The CRC Advisor - Green Tip Section
From Newsletter 01 September 2008.
Greening Your Business - The First 7 Steps
Businesses of all sizes are adopting green practices as part of their overall business strategy. Going green can affect the
bottom line in a variety of ways. Increased sales, reduced costs and higher productivity are just a few potential benefits.
In a recent Vistage International poll, 31 percent of CEOs reported that vendors’ eco-friendliness was a moderately or highly
important factor in making purchasing decisions. Vistage International reports that Seattle-based Engineered Compost
Systems, for example, has benefited from a variety of eco-friendly initiatives. “We use high efficiency lighting, offer our
employees bus passes, maintain our HVAC systems, recycle and minimize waste in manufacturing. These combine to reduce
expenses and increase productivity,” says CEO Tim O’Neil.
Are you ready to start greening your business? Here are seven basic steps that can jump start your business' eco-friendly
initiatives.
1. Replace incandescent light bulbs with high-efficiency bulbs.
2. Provide recycling bins.
3. Distribute memos, reports and other documents in electronic rather than paper format.
4. Work with existing suppliers to secure the best pricing on recycled products.
5. Lessen employee carbon emissions by offering telecommuting, carpooling or mass transit subsidies.
6. Phase out pesticide use on landscaping to decrease ecosystem impact.
7. Ask for volunteers to convene a “green team” to brainstorm the best ideas for your company.
Click here for information on LEED certification for your projects.
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CRC News
The CRC Advisor - Green Tip Section
10 Money-Saving Eco-Tips for Your Family
Copyright 2008 Prize Writing.
Want to get the whole family involved in environmentally friendly activities around the home? These 10 steps provide
some great ideas on how your family can start going green. Not only will you save money and conserve valuable
resources, but you can also help your children understand their actions do make a difference now and for the future.
1. Don't leave the sink running while you brush your teeth. Turning off the water while you brush your teeth can save up
to four gallons a minute. That means that a family of four can reduce their weekly water use by 200 gallons just with this
one step!
2. Turn off the lights behind you. While the amount of energy and money you save may not be huge, turning off lights
(including CFLs) is an easy step for kids to learn and, nationwide, translates into an important way to conserve our
resources.
3. Make it a house rule that the TVs, computers, DVD players and video game consoles have to be unplugged before
going to bed. Why? These electronics use small amounts of energy all day long (and can add up to $200 to your annual
energy bill).
4. Set up a permanent recycling bin in your home or garage and use it every day. How's this for motivation: the energy
saved by recycling just one aluminum can is enough to power your TV for three hours!
5. Walk or ride your bikes to school or summer activities at least once a week. Not only will you save money on gas, but
you and your kids will get some exercise, too.
6. Bring your own bags to the grocery store. Both plastic and paper have negatives, so your best option is to keep some
canvas bags in your trunk and remind yourself always to bring them into the store.
7. Start vermicomposting (composting with worms). You can get starter worms and bins online, and you don't even need
to have a large outdoor area for them. They speed up the process of composting by eating and digesting organic matter
like leftover fruits and vegetables, leaves and even paper.
8. Buy locally grown vegetables and fruits at a local farmer's market. Make buying local, fresh foods a priority--it's
healthier for you and the planet.
9. Each week, play a board game or other indoor activity that doesn't use electricity. This is a green twist on the idea of
family game night. Make sure to turn all your cell phones off and don't have the TV or radio on, either.
10. Take part in local cleanup efforts. Getting rid of litter like bottles, bags and cans will help prevent all of it from
becoming short- and long-term hazards to wildlife. By participating as a family, you'll allow your children to experience
how fun it can be to do a little hard work and help make a difference in your community.
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Hybrid Car Values
Find out what makes a hybrid such a good buy, and learn what’s on the market.
Fuel-efficient cars are becoming increasingly attractive to American consumers, so it's no
surprise that more and more car shoppers are looking at hybrids. If you're thinking of buying a
hybrid, you're looking at a range of high-tech cars that get great gas mileage, cut polluting
emissions and earn you a tax break. What's not to like?
Hybrids save gas (and $$)
Hybrids get terrific gas mileage by harnessing cutting-edge technologies and designs. For
example, the Toyota Prius, a mid-size sedan, is rated by the Environmental Protection Agency
at 48 miles per gallon in city driving, and 45 on the highway. That's about twice the mileage
you can expect from a standard mid-size car -- and that means big savings at the pump.
Hybrids are easy on the environment
Hybrid technologies reduce polluting emissions, including greenhouse gases. So choosing to
drive a hybrid helps curb global warming and cuts air pollution, as well as helping break
America's dependence on foreign oil.
Hybrid owners get a tax break
Even the government is catching on that hybrids are good for the country. Federal tax credits
on hybrids are available until 2010 - the amount varies according to your hybrid's level of fuel
efficiency. If you pay state taxes, you could have a deduction or tax credit coming on your
state return, too. For more information, visit http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/tax_hybrid.shtml.
Hybrids come in many shapes and sizes -- and more are on the way
Honda introduced the first hybrid to America in 1999 -- the Honda Insight, a two-door
hatchback. Today, American consumers can choose from among hybrids in several major
classes made by a number of major brands. The models listed below are available in 2009 --
click on the links for manufacturers specifications. For detailed comparisons of hybrids, visit
www.fueleconomy.gov.
Sedans
Toyota Prius Hybrid (hatchback), estimated 51 mpg city/48 mpg highway
Honda Civic Hybrid, estimated 40/45 mpg
Honda Insight (hatchback), estimated 40/43 mpg
Ford Fusion Hybrid/Mercury Milan Hybrid, estimated 41/36 mpg
Lexus HS 250h, estimated 35/34 mpg
Nissan Altima Hybrid, estimated 35/33 mpg
Toyota Camry Hybrid, estimated 33/34 mpg
Lexus GS 450h Hybrid, estimated 25/28 mpg
Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid/Saturn Aura Hybrid, estimated 24/32 mpg
Lexus GS 450h, estimated 22/25 mpg
Lexus LS 600hL, estimated 20/22 mpg
Crossovers and SUVs
Ford Escape/Mercury Mariner/Mazda Tribute (FWD), estimated 34/31 mpg
Toyota Highlander Hybrid (4WD), estimated 27/25 mpg
Lexus RX 450h Hybrid (2WD), estimated 32/28 mpg; (4WD), estimated 30/28 mpg
Saturn Vue Hybrid, estimated 25/32 mpg
Cadillac Escalade (2WD), estimated 20/21 mpg
Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid/GMC 1500 Hybrid (2WD), estimated 21/22 mpg
Pickup Trucks
Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra Hybrid Pickup (2WD), estimated 21/22 mpg
Hybrid Features. Not all hybrids work the same way, but all hybrids now on American
roads have three characteristics in common:
Dual power sources. Hybrids use the combined power of gasoline engines and battery-
powered motors to run the vehicle. The battery lacks the full power of the engine, but it can
provide a significant boost, particularly at low speeds.
Engine off during idle. Pull up to a stoplight in a hybrid, and the gas-powered engine shuts
off. The battery-powered motors handle the minimal chores required when the car's not
moving, saving fuel.
Regenerative braking. Hybrids capture the energy from the spinning wheel during braking,
and use it to recharge the battery. Hybrids don't need to be plugged in.
Several hybrids, and even some conventional cars, also use a more efficient continuously
variable transmission. CVT replaces the standard 5 or 6 fixed gears with a larger array of very
closely spaced gears to maximize fuel efficiency.
See Edmunds.com for all the car info you can handle.
_______________________________________________________________________
Find out what makes a hybrid such a good buy, and learn what’s on the market.
Fuel-efficient cars are becoming increasingly attractive to American consumers, so it's no
surprise that more and more car shoppers are looking at hybrids. If you're thinking of buying a
hybrid, you're looking at a range of high-tech cars that get great gas mileage, cut polluting
emissions and earn you a tax break. What's not to like?
Hybrids save gas (and $$)
Hybrids get terrific gas mileage by harnessing cutting-edge technologies and designs. For
example, the Toyota Prius, a mid-size sedan, is rated by the Environmental Protection Agency
at 48 miles per gallon in city driving, and 45 on the highway. That's about twice the mileage
you can expect from a standard mid-size car -- and that means big savings at the pump.
Hybrids are easy on the environment
Hybrid technologies reduce polluting emissions, including greenhouse gases. So choosing to
drive a hybrid helps curb global warming and cuts air pollution, as well as helping break
America's dependence on foreign oil.
Hybrid owners get a tax break
Even the government is catching on that hybrids are good for the country. Federal tax credits
on hybrids are available until 2010 - the amount varies according to your hybrid's level of fuel
efficiency. If you pay state taxes, you could have a deduction or tax credit coming on your
state return, too. For more information, visit http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/tax_hybrid.shtml.
Hybrids come in many shapes and sizes -- and more are on the way
Honda introduced the first hybrid to America in 1999 -- the Honda Insight, a two-door
hatchback. Today, American consumers can choose from among hybrids in several major
classes made by a number of major brands. The models listed below are available in 2009 --
click on the links for manufacturers specifications. For detailed comparisons of hybrids, visit
www.fueleconomy.gov.
Sedans
Toyota Prius Hybrid (hatchback), estimated 51 mpg city/48 mpg highway
Honda Civic Hybrid, estimated 40/45 mpg
Honda Insight (hatchback), estimated 40/43 mpg
Ford Fusion Hybrid/Mercury Milan Hybrid, estimated 41/36 mpg
Lexus HS 250h, estimated 35/34 mpg
Nissan Altima Hybrid, estimated 35/33 mpg
Toyota Camry Hybrid, estimated 33/34 mpg
Lexus GS 450h Hybrid, estimated 25/28 mpg
Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid/Saturn Aura Hybrid, estimated 24/32 mpg
Lexus GS 450h, estimated 22/25 mpg
Lexus LS 600hL, estimated 20/22 mpg
Crossovers and SUVs
Ford Escape/Mercury Mariner/Mazda Tribute (FWD), estimated 34/31 mpg
Toyota Highlander Hybrid (4WD), estimated 27/25 mpg
Lexus RX 450h Hybrid (2WD), estimated 32/28 mpg; (4WD), estimated 30/28 mpg
Saturn Vue Hybrid, estimated 25/32 mpg
Cadillac Escalade (2WD), estimated 20/21 mpg
Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid/GMC 1500 Hybrid (2WD), estimated 21/22 mpg
Pickup Trucks
Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra Hybrid Pickup (2WD), estimated 21/22 mpg
Hybrid Features. Not all hybrids work the same way, but all hybrids now on American
roads have three characteristics in common:
Dual power sources. Hybrids use the combined power of gasoline engines and battery-
powered motors to run the vehicle. The battery lacks the full power of the engine, but it can
provide a significant boost, particularly at low speeds.
Engine off during idle. Pull up to a stoplight in a hybrid, and the gas-powered engine shuts
off. The battery-powered motors handle the minimal chores required when the car's not
moving, saving fuel.
Regenerative braking. Hybrids capture the energy from the spinning wheel during braking,
and use it to recharge the battery. Hybrids don't need to be plugged in.
Several hybrids, and even some conventional cars, also use a more efficient continuously
variable transmission. CVT replaces the standard 5 or 6 fixed gears with a larger array of very
closely spaced gears to maximize fuel efficiency.
See Edmunds.com for all the car info you can handle.
_______________________________________________________________________
CRC's Green Tips