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The recession is official. As we put extra time and energy during these challenging times into ensuring the well-being of our famillies, our homes, and our businesses, we must not forget to take care of ourselves! Of course if you can afford a day at the spa, go for it, but for many of us, that may be a bit too much. Here are 5 simple suggestions for no-cost/low-cost pampering from head to toe-
(1) Soak in a hot tub- light a few candles, turn on some soft music (placed safely away from water!) and just soak. Close your eyes and just think about nothing.
(2) Exercise- physical activity (any) helps stimulate various brain chemicals and makes you feel happier. Jog solo, form a group of friends to do yoga in your livingroom, go walking with your children, clean your closets- purge unused belongings and calories at the same time.
(3) Chat with dear friends- sign up for a free account with Skype and you can chat your heart out, laugh and cry at no extra cost.
(4) Eat- host a themed potluck- Mexican, tapas, breakfast, or maybe just desserts and wine. Good company over good food can always boost your spirits, especially when everyone brings something to share.
(5) Take a nap- yup! Sleep deprivation can really wear you down emotionally and physically. Find a moment in your day where you can carve out at least 15 minutes to lay down, close your eyes, and rest.
Not suggested above but definitely one of my faborites: If you have any little ones in your life, ask for a hug. They always have a way of reminding us what's important in life.
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Any of you out there conducting business without a computer? I would imagine there are not too many out there. Computers have become vital instruments for businesses and are usually the first purchase made. Google helps us research, email helps us communicate, accounting software helps us keep track of our precious dollars, and most industries have online presense via websites. My computer is my business partner, my friend, and I do what I can to take good care of her.
As an aspiring sustainable business, the plan is to use her as long as I can. Sure there is the urge to buy the latest and greatest technology out there, but that may not be the best for my business financially and it doesn't comply with my goal to minimize waste. Of course computers do get old and stop working, and of course there are situations where it just doesn't do what you want it to do to be efficient with your time, which for business is money.
So what do you do with your old computer? Throw it away? No....you can actually recycle it, completely!
Here are some ideas:
(1) If it is still functioning, consider donating it to a local charity. There are always folks out there that can refurbish and re-use any old computers. Think schools, community centers, retirement homes, shelters. You can check your local listings.
(2) Give it away for free on www.freecycle.com. List your item(s) for free for local pick-up.
(3) Sell it to help cover the cost of a new computer. You can advertise for free on www.craisglist.org.
(4) Recycle it! Virtually every component of your computer can be recycled. Take it to a recycler that specializes in technology recycling. This is super important!!!! Computers and most electronics contain toxic waste, also known as e-waste. When disposed of improperly, e-waste can leech harmful toxins into our air and ground water. These come from the harsh metals and chemicals found in batteries and CRT monitors (cathode ray tubing which emits electromagnetic fields), for example. There are companies that exist in USA that can re-use and recycle every component, even grind up circuit boards into a re-usable powder. The problem is they are few and far between, leaving many well-intentioned recycling businesses with loads of collected e-waste. So do your part and obtain certification that whoever is taking your electronics for recycling is actually recycling the components safely and properly. Also, advocate for more comprehensive recycling programs locally and nationally.
FYI- because comprehensive e-waste recycling is so limited here in the states, some recycling businesses are shipping our waste to be dumped overseas, sometimes in rural poor communities in China. This is an outrageous practice, so I do urge all you small businesses out there to be active and support recycling our own waste here in the states.
For other creative ideas to give life to your old computer, check out www.verdantcomputing.com. The founder Carl Foner sells eco-friendly computing equipment and shares how you can re-use your computer, like turning it into a DVR!!!
Happy business and take care of your computer!
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What exactly does it mean to be a green business? Well the color green has been associated to anything clean, pure, and environmentally friendly. To me the color green conjures up peaceful images of clear blue skies, crisp ocean waters, children playing in flower-filled meadows. Business doesn't have to ruin these images or deplete our earth's resources. Running a green business means you minimize your overall impact to our environment, not just in the products and services your provide your customers, but in almost every aspect of your business activities. Not only does it make sense environmentally, it can make perfect sense economically. It has become increasingly challenging to be a viable business entity in our current economic climate- rising fuel costs and the tenuous status of our banking structure have emphasized the importance of going green and being as creative as we can to make the most of our dollar. That dollar is precious!
When I started Sweet T Baby a few years ago, it was my intention to be as eco-friendly as possible from the start, to be as kind to our earth as I wanted my products to be for my customers. Not only did this mean producing American-made organic cotton products and working with local contractors to lower my carbon footrpint, but it also meant sourcing many of my office supplies and materials with high recycled content and recylability as possible. It's not only how it's made but where it can go after it's use- the more we can increase its lifecycle, the better. These practices not only support my local economy but support fellow businesses with similar goals and objectives of minimizing our environmental impact on our one earth. Put all these efforts and practices together, that's a lot less toxic junk we are putting in our air, water, soil and landfills!!!
It has been a beautiful and educational journey thus far and I am happy to share with you my green business practices.
I have created a quick checklist of 5 easy ways you can green your business today:
(1) Green Office Space: This is your physical space. The quality of your work space can greatly affect your mood and productivity. If you can organize and keep your space clean, you will feel good, energized, and ready to work. Working from home, if you can, is a great green option. I know my husband and I both have saved quite a bit of money on clothes, gas, and surprisingly food!
Use proper lighting- CFL's are widely accessible and come in a variety of wattages. These will save you quite a bit of money.
Keep your air fresh- Open your windows for fresh air, use an air purifier, or in my case, keep a fan on. My office is a dark cave and our windows don't open. So my ceiling fan helps maintain air circulation. When we reconfigured my work office, I was able to purchase low- VOC water-based paint from Sherman Williams for my walls. VOC, volatile organic compounds, are highly toxic and found in many home-improvement products. Low and No-VOC paints can now be found in most hardware and home-improvements shops.
(2) Green Office Supplies: Sadly there's not much available in terms of office equipment that is low-impact but more companies are increasing the wood and plastic recycled-contect of the products they do manufacture for the office space: work stations, rubber floor mats, desk organizers, even filing cabinets. I use 100% Post Consumer Waste copy paper for my ink-jet printer and re-use/recycle every piece of packaging material that comes into my office. File folders are also made of recycled content and are sturdy for durability and long life. Lights and power strips are turned off at the end of each work session to save on electricity and a bit of money too.
(3) Green Communication: I think it would be safe to say that I'm not the only one glued to my computer all day and all night long. It has become the main source of business communication for me. I encourage business contacts to email me over calling as I can save and archive my emails electronically a lot easier than I can save voice messages and my own hand-scribbled notes. I try not to print anything if I can help it to save on paper and ink. Even my invoices are filed away electronically for reference and tax purposes.
(4) Green Branding: Most businesses utilize paper for a variety of branding purposes, from the ubiquitous business card, personalized letterhead, and invoices to name a few. Apparel businesses like Sweet T Baby will have hangtags, price tags, and even packaging materials for shipping. Again, high post consumer waste content paper in a variety of weights can be found for all your business needs. I will often use the blank side of used copy paper for invoices and friendly correspondences with business contacts. Cereal boxes or any paperboard cardstock make great hangtags as well. Wherever possible use water-based inks for printing. For the most part, ink jet printer inks are water-based and less of a burden on the environment. Soy-inks and other vegetable-based inks have grown in popularity but do check with the printer for their source and how they dispose of their waste- which is often as important. I used Grass Roots Press for all my printing, usind soy-inks and recycled paper.
(5) Green Trash or Not: Like I mentioned above, where our materials go afterwards is just as important. All paper can be recycled- by a recycling center and by you. Upcycling is even more eco-friendly than immediately tossing your items into your recycling bin. Upcycling is reusing materials and giving them new life in new form. Turning envelopes into hangtags, copy paper into bills or shredded into packaging materials or even filler for your garden compost. Don't toss your empty ink cartridges- office supply stores offer rebates and will recycle them for you. Disks and other smaller 'technotrash' can be recycled. Even that soda you drink while you work can be recycled into new aluminum cans and the plastic ones are turned into fiber to make fleece and carpet! That yogurt you eat during your break comes in containers that are recycled into toothbrushes and food containers. Contact your local sanitation office for their recycling program and drop-off locations. Form a collective with local businesses to improve your recycling program and generate awareness for reducing waste.
I know first hand that going green can sometimes cost a bit more, but these extra costs are upfront and will actually save you time and money in the long run. It doesn't have to be done all at once. You are the best person to assess and evaluate where you can afford to make changes and when. Every little change can make a huge difference.
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