Making envrionmental choices at work

Have you ever noticed that you never see something until you have it yourself? For example, I never noticed how many blue Honda Civics were on the road until we bought ours.  Or how many women are pregnant at the same time until I was pregnant myself?

Lately, I've been noticing this phenomenon at work.  I hadn't realized the environmental impacts of my work place, really.  I mean, I noticed, but I didn't give it much thought.  Until recently. 

I've become the office supplies orderer for one of my library branches.  All of a sudden, I can make a choice about what type of paper, pens, and tape we buy.  I can decide how many transit slips we need, how much toner, how many envelopes.   It's been a real eye-opener.

I must state right away, that the library does environmental pretty well.  As a part of the larger City, we must comply with the city's take on environmental stewardship.  Here are some examples of how this happens:

1) printers are set to print double-sided AUTOMATICALLY.  You actually have to change the settings if you want to print single side
2) all internal communications are sent through re-usable envelopes.  You can get a lot of use out of these until they a) wear out or b) run out of room
3) all toner is taken back by our supplier for recycling and refurbishing/refilling
4) in the larger branches, green bins are kept in the staff room for compostables
5) our newest building was constructed according to LEED standards

It's the smaller stuff that I can affect.  I've purchased recycled printer paper.  I've made sure that our transit slips (which send items between branches) are reused at least 3-4 times.  I've tried to make sure that our used book sale racks are kept full with donations, instead of being sent to the recycle bin.

It's been great to be able to be green at work.  I'm looking forward to trying to further improve our processes/procedures.

Start to be more politically involved (Change 121)

This change really takes me out of my comfort zone.  I am the type of person that prefers to keep her politics private.  I don't really like trying to change people's minds - I prefer to let them come to their own conclusions without my thrusting my opinions on them.  If they ask for my advice, of course, I'll respond, but I would never venture to tell someone outright that I disagree with them.

But to really ensure environmental change, government has to become involved.  Canada's current environmental platform leaves something to be desired.  I am going to do something about it. 

Among other organizations, the David Suzuki Foundation occasionally sends out form letters that you can email to prominent government officials (the Prime Minister, the Environment Minister and the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, for example).  These letters always encourage the powers that be to take the environment into consideration when forming national policy.

I received one such letter this week, encouraging us to write to Environment Minister Peter Kent to ask for clean air and healthy oceans (http://action.davidsuzuki.org/oceans).  When I originally received this notice, the goal was for 2500 letters to be sent.  If you look at the link now, the new goal is 8000!

I usually delete these emails when I receive them - I am not comfortable sending these kind of letters to government.  But this week, I filled the letter out and emailed it.   What changed my mind?  The knowledge that although my 366 changes are great, they are still on an individual level.  We need national and global level action to help correct the environmental damage being done to our planet.  I realize that I still have a long way to go - there are many "big" issues that I have not yet tackled on an individual level (such as owning two cars, buying green energy, eliminating plastic completely from our house).  But I think that there are changes that need to be made that I can't do on my own.

It felt weird sending the letter, but in a good way.  I am finally trying to influence government politics, instead of just complaining about how those in government can't get it right.

Join the Guiding and Scouting Movement (Change 96)

I was a Girl Guide when I was a little girl.  DH was a Cub Scout.  It seemed only natural that we should enroll DD1 and DS in these activities when the time came.

What I hadn't realized was how these activities involved environmental change.  Both programs have adapted from the ones we remember when we were little in the 1970s and 1980s.  Yes, hiking, camping and other associated activities were part of the regular program, but I don't remember so many specific environmental actions taking place.

Move to the 21st century.  There are now specific environmental badges the children can earn, from recycling, water use, and specific camping badges, to changes to the Mission Statements and other official policies of the two movements.

For example, the Guiding Movement sent delegates to the 16th Conference of the Parties of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that took place in Cancun, Mexico, from November 29 to December 10.  The Scouts have a Position Statement on the Environment, "Scouts Canada believes that environmental stewardship is critical for future generations. Scouts Canada’s programs develop youth as environmental stewards. Through progressive experiential opportunities youth develop and practice sound environmental ethics. Active participation in our programs enables members to minimize their impact on the environment." (http://www.scouts.ca/ and http://www.girlguides.ca/)

I'm thrilled that these activities that my children participate in will help reflect and reinforce our home values. If we start teaching our children at a young age about how valuable and unique our planet and environment are, I can't help but think we are enabling our world to become a better place.