We are all responsible enough to recycle and know to install energy-efficient light bulbs in our homes and businesses. But how can you step it up when it comes to lowering your carbon footprint even further? Some businesses are tapping deeper into Earth’s natural resources and creating sensible alternatives to irresponsible living.

Public sentiment, cost savings, supportive government kickbacks and the satisfaction gained from attending to the preservation of our atmosphere are at the forefront of these environmentally conscious business designs. There are the benefits to meeting environmental goals of products and services; improved worker health and safety, a decrease in health and disposal costs, reduced liabilities and a continued increase in the availability of environmentally friendly products in the marketplace, explains the EPA.

Soybeans

Famous for the positive nutritional content, soybeans are most commonly used in soups and to make stock and cooking oil. It can be ground into powder to provide protein to otherwise nutritionless foods. It makes for a fine alternative to dairy and can also be consumed as edamame. But this great bean has a little-known secret it’s a renewable energy source. A superhero in its own right, soy can replace harmful chemicals used as a base for products. For example, Franmar Chemical replaces expensive petrochemicals with soy-based products for cleaning in industries such as screen printing, decorative concrete cleaning, paint removal, asbestos and asphalt removal, to name a few.

Vegetable Oil

Soybean oil is vegetable oil but it’s not the only by-product that does a business right. Other types of vegetable oils are used in industries, such as printing, to cut down on the environmental chemical impact of petroleum-based printing inks. While soy ink is used across the globe, other sustainable raw materials are gaining more recognition. A collective goal in the printing industry is to reduce volatile organic compound (VOC) content as regulated by the Clean Air Act Amendments. Companies like Printing For Less take advantage of primarily soy vegetable-based inks because they are gentle on the environment and produce bright, high-quality images on printing materials that include business cards and other marketing collateral.

Recycled Material

Many companies are dedicated to recycling organic material and debris. Some companies, like Recycled Green divert more than 600,000 cubic yards of organic waste each year. Recycled Green delivers landscaping and composting materials. The materials are used for landscaping, construction and highway projects, specifically for landscaping application, green roofs and smart walls, bio-filters and bio-swales, landscape elements designed to remove silt and pollution from surface runoff water, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, bio-retention, the process of removing contaminants from storm-water runoff, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, and baseball diamond infield mix.

To gain insight, understand trends and discover actionable ideas for your business sustainable practices, visit a GreenBiz conference or event in 2013. New York, San Francisco and Boston offer opportunities to bring thoughtful leaders and professionals together to share the latest innovations in green business as well as offer a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of the global impacts of greenhouse gas and air emissions.

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Gazelle for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Do you have some older electronics, that you would like to properly dispose of? Wouldn’t you like to get some cash for your gadgets,or maybe upgrade to the newest technology out there? Well, now you can. Gazelle, saves you time and money so you don’t have to bother with selling your gadgets directly.

Gazelle Makes It Easy

In fact, they are there to help you in a fast, easy, and fair way, to sell and recycle your electronics. Read the rest of this entry »

Albertsons’- one of the first fuel cell stores operating on the west coast

On Friday, May 6, 2011 – ALBERTSONS’ Clairemont, CA. store, became one of the first fuel cell operating stores on the west coast. Part of the nationwide SUPERVALU® family of grocery stores, they were presented, the 2011 Sustainable Project of the Year award, by the Association for Retail Environments (A.R. E.).

Albertsons – 5 steps to award achievement

ALBERTSONS’ Clairemont store (in Fullerton), received this honor for its “clearly defined integrated design approach, high benchmarking goals, and waste reduction features.”  The 55,000 square-foot grocery store, officially opened on September 1, 2010, and was built to LEED Silver specifications. The many sustainable features built in this store,  include: 1) Highly efficient LED lighting, in the dairy and frozen food cases that reduce energy consumption by more than 50 to 65 percent. Second on the list, there are photo sensors, in 33 skylights that measure the amount of daylight that enters the store from the skylights,  and adjust the electric light levels accordingly, saving energy.  Then there are night curtains, that are pulled over all open cold cases in the evening to seal in cool air and reduce spoilage and energy costs by up to 25 percent.  Water-saving faucets and fixtures installed in the restrooms, help to reduce the amount of water used by more than 45 percent.  Fifth on the list, a Glycol secondary refrigeration system, that minimizes refrigerant change, achieving Greenchill Gold certification, from EPA. Read the rest of this entry »