsibility. And when I say process, it is a structure that all organizations follow in achieving their business objectives without sacrificing the environment. Having said that, greening one's business is a procedure in involving all aspects of the business to adhere the highest environmental standards possible. This is one of the reasons why an international policy-making body drafted the ISO1400 - an international standard for best practices in environmental management.

Going back in greening your business, there has been a lot of literature both online and offline, regarding the procedure in attaining total greenness. If you are not an environmentalist by heart or doesn't know anything about environmentalism, it will take several days if you try to comprehend all information available out there.  After doing my research and comparing notes from several sites, blogger, and famous environmental authors, I have come up with three simple steps in achieving a more greener work place. 

Green Living Step 1: Assess your business and determine where you are right now

This is a very important first step. You have to know where your business is right now in terms of performance because if you do not measure where you are today, you can't move forward in reaching your goals. When we say assess, you have to go down to the roots of how your company works in order to determine which part you can integrate environmental standards easily. This step is very crucial and no one can do this for you except you and your team. You can not outsource services in terms of itemizing how your company operates because you alone (as the CEO, or department head, or owner) can honestly declare what your processes are. I see a lot of failures in some of the major corporations today when they assess their company for standardization. Department heads try the best they can to hide things so that in the end, they can say that their department is the best. But I say shame on them because they are just fooling themselves. In order to achieve the highest standards possible, one must honestly list down ALL processes in making up a company. 

Best way to do this is try to segregate all processes by departments. You can list down all departments, an example would be your purchasing, marketing, sales, manufacturing, comptroller ship and even the services you outsourced from other companies, and from there you can be more specific in that department. In order to achieve great accuracy, an annual team building with your department heads is the best way to inject this assessment. With this, you can get the full details without sacrificing too much time. But be very cautious, you have to understand that not all department heads are open to this idea. You can have this session as one-on-one with each head or you can be honest with them and tell them exactly what you need in order to make your business booming without the unnecessary environmental side effects. 

And when you assess your company, it does not restrict you from the major processes involved in producing your main product but also the processes before and after. It means that you take into account the things you have to do before production - by asking yourself, "what are the things that I need to have and an estimate in order to produce these goods?" this will boil down in itemizing the major components and also the little things that are involved in the procedure. Account everything like how many papers you will need to print the contract or how long do you need to have the lights on during production, etc. And also after production - by doing an inventory of all the things you have used before and during the actual production including off site services.

Assessing also means looking at how your administrative functions contribute to the totality of your business. As simple as understanding your organizational chart will give you an idea on which part you can do without. This assessment can help you become a minimalist in the long run and be more efficient since you are trying to take away something that is not useful. Simply put, if it will only take 3 signatures to approve a project rather than 10 signatures then go ahead and remove those unnecessary signatories. When you look at it in a micro-perspective viewpoint, you are helping the environment in reducing the usage of more paper, ink for the printer and pen and also the energy spent in routing the document. 

Green Living Step 2: Green Procurement - go for greener materials

Step two is somewhat understanding the life cycle of a material. After assessing where you stand, you have to decide which areas of your company needs the change the most.  It doesn't mean you have to neglect the other areas but what it means is you have to prioritize where you will invest first and defer the rest since purchasing greener materials cost more than regular items. Organic materials cost more because the process in creating that product is more extensive than the regular products.

Best way to do this is going online or have a materials expert in determining the best items you can purchase in overhauling your system.  From Eco-friendly pens to going paperless is a great step. Investing in newer technology is also a great way since more and more goods today ergonomically made to conform to environmental standards.

In purchasing items, I would like to emphasize that whenever you buy materials, you have to know the life cycle of the product. Make that extra effort in knowing where the product came from, how it was made, was it imported, or as simple as looking at the label to know it's composition. For appliances and furniture, it would be best to consult the sales person where it came from and what is it made of so that you can make smart decisions in finalizing the things that you need for your company. This practice is known as product stewardship, the act of understanding how a material came about. I will be posting a separate topic regarding effective product stewardship so that everyone (especially consumers) are aware on the environmental effects of their purchasing power.

Green Living Step 3: Carbon neutralization - understanding your carbon blueprint

Third and final step is all about carbon neutralization. Every single living and non-living things have carbon blueprints and these blueprints are the key in maintaining healthy carbon emissions. Majority of environmental issues today are focused on global warming and how greenhouse gasses contribute to the dangerous climate change we are experiencing today. The melting of the polar caps and the shifting of power between species are results of global warming. 

By neutralizing the individual carbon emissions, both living and non-living things, you have to understand where its coming from. So in this final step, one must understand carbon calculation in order to set limitations in all carbon-emitting substances in the company. This is somewhat a hard thing to do if you are not an expert so in this part, I would definitely encourage every company to invest in outsourcing carbon calculation services. A lot of consulting firms are engaged in such business therefore they are equipped with the most recent technology in determining the total carbon emission of your company.

Upon determining your total emission, next step is to neutralize it. Again, since you are already consulting with third party agencies, try to ask them the best way in neutralizing your emissions based on their observations. This will help you eliminate excess emissions thus helping the world become a cooler place. One best option to neutralize your carbon emissions are through offsetting. After consolidating your carbon performance, you can easily determine which area your company is heavily producing carbon emissions. Only then you can offset it by decreasing the other areas of your business through organic ways. This is the part where the consultant will guide you on things you can and cannot do. Working together with your materials expert, you can then purchase the right green equipments and materials that will greatly enhance your company's environmental performance.

So there you have it. In a nutshell, first assess where you are right now, second is to go for greener procurement and lastly is to understand how to neutralize your carbon emissions. As easy as one, two, three. 

Before I end this article, I would like to give an added benefit when companies go for greener alternative. In the long run, these greener options, whether large or small choices, can eventually curb the unwanted expenditures since you are optimizing your company towards a greener and more minimalist way of operation. I made it as a last point because I don't want this article to focus on monetary value. I don't want people to go for greener options because it will add to their annual savings or revenue. I personally believe that when this is the focus of your environmental reformation, then everything else will revolve in this idea thus if you come to a dead end that doesn't give back in terms of monetary value then it is no longer considered to be an option for the company. While revenue is important for any business, making sure that each company contributes to the preservation and conservation of the environment is much more of a cause than personal gain. 

So I urge each and everyone to understand the necessity of environmentalism and why each and everyone of us are responsible in living a greener lifestyle.