Why go green? It's good for the environment - and for your business. Going green can help you cut costs, attract new customers, and keep old ones. Going green can also provide your business with a worthwhile platform for advertising and promotion, and for participating in community quality-of-life projects. Union County has a longstanding commitment to recycling services, environmental education, and open space preservation.
Our new Go Green Initiative includes following the highest LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards for County construction projects, using more recycled paper in the County print shop (a service we share with several municipalities), and providing support for school-based recycling and other environmental projects. In the future, we'll be exploring more ways to continue greening Union County's operations and programs. Scroll down or click on the images below to find out how your business can go green, too.
1. Green operations, building and grounds management, and minor purchasing decisions
A common-sense approach to going green can help your business reduce wasteful throwaways, cut down on toxic chemicals and air pollution, and conserve energy and water resources.
Click here to see a list of simple, cost-effective “go green” tips, and try the ones that best apply to your business.
Best Bets:
Saving energy with compact fluorescent light bulbs.
Cutting down on paper waste.
Switching to “green” cleaning products.
Reducing air pollution by practicing a “no idling” policy.
Cool Green Note: For great tips on greening your food service business, visit the National Restaurant Association’s new website, http://www.conserve.restaurant.org/ [note: this link will navigate you out of the ucnj website].
2. Green Purchasing
Green purchasing can help your operation cut down on pollution and reduce the amount of non-reclaimable waste you generate in Union County. Green purchasing can also help your business make a positive impact on the global environment, by supporting manufacturers that use more sustainable, earth-friendly raw materials and processes.
THE BASICS: BUY ECO-SAFE SUPPLIES. Look for suppliers that clearly describe whether their products are made from recycled, remanufactured, biodegradable or sustainably harvested materials. Switching to 100% recycled paper products is an effective way to start. Many other office supplies and furnishings can go green, too.
Here’s what to look for when purchasing green supplies:
Use suppliers that include details about recycled, remanufactured, sustainably harvested, reclaimable or safe, biodegradable materials in their products.
When possible, choose products that are certified by a reputable research group, such as Green Seal or Green Guard. For more information, visit www.greenseal.org or www.greenguard.org. [Note: these links will navigate you out of the UCNJ web site]
Some suppliers issue their own green certification. That’s fine, as long as they clearly explain their standards.
Some suppliers identify themselves as “green,” but offer both green and conventional products. That’s fine, as long as they clearly identify each one with an easy-to-spot symbol.
Cool Green Purchasing Tip: Watch out for greenwashing! Greenwashing is the packaging or advertising of a conventional product to make it appear greener than it really is.
Green Note: Especially when buying furnishings and other large items, consider the full lifespan of the product. Choose products that you can reconfigure or reuse when your needs change, that are made from materials that can be recycled when you no longer need them, or that biodegrade safely when disposed of or flushed down drains.
Green note: The field of interior decorating is racing ahead of the green curve. If you are planning to redecorate, look for the new eco-safe paints, carpeting, tiles, window treatments, and many other interior products that are free of volatile organic compounds, formaldehyde, and other toxic chemicals. Lists of certified eco-safe paints and other products are available at www.greenguard.org and www.greenseal.org.
3. Green Disposal and Recycling
RECYCLE. In addition to recycling programs mandated by state and local law, there are many opportunities to recycle commercial waste. Click herewww.ucnj.org/recycle/UCMarketsDirectory2007.pdf to see the Union County Recycling Markets Directory.
REDUCE.To cut your waste disposal costs to the bone, stop garbage before it starts. Call the NJ DEP Bureau of Recycling and Planning at 609-984-3438, and ask about joining the New Jersey WasteWise Business Network. You’ll get free resources and planning guides to help your business reduce the amount of waste it generates.
REPLACE. If disposable tableware and take-out containers are essential to your operation, try the new generation of plates, cups, flatware, trays, and other products made from sugar cane and other plant-based material. Many “green” suppliers now carry a wide variety of these eco-friendly disposables.
Conventional plastic and Styrofoam products are made from petroleum, which introduces toxic chemicals into the waste stream. Plant-based products biodegrade quickly and safely.
4. Green Infrastructure
Whether you’re expanding or renovating, constructing a new building, or investing in new landscaping, it pays to take advantage of new materials, supplies and design strategies that save energy, conserve our natural resources, prevent harmful substances from entering the environment, and enhance the health and safety of the people who live or work in your property.
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) CERTIFICATION. LEED helps you focus on proven green strategies that can add up to significant bottom-line savings. For more information, visit the U.S. Green Building Council at www.usgbc.org. [Note: this link will navigate you out of the UCNJ web site.]
HEALTHY BUILDING MATERIALS: Avoid using conventional building materials that may cause interior air quality problems. Visit The Healthy Building Network, www.healthybuilding.net for the latest news on what to avoid. [Note: this link will navigate you out of the UCNJ web site.]
GREEN BUILDING SUPPLIES. For a brief article that includes five basic green parameters and a list of reliable green product certifiers, click here: www.globalgreen.org/gbrc/whatmakesgreen.htm. [Note: this link will navigate you out of the UCNJ web site.]
GREEN GROUNDS. Converting all or part of a high-maintenance lawn to a low-maintenance “greenscape” can significantly reduce your use of water, pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers. For more information, visit www.epa.gov/greenscapes. [Note: this link will navigate you out of the UCNJ web site.]
RAIN GARDEN. This simple landscaping trick can reduce stormwater runoff and help prevent flooding on your property. A rain garden also cuts outdoor watering costs in dry weather. Rain gardens can be installed in small and large spaces, and on level ground, slopes, and hills alike. To see an illustrated brochure on the basics, click here. www.water.rutgers.edu/Rain_Gardens/NJ_raingarden_brochure.pdf. [Note: this link will navigate you out of the UCNJ web site.]
THE LATEST WATER-SAVING FIXTURES. The newest twist in water-saving devices is a toilet with two flushers, usually in the form of buttons. One button releases the standard amount of water needed to flush solid waste. The other button releases less, for liquid waste. For more information, visit the EPA’s Water Sense program at www.epa.gov/watersense.
GEOTHERMAL HEAT PUMPS. Learn about recent improvements in technology that could enable your building to take advantage of the earth’s natural heating and cooling properties. In the U.S., about 40,000 residences have geothermal systems installed every year. To find out more from the U.S. EPA, click here: www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/your_home/space_heating_cooling/index.cfm/mytopic=12640
RENEWABLE ENERGY. New technologies and rebate opportunities are bringing solar, wind, recovered waste heat, and other renewable energy sources within reach the reach of more businesses. For more information, visit the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities at www.njcleanenergy.com and click on “Renewable Energy.”
GREEN ROOF. This kind of green goes beyond the use of new high-efficiency construction materials. It’s a more sophisticated version of the rooftop garden. A green roof uses light plantings to achieve significant heating and cooling savings, reducing stormwater runoff, and helping to prevent flooding. Green roofs also prevent sun and weather from deteriorating the conventional roof membrane. This significantly prolongs the lifespan of the conventional roof, achieving even more savings.
Green roofs are rapidly becoming a mainstream phenomenon in the U.S. They are being installed on major commercial and public buildings, including shopping malls and armed forces facilities. Click here: www.epa.gov/hiri/strategies/greenroofs.html] to see information from the U.S. EPA, or visit www.greenroofs.org. [Note: these links will navigate you out of the UCNJ web site.]
Green Tip: The latest twist in green roofs is a modular system that provides more flexibility and ease of installation.
Cool Green Note: Because a green roof eliminates the “heat island” effect of conventional roofs, it helps cool summertime temperatures in the surrounding community. Green roofs can also incorporate useful amenities for visitors and employees such as a picnic area, a garden for useful flowers, herbs and vegetables, or even recreational activities such as putting greens.
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10 Elizabethtown Plaza • Elizabeth, New Jersey 07207
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