What If All Offices Went GREEN? [Infographic]

Just imagine if we added biking to work AND green commercial cleaning to this infographic! If all offices adopted greener practices like these ones, we’d have a cleaner earth and environment, healthier employees, more successful businesses, and a lot more money and resources saved at the end of the day. To learn more about going green at your place of business, contact us for a free estimate and consultation.

 


10 Tips for a Green Halloween!

From costumes to candy wrappers, Halloween can add up to be a very wasteful holiday. Go green this Halloween and add some sustainability to your spooky celebration by following these tips below shared by the World Wildlife Fund!

For more eco-friendly inspiration, check out our favorite tips.

 

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10 Green Halloween Tips

From: www.worldwildlife.org

  1. Decorations. Instead of buying materials for decorations, gather supplies, arts and crafts throughout the year. Examples include:
    • Turn stockings with runs into spider-webbing
    • Paint foam peanuts (packing materials) and turn them into worms
    • Clean Styrofoam and make Halloween masks
    • Turn cardboard boxes into tombstones
    • Make other creative decorations from netting from bags of oranges, cotton balls, leaves and branches from the yard, etc
    • Reuse your decorations from the previous year
  2. Costumes. Make your own!
    • Keep old clothes that can be used as good pieces or parts of costumes, like worn t-shirts, black pants/shorts, etc.
    • If necessary, shop at thrift shops, consignment stores and yard sales, instead of buying retail
    • Let your kids’ imaginations run wild! Make a game of turning old clothes into costumes
    • Thinking of dressing up as an animal this Halloween? Find out how you can Wear It Wild with WWF.
  3. Parties. When having a party, cut down on waste by avoiding disposable cups, plates and cutlery. Use regular dishes or buy biodegradable ones, and use a marker (or apply cute labels) to identify cups so party-goers can keep track of theirs.
  4. Treats. Buy locally produced foods, candies and treats. Look for goodies with minimal packaging and/or those made packaged in recycled materials.
    • Check labels to see that chocolate and sugar are from sustainable sources.
  5. Trick-or-Treat Bags. Use (and decorate) household items to collect candy in. A bucket, pillowcase, or old even an old bag can be decorated inexpensively at home – and reused year after year.
  6. Pumpkins. Buy pumpkins from local farms or farmers’ markets. Better yet, grow your own — kids love to watch them grow!
  7. Jack-o-lanterns. Don’t throw away all the goodies from inside your pumpkin. Toast the seeds for tasty treats. Make pumpkin pie or muffins with the fruit – or compost it.
  8. Transportation. Trick or Treat by walking around your neighborhood instead of driving to another destination. Get to know your neighbors, reduce your carbon emissions and help keep the streets safe for other walkers.
  9. Compost and Recycle. From party food to treats to pumpkins, consider composting all organic matter and recycling other items.
  10. Reuse! Reuse as much as you can from year to year. Instead of throwing away an old box or bag, use it to gather all your decorations and keep for next year. Plus, you can surprise your family and friends by quickly pulling out your box and throwing an impromptu Halloween party any time of year!

     

From: www.worldwildlife.org

How to Bike to Work

Bike commuting does not have to be a chore. Follow these tips from Bicycling.com and learn the tricks of the trade, from cargo-carrying to waging war against dreaded work shirt wrinkles! Help your community be more sustainable and reduce your workplace’s carbon footprint— get biking.

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From: www.bicycling.com

7 Essential Bike Commuting Tips

JUNE 14, 2013  SUSI WUNSCH

Whether you want to go car-free or just ride carefree, follow this advice to carry larger loads, find a safe route, and arrive looking (and feeling) fresh.

Get Organized
To save time—and avoid forgetting a spare tube, again—stow all your gear and accessories in an easily accessible place, such as a wicker basket. Place small items like blinky lights and tire levers in a zippered bag you can hang from the doorknob. Clip your bike-lock key to the bag using a small carabiner.Arrive Wrinkle Free
Toting a suit to work, or bringing a sport jacket to a dinner date? Hang them in a dry-cleaning bag, then roll it up gently before placing it in a basket or pannier.

Boost Cargo Capacity
Expand from carrying a six-pack to full bags of groceries by attaching an elastic cargo net to your rack or basket.

Go Easy
RideTheCity.com is a clearinghouse of safe bike routes. Get There By Bike, an iPhone app, allows you to map, record and, share routes in 23 cities (and counting). New to riding? Portland, New York, San Francisco, and other major metropolitan areas have organized group commutes.

Hang in There
There If you need to store your bike in your home or office but are short on floor space, think vertically. Several manufacturers offer ceiling racksthat use pulley systems to hoist bikes. Or hang your ride from hooks beneath an open staircase. Lighter bikes can even be perched atop credenzas or bookcases.

Protect Your Assets
In most areas, you only need a U-lock. Double up on protection in high-theft zones by adding a cable lock: Start by parking your bike next to a rack, signpost or other immovable object. Run the U-lock between the rear wheel and seat tube, but keep it open. Then take one end of a cable and run it through your frame and front wheel, looping it through the cable’s other end to form a lasso. Finally, attach the free end of the cable to the U-lock and clamp the lock around the immovable object. Locking skewers prevent your wheels, saddle, and other components from getting jacked.

From:  www.bicycling.com

Community Announcement

Friends! Don’t miss the musical event of season! 

From Motets to Musicals presented by Rocky Mountain Chorale!

This Friday, Nov. 7, in Longmont AND this Saturday, Nov. 8, in Boulder.

We are an enthusiastic supporter of the Rocky Mountain Chorale– check out their event flyer and our special corresponding ad below.

Hope to see you there!