I finally made the leap and moved from my large GMC Denali to a small Mini Cooper Clubman S. I thought that it was time to practice what I preach and stand for as a Realtor. I did alot of research before making my decision and was very impressed with the gas efficiency and manufacturing standards. I thought I would share some of what I discovered:

All of the Mini-Coopers are manufactured at a plant in Oxford, England.

Customers can order their MINI in a number of colours, but as far as Plant Oxford is concerned the priority is to make it as 'green' as possible.

Car production is generally an energy, material and industrially intensive process. Plant Oxford works to minimise wasteful activities and develops lean manufacturing techniques through a combination of advanced technologies and good housekeeping. Product efficiency and sustainable environmental benefits are at the top of the agenda, alongside product quality.

Rather than use disposable packaging for parts the plant uses around 30,000 specialised re-usable containers to support its supply chain. A dedicated waste management centre also works continuously to improve the scope of recycling across the plant.

The plant recycles over 20 different material types used in the manufacturing of MINI, including metals, such as copper and aluminium, baled cardboard, batteries, glass, steel and various types of plastic.

To lessen the plant's impact on the environment further, a railhead was opened on site in 2001 to take MINIs destined for European markets by purpose-built container trains onto the national rail system; thus eliminating approximately half a million delivery truck road miles each year.

The plant also generates some of its own electricity using three 800kw combined heat and power units, which as well as providing hot water for processes, produce 2.4MWh of electricity, about 10% of the total requirement for the whole planOne example for the importance of environmental issues at Plant Oxford is the Paint Shop. This Paint Shop is one of the most modern in the UK, with state-of-the-art spraying technologies and water-based paints and waxes which have very low solvent content.

In conventional paint facilities only about 20 to 30% of paint attaches to the car body, which is wasteful and environmentally unsound. By charging the paint with static electricity during the spraying process, a much higher proportion of paint is attracted to the steel surface, increasing quality, coverage and minimising environmental emissions.

As part of the baking process, completed after every stage of the paint process, fumes are released as the paint is cured. All exhaust streams from the paint ovens are gathered and burned in a catalytic incinerator.

The new MINI itself represents a major step forward in environmental standards such as reduced emissions and excellent fuel economy - and so do the manufacturing techniques by which it is made.

Since owning my Clubman I have averaged about 40 MPG and the car is not even broken in yet. I am so excited about the fuel savings and would recommend the car to anyone who wants to travel in style while lessening their impact on the environment.

Did you know that recycling your old cell phone is good for the environment?

 There is a voluntary, national program Wireless...The New Recyclable ..to recycle old cell phones and accessories.

It does not matter what wireless carrier you use or what type of phone you have. You can drop them off at any of the participant retail locations and some even have mail in options. They will take the phone, batteries, headsets, chargers, etc.

Once the product is dropped off it is sent to an evaluation center. From there it will be

• Reused: If wireless products are in good working order, they are re-used by charities
• Refurbished: They may be reconditioned or repaired. They could be put back into service.
• Recycled/Recovered: If the phone has reached the end of it's use, it will be sent to a processing facility and recycled.

Why should we all think about this?

When a used wireless phone is recycled, its plastics and metals are used for other products from milk jugs to circuit boards. The rest is disposed of under the US Environmental laws rather than sitting in landfills.

If all of us take small steps like this, we can all make a difference.

I think most people realize that flying is one of the most environmentally irresponsible choices the average person can make. The most obvious problem - planes require thousands of gallons of fossil fuels for each flight. 

 Kudos to Bellevue based online travel company, Expedia. When you buy a flight on Expedia you are given the option to offset the carbon expenditures of your flight for a cost ranging from $5 to $30. While this little bit helps, it is at best, a stopgap measure. Flying is still a huge waste that, until recently, seemed to be a necessary evil. 

Boeing is about to change that! They have designed the most environmentally responsible midsize airplane ever, the 787 Dreamliner. This incredible plane will start service next year. The plane is being built right here in Puget Sound.

The Dreamliner will use 20% less fuel than any other similar sized airliner, which on an average flight equals 31 years of daily automobile commuting per passenger! The planes incredible fuel economy is due, in part, to more efficient engines and completely overhauled electrical systems that use 60 miles less copper wiring per plane. The Dreamliner also is 30,000 to 40,000 pounds lighter than comparable planes.

The Dreamliner is built from composite materials. These materials are not subject to corrosion or fatigue. The end result is a plane that puts out 30% less carbon dioxide emissions than todays smaller 767.

The Dreamliner is a industry-changing plane.

Boeing also preplanned the complete life cycle of the plane. They devised a strategy to recycle the plane when it's retired in 30-40 years.

Kudos to Boeing for this innovation that will change the airline industry forever. 

I am so excited about my new EcoBroker Designation. I can finally incorporate my passion for the environment into my real estate business and share valuable resources and information with my clients and peers. I have joined the movement of professionals pushing the real estate market toward energy-efficient, sustainable, and healthier design/features in homes and buildings.

With national surveys indicating that 80% of consumers consider themselves "green-minded", Realtors such as myself are in a better position to serve the real estate consumer. I'm always looking for the best ways to offer my clients the best value. My EcoBroker training helps me ensure customer satisfaction, my number 1 priority. From windows to moisture control to energy savings, I now have more resources at my disposal to help my buyers and sellers make better real estate decisions. The EcoBroker designation doesn't make me an energy and environmental expert, but it allows me to better understand the issues and to convey this understanding to my buyers and sellers.