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How Green Is Your Office? Environmental Advocates of New York Goes Green
Friday, May 30, 2008
(Environmental Advocates of New York)
By Daniella Nordin, Communications Assistant
Hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers are committed to conserving and recycling at home, but when many of us reach our workplaces, our green values are left at the door. And the decisions we make at work are making a big impact on the environment.
For example, according to the US EPA, the average office worker uses almost 10,000 sheets of paper annually. Heating, cooling, and powering an office account for nearly 40 percent of climate-altering carbon dioxide emissions in the U.S., and more than 70 percent of total electricity usage.
These are just two of the reasons why Environmental Advocates of New York recently took steps to better "green" our office.
Under the leadership of Finance Director Pat Sterling, during the past two years Environmental Advocates has made some big, green improvements. The first greening projects involved new wall colors using low-VOC (low-Volatile Organic Compound) paints. Low-VOC paints are virtually odorless and do not release as many pollutants as conventional paints. The paints use water as both solvent and carrier, allowing easier cleanup, and are lower in toxicity than oil-based paints.
The next green project was the floors. We recycled the worn carpet that had lined Environmental Advocates’ floors for more than 20 years and replaced it with cost-effective carpet squares. The carpet squares and backing are made from 100 percent recycled fibers.
With green floors and green walls come green lights. This past January, after retrofitting all of the building’s light fixtures to a lower voltage, higher efficiency system, we will save more than $900 on our annual power bills. Even more impressive, switching to more efficient lighting will save more than 7,400 kilowatts each year and reduce our carbon dioxide emissions by at least 10,440 pounds annually.
Future green plans include a new heating and cooling system with a high energy efficiency rating. And down the road, we hope to install solar panels on the roof. Also on our to-do list, changing the single-paned windows to double-paned, and prevent heat from escaping the building.
"To me, it’s the right thing to do; to practice what you preach," said Pat.