For employees of Environics Communications in Washington, four of whom are shown above and identified in "Around Town", every day at the office is a green day.
In June 2008, Environics, with other offices in Metro New York, Montreal and Toronto, became the first North American PR firm to go carbon neutral. With the help of experts from Pembina Institute, the firm determined its carbon footprint was 239 tons of carbon dioxide—the leading contributor to climate change. The average American creates 22 tons of carbon dioxide each year. To offset these emissions, Environics purchased carbon offsets from firstclimate to fund wind power development in New Zealand.
Environics conservation efforts helped it reduce its energy consumption and paper use in all of its offices. In the DC office, motion sensor light switches turn off lights when employees leave the office. The firm discourages the use of bottled water and has installed a filter for the tap water. Environics employee handbook contains an entire section on the firm’s green policies.
Employees are encouraged to use mass transit, walk or bike to work and to drive fuel-efficient vehicles - employees can receive $250 for the purchase of a bike for riding to work or $500 for hybrid vehicles for driving to work. “As a firm with a green practice, it is important that we walk the walk,” says Frank J. Walter, senior vice president and head of the firm’s sustainability and clean energy practice. The firm provides communication services to the World Wildlife Fund and the Electric Drive Transportation Association.
Environics Five Tips for Going Green this St. Patrick’s Day:
- Determine your individual carbon footprint and learn how to reduce your emissions. Visit EPA.gov for more information;
- Reduce, reuse and recycle. Only print what you need. Print on both sides of the paper and be sure to use recycled paper;
- Lights Out. Turn off lights when you leave your office or, better yet, install motion sensor light switches;
- Drink from the Tap. Ditch the bottled water and install a filter for your tap water; and,
- Walk, bike or Metro to work. Walking is free, biking is healthy and mass transit is affordable.
Celebrate your success with a nice pint of your favorite green beverage!