For many years I thought being in the green was way more important than being green. I also was under the misconception that you couldn't do both. It seemed for too many years that the two views were mutually exclusive. A few years later and I am began to understand that being green has long term benefits that can help save you green. Now, a few more years later, it seems everything is green, in fact, being green has become a marketing tool to help keep some companies in the green. Suddenly everything is green, even light bulbs.
Like most people I know, I try to do my part to help. I drive less when possible, I use a motorcycle in the summer months (see? being green can be ultra cool also!) and I make sure that I separate recyclables on trash day. I don't really think this makes me green though, in fact, the more I learn, the more I wonder if these simple activities are just a way for me to pacify my guilt over being such a consumer. I decided that from now on I would look into what I was really doing when I though I was being green. What I found shocked me:
- The fluorescent energy saving bulbs I installed? Filled with mercury. In fact, they are so environmentally unfriendly that the EPA has a standard on the proper disposal and decontamination if one happens to break. The manufacturers do however make about 3x the profit on these bulbs over what they made on the incandescent models.
- The Prius I almost bought? Turns out that it takes just as large as carbon footprint for the manufacturing and the potential benefit is offset by additional materials needed to produce and ship it.
I could elaborate more, but the point is that sometimes it's not easy being green because even when I try and do the right thing, the right thing isn't always what it seems to be. So I am sticking to the simple stuff.
- Invest time into learning your local transaction desk system. If you can create, share, sign and archive electronic docs during the transaction process, it will save ALOT of paper.
- Find alternative ways to attract business besides bulk mailings
- Buy a motorcycle (okay, maybe not the one for everyone, but I'll suffer it out)
- Turn off the air an open a window
- Encourage working with title companies who can distribute closing docs as *.pdf files on CD roms
- Share listings with your clients electronically
- Avoid fertilizers on your lawn
- Plant a native garden
- If your not using the light, turn it off.
- Stop buying bottled water (but reuse your old bottles)
- Be creatve - it's all the little things that make the difference.
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