Green Business Awareness

Greenwashing is in vogue, and most businesses find Green hype to be a convenient marketing tool.   The majority of businesses are so anxious to capture the positive public opinion as an environmentally-conscious company that they are willing to grasp at any option.  The reason that this is so prevalent is that there seems to be no true standard for the meaning of Green.  Without some standard for a Green operation, nearly anything will qualify for a Green pretense.

Perhaps one of the more laughable and sad offerings for Green certification are the Internet sites that offer a well-designed logo for a fee and an unreliable self-assessment form to be completed.  Could anything be more blatant and embarrassing when the public looks into the certification?  There is no criteria for these websites.  It seems that a chemical dumping company could pay the fee, complete the forms (while lying), and get the same logo found on your store or business.  Is having very low standards any better than having no standards?

The mindset that believes that a company can Go Green on its own merits is also missing the point.  Even the best company claiming to be Green is on the same ground as the company that is heavily greenwashed.  How does the public distinguish between two companies that are boasting of their Green qualities when one is lying and the other is trying?  They can’t, and the growing perception is that most Green claims are purely marketing ploys continues to grow.

There is a loyal following of people who will drive an extra mile and pay an extra dollar to patronize a Green business.  The number of people willing to frequent Green programs is growing.  That is because there is a maturing of the consumer, and they now know more about such subjects as greenwashing and how it works.  If they find that your company follows the same path of Green hype and false Green associations, it will cause a very unwelcome backlash.

There is frankly only one way to completely defeat any question of greenwashing.  Companies that are willing to comply with a standard of Green practices and go through a certification process by a true independent third party demonstrate a Green integrity that cannot be questioned.  Certification, however, does require honest environmental improvements, independent audits or those improvements, and an unbiased review of the progress for certification.  This is not found anywhere else than by such programs as the Green Business League.

The Green Business League has more than 250 Certified Green Consultants nationwide who are able to assist, review, and eventually certify any Green business that earns 100 points by properly installing basic Green practices into the daily operation.  Businesses need not own the building as required by a LEED certification.  Because the focus is on Green practices, businesses that rent, lease, or own can eventually earn their GBL Green Business Certification.  Yes, every business needs to be Green, and it seems inevitable that all businesses will join the effort.  Since this seems to be the right things to do, doesn’t it make sense to do it right?

The concept of international standards may not be an issue for most businesses, but if there is a desire to provide a review and certification that can cross national boundaries, ISO 14000 is the latest of the ISO installments.  We bring this to your attention, not to convince anyone, but to create a better understanding of certification processes.

While ISO 14000 or 14001 are environmentally concerned certifications, they also fall into the category of Quality Assurance where businesses must review, validate, and often improve their systems so that there is a kind of transparency and openness for other firms to observe.

ISO 14000 is a series of international standards on environmental management. This program was developed by the International Organization for Standardization.  ISO defines a voluntary environmental management system. When used in conjunction with the appropriate goals and management commitment, the developed standards help improve corporate performance.

ISO 14001, the cornerstone of ISO 14000, specifies a framework of control for an Environmental Management System (EMS) against which an organization can be certified by a third party.  This standard monitors the environmental management system’s continual improvement towards goals such as resource efficiency, waste reduction, and effective management of environmental risks. To qualify, a business must streamline and improve its environmental programs, such as its green buildings, green fleets, and renewable energy programs.

According to Green Consumer Guide, there are five main elements of ISO 14000:

An environmental policy. This should commit businesses to legislative/regulatory compliance, continual improvement, the prevention of pollution and appropriate objectives and targets.

Planning. This covers a review of environmental aspects: legal and other requirements; objectives and targets; and the setting up of a management program to achieve them.

Implementation and operation. This includes management structure, training, communications, documentation, operational control and emergency preparedness. It means providing resources for staff, defining who does what, identifying training needs, communicating effectively and exerting effective control over the activities relevant to your significant environmental impacts.

Checking and corrective actions. These are monitoring and corrective actions, records and audits. This means using accurate measurement methods, regularly checking the progress towards objectives, taking action to rectify any non-conformance with environmental policy or legal requirements, recording the operation of your EMS, and conducting audits to identify problems and to prove conformity with the business requirements.

Management Review. This is necessary to close the loop. That is, to ensure that the system continues to be suitable, adequate and effective through changes made in light of experience.

It is important to mention that the ISO 14000 standards DO NOT alone specify environmental performance goals.  These must be set by the company itself, taking into account its effect on the environment and how stakeholders perceive it.  This is where such programs as found in the Green Business League come into play.  Quality assurance is not the same as installation of Green Practices that should already be in place as the review of the processes are made.

ISO 14000 motivates businesses to truly commit to environmental management and to track their progress.  Many companies have reported a better bottom-line after pursuing this certification, by streamlining processes and reducing unnecessary waste.  Employees at green businesses are also more motivated, and reports show most consumers would rather do business with an eco-friendly organization than one that doesn’t show any commitment to the environment.

It is strongly suggested that IS 140o0 is the final step, not the first, in Greening your company.  It allows your company to offer a transparent review of the processes used and commitments to the end project.  Starting a Greening process involves a transition to environmental projects that will take months to complete.  The mistake many companies make is that the Greening effort is viewed as a goal attained rather than a progression toward better practices.  Working with a Certified Green Consultant will allow a business to step-stone its way into a better environmental position.  ISO is part of the final review that may be needed for international trading.

It may be that you have not yet heard about the T5 bulbs, but they are the newest flourescent tubes to hit the market.  They are also known as “High Output” bulbs because they put out more lumens (light intensity) per watt (electric power used).

The positive side is that a business will get as much as 44-57% energy savings with the T5 bulb over other typical sources.  These bubs put out plenty of light, reduce ambient heat to lower cooling costs, and are flicker free.  In a normal situation the ROI is about 12 months, and that is really an excellent investment that will pay you back for years to come.

The downside is that the T5 light bulb is about 3 inches shorter than the T8 or T12 currently in most offices and workplaces.  The cost of replacing the whole lighting system can be prohibitive and interrupt the workflow of your office for a week or so.  This has kept the T5 from gaining the ground that it deserves in the marketplace.

As shown in this article, there are now T5 adapter kits that will fit on the end of the bulb to allow it to fit into standard flourescent bulb units.  The T5 light also needs a different ballast which comes with these kits.  In most cases, the process is something that any handyman can install in minutes.  Previously, T5 lights would require a change of the whole lighting system.  This was an obvious hinderance becasue the cost of the next upgrade in lighting included more than bulb or ballast replacement.

It seems obvious that the new T5 fixtures will be part of new construction.  And, it is the next generation of smaller, more efficient lighting.  Eventually there will be a call to retrofit more workplaces.  However, the short-term fix of T5 adapters is really very smart and will allow more people to save a great deal of energy. 

I suppose that it goes without saying that less energy used by the consumer will go right along with less carbon dioxide output.  The movement to reduce energy consumption has several savings factors.   Inefficent lights expense heat as a byproduct.  This means that colling systems must offset the heat from lightbulbs.  Incandescent bulbs put out 15 lumens per watt and the rest of the energy is put out in heat.  A T5 bulb will put out 104 lumens per watt.  A careful exam of these bulbs in operation will reveal that T5 put out a very small amount of heat compared to other bulbs.  Heat equals inefficiency when it comes to lighting considerations.

Greater efficiency means less power used, and that will reduce your electric bill.  Less energy also means less carbon dioxide is created to produce that power.  It seems that there is no downside to better lighting solutions like the T5 except the initial expense.  The T5 adpater kit allows a business to make the transition with only a modest investment that has about a 12 month recovery in savings.

In case you didn’t know it, the old standby T12 will be outlawed some time in 2011-2012.  These were good in their day, but are being phased out.  We are all being moved toward a Greener and more efficient world.  T5 are a small part of the total Greening process.  Companies looking to Green their operation should contact a Certified Green Consultant in their area.  Certified Green Consultants are able to offer Green business certification through the Green Business League.  This is a highly-valued certificaiton that shows that Going Green is more than a token effort.  If you claim to be a Green business, why not get certified and make it official?

I’d like to correct a common misconception although I do not imagine that these comments will actually have far reaching impact.  The well-entrenched concerns for global warming have designated greenhouse gases as the culprit for this global phenomenon.  In particular, the anthropogenic contribution of Carbon Dioxide (co2) to the atmosphere due to the use of fossil fuels must be reduced according to the Kyoto Protocol.  At the start, it should be stated that the issues of global warming are not a debated issue.  Neither is the impact of greenhouse gases under question.  This world has seen more than a few global warming and cooling events, and there will be more to come.  Also, the greenhouse effect is the fundamental reason that we have a habitable planet that retains a proper amount of heat in our atmosphere. 

It is the imbalance of the greenhouse effect in the atmosphere that is of concern right now, and the debate that rages is whether mankind can make the difference in how it operates.  That is not the debate of this article.  The point of this offering is the questions of the application of “Green” when it comes to a “Carbon Neutral” status of a business.  Is is fair or correct to apply the term Green to a carbon neutral business?  Well, it all depends on how the terms are defined. 

If Green means “anything environmental” no matter how extended the connect, then it is probably allowed to call a carbon neutral company Green.  If Green is best defined as the “health impact” of what we do, then Green is misapplied to carbon neutral applications.  I subscribe to Green as meaning health impact, but I also believe that sustainable issues are what should be a Blue issue.  Pollution is a Red issue, and Conservation is a Yellow designation.

Given these definitions, carbon-neutral is a pollution issue and obviously a sustainability issue.  In the proper sense, being carbon neutral does not make a company Green.   Frankly, the “carbon neutral” designation deserves to stand in its own right as a positive environmental contribution.  It need not be relabeled as Green.  It compliments the Blue sustainable issues, the Red pollution concerns, and even the Yellow conservation issues since we are concerned about the atmosphere (a natural resource).

Buying carbon credits to offset the calculated CO2 output is both somewhat trendy and helpful.  These carbon credits are ostensibly a method of funding the capital needs of environmental projects like windmills, solar installation, hydro power, methane energy production, and reforestation.  All worthy causes as long as the underlying cause it legitimate and verified.  The carbon neutral status shows a consciousness of the CO@ problem and a willingness to make a contribution to the better solutions that are yet to make it to the profitable status.

So, there is no criticism on our part concerning the carbon neutral status or the need to be better environmental citizens.  The reduction of our dependency on oil is yet another problem that needs our collective support.  The mislabeling of everything environmental demonstrates the unfortunate lack of definition in this cause.  The fact is that there are four great areas that compose the environmental topic, and each deserve our attention.  The blurring of these subjects leave the public in disarray and confusion as to what needs to be done and the associated impact on the greater environmental challenge.

A Certified Green Consultant can assist your business in its pursuit of an environmentally-friendly status.  There are many things that a company may do to become a Green company, and carbon credits are a helpful part of the larger project.  Many companies now proudly display their Certified Green Business status having earned 100 points in the Green Business League program.   Several points are added for being carbon neutral, but there is more than can and should be done.  Working with a Certified Green Consultant makes this complex and involved process simply.  Never accept a one-sided solution as the full solution.  The Green Business League is the best Green business certification in the industry.

This Fourth of July, we played host to our developing family as our three sons now have families of their own (or nearly so).  It is a far different world that many of us knew twenty or more years ago.  We saw a period of prosperity that seemed to have no end, and there were fewer worries in those days.  Now, we are hopefully emerging from a recession of serious depths, and emerging into a generation that runs on a different set of rules.

I have concluded that in the hectic and developing world of my past, the emphasis on “Convenience” was very important.  We were busily building a progressive economy, transitioning to a rapid-paced society, and emerging from a rural mentality.  The world sped up, and we had to speed up with it.   Microwave ovens replaced traditional one, because they were so darn convenient.  Everything was disposable because there was always a newer, better version of whatever it was waiting to be bought at the store.  We lived in a throw way society that cast off anything “out of style” to buy whatever was in style regardless of whether the former item was still in good shape.

Disposable diaper compared to the smelly diaper pail was just the best invention ever.  Then, of course, we had the invasion of the drive-through restaurants that gave us food within seconds of ordering.  How good was that?  As life sped up, everything we encountered was always about convenience, and price didn’t matter nearly so much as expediency.

Today, I saw an add for Green diapers, which gave cause to these thoughts, and where we find ourselves today.   It’s true.  There are Green diapers that you can flush, compost, or toss away knowing that they will break down into something that will compliment the earth.  It is decidedly a new, and Green day that is now rising on the horizon as we seem to increase in our Green appetite.

We are starting to think about responsible Green Practices rather than simple convenience.  Tossing trash on the ground is more than a misdemeanor violation, it is a symbol of environmental disrespect.  Dragging home dozens of plastic bags from the store is what studies tell retailers that we want, but energy concerns now tell us that the oil used in plastic bags and plastic bottles could literally end our oil crisis.

I believe that we are ready for the change, but I really hope it is because we have matured rather than being herded like cattle by governments and agencies.   Every where I turn, I see companies and families “Changing the Way they do business,” and I am impressed that we can enter this Greener world as committed earth citizens ready for the task.   I am not for big government, unlimited reign for politically-bent solutions, and resolved that only governments can solve this problem.   We got ourselves into this mess, and we can get ourselves out, if given the chance.

The Green Business League promotes a program of Green Practices, and this is also the mission of hundreds of Certified Green Consultants who work diligently to help businesses and families certify their Green status.  It is no longer enough to claim to be Green.  There is a dire need to measure up to a standard set by a independent source like the Green Business League.

In a Greener world that we now face, I feel a sadness that convenience pressed such a heavy hand on our lives.  We are not weak that we needed extremes of convenience items, but it was part of life in America as well as nearly every country in the world.  McDonald is everywhere, you know!  We are in a time of “Reality Check” to realign our thoughts, our priorities, and our practices.   Make Green Practices something that will become a constant part of your daily habit.

Finally, I like the new era that we face, although we will all chaff a little at what is required of us.  We have learned to be more frugal, more willing to use up what we have before we throw it out, and to share what we have with others.  I anxiously hope that the lessons learned are lessons of the heart as well as life lessons.  Some endure challenge to return to normal, while others endure challenges to get better.

I describe the early stages of environmentalism as a kind of “Rockfield of Green Ideas.”  Everyone generally wandered about picking up good ideas like rocks, and tended to think that whatever they had in hand was the primary issue of environmentalism.  The various issues might be carbon neutral, solar and wind power, sustainability, polar bears, or the rain forest.  There was frankly no criteria to what was generally termed Green.  It seemed that all issues and concerns were all lumped into one Green description.  This analysis was the genesis of my journey to find out the meaning of Green that has a meaning that is suitable for everyone, and then how to define the journey that lies before us.

Here is a question that is very simple, yet profound.  It is “What is the definition of Green?”  I did some research and even asked a few people who had a fair knowledge on the subject.  To my disappointment, there was no clear definition to be found.  Mostly, it was the belief that Green was something we did to help the environment.  It took some Internet research to dig out the answer, but here it is.  Green is best defined as primarily about the “Health Impact” of whatever we do.   In fact, when the Green issue is fully understood, the closer we are to the issue (proximity) the greater our duty to address the health issues around us.  It is a kind of “Brighten the corner where you are” that frankly means that the solution is something that we all must share as part of our collective journey.

My gift is to assemble information and make a difficult subject simple.  So, regardless of others who like scoffing more than sense, I invested into making sense of the environmental rockfield of ideas.  It soon became apparent that there were four broad categories of environmental concern:

1. Health and Safety (Green),
2. Sustainability to Manage Resources (Blue),
3. Pollution Issues (Red), and
4. Conservation to protect wildlife and wildlands (Yellow).

Each deserved more clarity than the mashing of terms to fit some one’s personal agenda.  So, we have to incorporate all these ideas into one confluent process that brings us to a fair treatment of the environmental demands of our day.

Defining Green, therefore, requires that the basics are made clear.  So, water conservation, energy management, reforestation, and hybrid cars are not actually a Green (health and Safety) issue.  They are a Blue (sustainability) issue and deserve to be properly addressed under that topic.  Why confuse people any worse then they already are by calling everything with an environmental twinge “Green”?  it seems that we are trapped in a cycle of environmental baby talk because, we haven’t learned to call each item by its correct name.

Each of these four corners of environmental concern are a complete and profound area of information and worrisome issue on their own.  And, each of these issues deserves to be treated with intelligent answers for the critical issues that they represent.  Pollution is an urgent issue that calls us to react with defined and smart solutions, but these issues are only tangential to the other three areas … not a solution in and of itself.  The same is true of energy concerns that contribute to the global warming issues.  They are yet another environmental issue that demands that we allot time, resources, and efforts to solve our energy issues.  These are again, Blue or sustainable issues.  While the four corners of environmentalism are complimentary and tied to the whole environmentalism issue, they need to be addressed in an orderly way.

Once we have a working definition of Green, the second logical question that presents itself is “Where do we start the Greening process?”   There seems to be no pre-defined path we can take, nor are there milestones that tell us that we are making progress.   In this rockfield of Green Ideas, it is usual to simply wander about picking up rocks of well-intended Green issues until our arms are full.  No one seems to care that is seems like a futile effort in such an immense project.  We are all “Doing our Best,” even if it is disorganized and random.

The Green Business League believes that the starting point is something common to all of us, and that is the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ), which is under the Green category of health-related.  So, we have a starting point of universal concern and application by defining Green and the common connect with air quality.  Once we have a common starting point for our journey, let’s turn these good idea rocks into a path that will take everyone progressively to a Environmentally-Friendly future.  To help, the Green Business League has made milestones at the achievement of 100 points in accumulated Green Practices.

Finally, let me also explain along this road are Green rocks, Blue rocks, Red rocks, and Yellow rocks.  They all count for points in the system, and they takes us eventually to the Emerald City (Oz metaphor) where everything seems to work in harmony with the rest of society.  Industry is not the enemy of mankind, and mankind is not the enemy of the world at large.  Though mythical in its Utopian perfection, there should be at least a better world for us all, rather than the Orwellian future of total control of man or the cataclysmic predictions of worldwide disaster due to mankind’s provocation of innocent nature.

To guide you along the way, it certainly helps to have a knowledgeable guide who puts your company on the road to a Green certification process.  It beats the random approach that others seem to try because they believe that this is a project that can be done by amateurs and committees that lack training or a defined plan.

No matter how they are done, powered eggs never taste as good as a real egg.  The same is true of other reconstituted products like mashed potatoes, milk, or hamburger helper.  They might work in a pinch, but these products can never replace the real thing.  It is just this reason that the phrase “Authentic Green” seems to be emerging.   “Being Real” is never easy when there are easier alternate routes that seem to travel the same direction.  This will be true of Green programs that pop up overnight and make claims to offer Green certification for your home or business.

Let’s look squarely at the underlying issue and ask some of the critical questions.  Is the environmental issue a life-changing issue?  Could our lack of commitment take us into a nightmare that we can only fearfully imagine?  Like it or not, it appears that issues such as global warming, population growth, food and water, and natural resources are all vitally impacted.  Therefore, the cause of concern is not a game and serves more than a passing interest.

Given the seriousness of the environmental issue, how foolish can we be to adopt shallow and mere cosmetic solutions in the face of something that requires our best efforts to resolve?  We have moved well beyond the ability of casual efforts, amateur participation, and promotional games.  That is why I am so bothered and upset about the Fake Green websites  and numerous Green projects that lack the serious approach to these crucial issues.

Authentic Green, therefore, is a growing recognition that there is a noticeable and concerned acknowledgment of the imitators versus the people who see the environmental cause as something more than a way to promote their company, make money, and still cut corners.   You see, people care, and they should care all the more when they see instances of Greenwashing, Fake Green, and outright deception.  It should anger us because they are playing games while the storms clouds build that threaten our lives and the lives of our children.

To be Authentically Green, there is a need to actually change the operation to Greener and more sustainable practices.  Take a look at Green Practices for a better view of this subject.  There is so much that needs to be addressed on this subject, but it really comes down to being honest and an active participant in the efforts to make our world better.

The Green Business League is deeply committed to Green Practices that call for changes in the way homes and businesses operate.   The surprising benefit that the Green Business League also promotes is the substantial cost savings that can be realized by Going Green.  It is not about doing with less or cutting back on the necessary things we all need.  It is about better management and efficiencies that come from being smarter with our programming.  The reward for Going Green the right way is that it still not only help save the world … it will save you more money than you might imagine.

It is fair to say that earning a Green Business certification has a cost.  The investment can be small or large depending on how many challenges a company may face to become an authentic Green business.  I would put the Greening effort in a similar monetary category as buying a piece of needed machinery for the company.  The rationale is that the machine is needed to make the company run better, it will save time, and reduce the work load for everyone.  These are somewhat intangible benefits except that they show up on in a better operation and in savings to the companies bottom line.  In other words, Going Green is an investment that has a predictable return.  More and more, we are learning that Green is not just an expense that takes an unfriendly bite out of the cash flow.  Going Green has real and lasting benefits that may be hard to measure but can be seen as a boost to the company’s overall profitability.

If you improve the indoor air quality, you will also improve employee performance and reduce health claims.   If you install a paperless system, your whole company will speed up performance, and more work will be produced by fewer workers.  Employee cost savings is not a small advantage as everyone is looking to keep expenses down.  Get smart with you energy use, and your electric and fuel bills will go down.  As rates goes up (and they will), the efficiencies that you now embrace will become more impressive as rates go up.  Get involved in source reduction and other sustainable efforts, and you’ll trim out the excesses that will also fatten the bottom line.

Could Going Green actually save a company $10,000, $25,000, or $50,000 a year?  The answer is an absolute “Yes.”  This does not happen because a company sets up a Green committee that has no training on the subject.  These kind of savings come from taking a wise and professional approach to the subject.  Certified Green Consultants offer the expertise that most companies need to install a Green program that will bring about a thoughtful Greening program that includes the kind of savings that help a company in more ways then social responsibility in a world struggling with environmental issues.

Another intangible is the marketing value of being a Certified Green Business.  As the Green market matures, the ability to stand out as something more than a self-appointed Green company has limited credibility in this market.  It is possible to “Fake Green” by buying a Green logo online without any serious commitment or audit routine.   It is common sense to Go Green and do it with a bona fide certification program like the one offered by the Green Business League.

It may not affect your bottom line, but the environment is now under stress.  Unresolved, the impact of environmental hardships will be seen throughout society.  There is also a universal price that we all pay because of the ignorance or neglect of social duties.  Essentially, we cannot ignore this duty unless we want it to grow into a hurricane of devastation that hits everyone with some harm.

There is a price to be paid to Go Green, but we are now finding that there is also a PAY BACK for the investment that need not take years to realize.  Smart Green Consultants know how to make Going Green pay off in just one to two years.  The money that you are able to keep in your corporate pocket will make your business leaner and faster.  It will give your company the ability to promote itself as an authentically Green Business.  Your company wins, your employees win, the consumers win, and the environment wins.  When thoughtfully and professionally addressed, there is no losers in a Greener world.

Be warned that doing any good thing badly rarely pays off, and often causes real embarrassment.   Buying a Green business credential online line falls in the same category as cyber porn.   It isn’t real, and it isn’t right.  A website can be set up in a week, and offering a flimsy imitation to the public that claims to be as good as the real thing.  When it is all said and done, you just can’t beat the real thing.

There are still those people standing on the sideline of the environmental controversy, who are unwilling to join the Green lifestyle because they “really aren’t sure” that this is anything more than a trend.  Let’s be honest, why bother if this will all pass like the cyclical flu season?  “Bad times come and bad times go,” we could say to ourselves.  Sometimes change is the new direction of life rather than a temporary fad.  Some time ago, I read that the manufactures of the buggy whip refused to believe that the automobile would catch on until they were forced into bankruptcy.   At this stage in history, it seems like a total lapse of common sense.

Change is is something that must happen whether we like it or not, whereas trends are directions that are frankly options for anyone to join or take a pass.  Change is a bend in the road that you will follow, and trends resemble an alternate route.  Both feel alike, but they have different durations. 

The second issue is that we love change that seems to feel good, and we resist change that doesn’t feel so good.  It is not just a money thing because we’ll spend money for a change that we like.  It is the perception of the value and promise of what comes next that causes us to resist or embrace change.  This is the core issue for those who resist or embrace the changes required in a world that become more environmentally friendly.   This new lifestyle is a shift from convenience to inconvenience.  Al Gore had this part right.  It is an inconvenient truth, but it is not just about polar bears and calving glacial fronts.   It is about the reality that this new wave is a true change in behavior and not a friendly trend that we can join or ignore.

The facts make the case for us.  Population growth, finite energy resources, and climatic concerns are are to call mere trends.  Population has gone for 4 billion people worldwide in the 1950’s to 6.8 billion in 2008.  By 2025, the experts predict 9 billion people in the world.  That’s a fact, not a choice.  We are now calculating the limit on the oil and gas reserves left on our planet, although I feel they are more than “what is known” now.  Finally, whether you accept global warming or not, climates do change, droughts will occur, and we can experience a cycle of bad weather that demand that we adjust or die.

With this simplistic review of hard-hitting changes faced by everyone in the world, I strongly suggest that the environmental change is not a trend.  If this is a permanent change to our world complexion, we must change as well or be punished by our “grasshopper and the ant” rejection of reality.  As the story goes, the grasshopper fiddled away the summer while the ant worked.  When winter hit, the ant survived while the grasshopper froze to death.  A fitting metaphor for where we are right now in world history.

The Green lifestyle is not a trend, fad, or option.  Sooner or later, the reality will hit us hard.  Like losing your job forces an immediate and substantive change in everything you do, the environmental issues press us to take action in a season of opportunities or suffer like the blindsighted grasshopper when winter hits.  We are a people with a new mission and challenge.  We must intelligently adjust the way we operate now to minimize the impact of a world in change.  If we adjust today, we will live better tomorrow. 

I also see that most people do not know how to make the necessary changes in their lives.  They lack information, connections, and guidance.  That is why I suggest that family or businesses contact a Certified Green Consultant to help make the change to a lifestyle that we can sustain for many years into the future and through generations.  The Green Business League promotes the Green Lifestyle through Green Awareness training, Green practices, and Green certification.  Don’t stand by while others prepare for our pending day of scarcity.  We need a bold and rapid rise in Green pracitces at every level of our society.

There are three distinct areas of Greening today.  There are Green products, Green buildings, and green practices.  Each piece of this simple puzzle has its value and plays an important role in the environmental process.  Though slow in coming, we are seeing more an more Green products come to the stores and the Internet.  Unfortunately, not all of them are as Green as they suggest in their marketing.  That is, however, yet another issue for another day.

Green buildings as valuable to the overall picture.  For a long time, building requirements dealt with safety and local regulations.  Now, there is the inclusion of building materials that will not add to the health issues and will help the sustainability of our resources.   And this is a good thing to see, but we cannot neglect the human factor that is desperately needed if we are going to succeed against the all-too-imposing environmental issues.

Green practices seem to the the last, but frankly, most important part of the puzzle.  It does us little good to have Green products and Green businesses if we do not include Green practices.  This is an important reality check for each of us.  All too often we hear about a kind of proxy Green where people believe that they are being environmental because they buy some Green products or have some Green applications in their facility.  The problem is that this requires little commitment from each of us except to buy or install what is offered.

Think also the the small percentage of people who have a “Proxy Green” approach to the whole issue because they own a building that can be built new or improved with environmentally-friendly building products.  There really aren’t that many compared to the number of businesses in any city, state, or country that do not own their own building.  Yet, it seems that nearly 100% of the focus in on buying Green products and building Green buildings.  Are all the rest of us who collectively make an enormous impact on this world excluded from participation in this issue because we are excluded from these two aspect of environmental response?

Conversely, Green practices are universal.  All of us can adopt Green practices into the daily routine of our families, workplace, or general duties.  If only we knew more about Green practices, that is.  After CFL bulbs, programmable thermostats, tuning up the car, and recycling our trash; what else is there?  In fact, there are hundreds of simple and practical steps that we all could take if we were better informed.  To actually take advantage of all these options, the process can be intimidating.  That is where the connection to a Certified Green Consultant is important.  They know how to incorporate hundreds of simple and cost savings solutions into any home or business.

Locate a Certified Green Consultant in your community at the Green Consultant Directory.  If your business would like to be a certified Green business, you should visit the Green Business League and find out more.  Going Green is not an amateur sport.  To to it well and comprehensively, the assistance of a professional Green consultant is extremely helpful.   In the end, the goal is to get everyone to do their “Fair Share” in this global crisis issue.   The more people that we enlist in the program, the better our world becomes.  So, while we may support the increased volume of Green products and the growth of Green buildings, the most crucial issue of all is the universal participation of people everywhere in Green practices.