Greening Your Office

You can save energy, resources, and money by taking steps to make your workplace more environmentally friendly.
By Andrew Korfhage, associate editor, Co-Op America

When Elysa Hammond joined the staff of Clif Bar in the summer of 2000, she assumed the title of “corporate ecologist” and took on the task of improving the energy bar company’s environmental impacts.


She started by helping Clif Bar become the first certified organic energy bar, then went on to redesign to the bars’ packaging to save 90,000 pounds of shrink wrap every year. But Hammond wasn’t finished. She turned her attention next to the environmental impacts that are less obvious to customers—the internal workings of its offices.

“Any time an office creates waste, it is not using resources as efficiently as possible,” says Hammond, noting that environmental responsibility also saves money. “It makes good business sense to reduce waste.”



Hammond says the first major office change at Clif Bar was to the paper supply, with a switch to 100 percent post-consumer recycled paper and the installation of deskside recycling bins. Subsequent green upgrades included purchasing wind energy credits to offset the office’s energy use, recycling or composting more than 80 percent of their waste, and creating a committee to keep environmental issues an office priority.

Offices both large and small can save money, improve morale, appeal to green consumers, and make connections with other green businesses—all by minimizing their impact on the Earth. So, whether you work out of your own office at home or in a more traditional office environment, here are some steps to green your workplace:

Make your office as eco-friendly as it can be.
Save money by buying fewer office supplies and cutting your electricity bill.
Protect the planet by saving energy and resources.
A 2001 report by the US Department of Energy found that “computers, office equipment, and other appliances” are driving America’s increased demand for ever more energy consumption both at home and at work. With commercial energy use increasing two percent per year, according to the report, you can do your part to reverse the trend.

1. Buy green: When you purchase office equipment, look for items bearing the “Energy Star” label. Energy Star is a voluntary program run by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that labels equipment using less energy than standard models. Furthermore, many Energy Star products have other eco-friendly features, such as printers that print on both sides of the page and fax machines that can scan and send double-sided print-outs. According to the EPA, a home office outfitted exclusively with Energy Star equipment (computer, monitor, printer, and fax) can save enough electricity to light the entire home for more than four years.


2. Change your lighting: Purchase compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs), which use 66 percent less energy than
standard incandescent bulbs. According to the Rocky Mountain Institute, each CFL you buy will save you about $45 over the long life of the bulb. (CFLs last more than 13 times as long as incandescent bulbs.)

3. Power down: Turn off your computer and other office equipment when you leave your office. Set equipment to go to “sleep” mode when not in use. An easy way to turn off all your equipment at once is to plug it all into one surge protector with an on/off switch.
According to the Energy Star program, activating sleep settings on just one computer can prevent about 300 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions each year.


4. Adding Green:Adding plants to you office will impove your office air quality, absorb potentially harmful gases and clean the air inside buildings. Not only are they decorative but also natural air filters.5. Offset your emissions: You can offset the carbon dioxide emissions associated with your office’s energy use or business travel by joining a “green tags” program. Green tags are energy credits, created by renewable energy facilities, that represent the environmental benefits of green power generation.
At Co-op America’s offices, where Real Money is published, we offset 100 percent of our global warming emissions through a green tag program with NativeEnergy, which is helping to build a 10MW wind farm on the Rosebud Sioux Reservation in South Dakota. (Visit www.nativeenergy.com/coop or call 800/924-6826.)

6. Green your business travel: Minimize your business travel by taking advantage of telecommuting tools. When you must travel, offset your travel emissions. You can purchase green tags to cover airline travel through NativeEnergy, or purchase carbon offsets designed specifically for travelers through the Better World Club’s “Travel Cool” program or the Trees for the Future “Trees for Travel” program.

The Better World Club, an eco-friendly roadside assistance and insurance organization for motorists, also offers discounts to club members on hybrid car rentals through EV Rental, the nation’s only green car rental company. When looking for lodging, you can find an eco-friendly hotel through the Green Hotel Association.
6. Green your office's daily travel: If you work in a traditional office environment, see if you can make your office bike-friendly by arranging for bicycle storage and an on-site shower. Encourage employees to leave their cars at home by offering public transportation stipends.


Eliminate Waste

Many state-level recycling initiatives state that the average office employee generates a half-pound of paper waste every day. But every half-pound of paper that an office recycles saves the equivalent of one pound of greenhouse gas emissions, plus the equivalent weight in trees. Remember to keep your own daily consumption of paper out of the landfill, and read on for more ways to eliminate waste.

1. Buy recycled: Paper made from 100 percent post-consumer recycled content is often the same price as all-virgin paper. Plus, you can buy in bulk to save money. Co-op America buys a year’s supply of 100 percent post-consumer recycled copy paper. What’s more, you can find products like envelopes, calendars, planners, and stationery also made from recycled paper.
Remanufactured ink and laser toner for printers and fax machines save you money while you save the Earth. Remember to close the waste loop by turning in your old toner cartridges for recycling. Large office supply stores like Staples and OfficeMax now accept toner cartridges for recycling, or you can mail them to the national recyclers listed in the resource box.
Green office supply stores like those listed in the resource section at the end of this article offer many other innovative recycled office products. For example, Green Earth Office Supply sells recycled plastic desk organizers and binders made from recycled vinyl and cardboard.

2. Reduce your paper consumption: You can cut down on paper use by making some simple changes of habit. Set your printer to print on both sides of the paper, and modify the format of standard documents (wider margins, smaller font size) to fit more text on a single page. Edit documents on screen to avoid printing draft copies, and circulate memos and reports via e-mail when you can. Convert old single-side pages into scratch pads, and reuse envelopes.

3. Use a responsible printer: There are many responsible printers that will produce your printed materials in accordance with your values. Choose a union printer that uses recycled paper and vegetable-based inks.

4. Reuse what you can: Use incoming shipping boxes for your outgoing mail, donate excess supplies to local nonprofits and schools, and even donate your computers and office furniture when you update.

5. Audit your waste: WasteWise, a no-fee voluntary program run by the EPA, helps you audit your office’s output of municipal solid waste, producing a report on waste elimination strategies specific to your own office environment. Once you’ve generated your report, WasteWise helps you track your office’s success at reducing your refuse.


Take Your Good Habits to Work

Finally, if you work in an office with others, consider bringing some of your at-home green living choices to work. Use a copy of Co-op America’s National Green Pages™ as a buying guide. Introduce your office to Fair Trade Certified™ coffee, and suggest eliminating disposable dishes, napkins, and silverware from the breakroom. Post a ride-share board, as well as friendly reminders for everyone not to waste energy or resources, with signs like “Remember to turn off lights.” Work on getting faucet aerators and low-flow toilets in restrooms.

“We should look at nature as the ultimate example of good management,” sums up green office expert Hammond. “In nature, nothing is wasted, and all material and energy loops are closed. That should also be our goal at work.”

About the Author
--Andrew Korfhage
Andrew Korfhage is an associate editor at Co-op America, a non-profit consumer and business association for environmentally wise purchasing located in Washington D.C. with more than 70,000 members nationwide.
Article was reprinted with permission from Co-op America's Real Money newsletter. To learn more about Co-op America's programs visit www.coopamerica.org or to subscribe to Real Money www.realmoney.org.

Certain plants and flowers flourish in an office environment.

By Kira Connally

Many plants can be used in office environments for decoration and enjoyment. Below are some of the easiest to grow in offices with windows or in work spaces limited to artificial light. With many colorful and flowering choices, office plants can bring life and warmth to dull, drab office spaces.

For offices exposed to natural light, try these varieties on a window sill or under a skylight.

Croton: a large plant grown for its foliage. Thick stems branch out into large, colorful leaves. Many varieties have multiple showy colors. Croton prefers warmer, humid areas, such as south-facing windows.

Amaryllis: bulbs usually forced indoors and over-wintered in a cold area to promote next year's flowering. Amaryllis bulbs will send up tall flower stalks with 6-8 blooms per stalk and are available in a wide choice of colors.

Sanservieria: also known as "spike plant" or "mother-in-law's tongue", this is a very easy care plant. Tall, broad foliage spikes shoot upwards, and flower on thin stems in spring if provided enough water. The spikes are often shot through with white and the edges are tinged yellow. Allow the plant to dry out between waterings for best results.

Small Cacti: bowls of cacti mixtures as well as Christmas Cactus or Thanksgiving Cactus are perfect for busy offices. The mixed variety bowls makes lovely boardroom centerpieces without the cost of fresh flowers. They will tolerate extreme neglect, and produce colorful, unusual flowers. Christmas Cactus most often flowers red or dark pink.

Kalanchoe: a succulent with small bursts of bloom above a mound of glossy foliage is an office favorite. Water regularly, and place in a sunny window. Bloom colors are available in many shades of white, yellow and pink.

For offices with artificial lighting conditions, these plants can add color and life to the work space.

Peace Lily: leafy foliage and pale white flowers make the Peace Lily an excellent office plant. Provide plenty of water to promote blooms. Peace Lilies are often grown in clear glass vases with a Betta fish feeding on the roots below.

African Violets: small dark purple or lavender flowers cover the dark green leaves year round. The leaves appear covered in white fuzz, a contrast to the leaf color. Fertilize with food designed for African Violets, and keep soil moist but not soggy.

Caladium: a native of the tropics, also called "elephant ears", Caladiums can be successfully grown indoors. Large, rounded leaves provide a colorful show in shades from white to dark pink and red. Most leaves have light centers and darker, thickly veined edges. Mist the plant often to provide humid conditions.

Ivy: hedera helix is a popular variety suited to office conditions. The dark and sometimes variegated leaves grow on thin vines. Provide support for the plant to climb and water sparingly. Ivy can tolerate dark corners as well as brighter areas.

Spider Plant: interesting, spiky light green foliage is the hallmark of this plant. Spider plant is beautiful in a hanging basket and tolerant of mild neglect. Stems will cascade down over the pot's edges with new stems branching from the old ones. Spider plant requires minimal light.

All indoors plants will require careful watering. Most soils should be kept moist but not damp or soggy. Any water collected in a saucer below the pot should be removed immediately.

Indoor plants need special fertilizer. Many people prefer the ease of fertilizer spikes, which can last up to three months. No matter which fertilizer you choose, be sure to read package directions. Using too much can burn a plant's root system; too little and the plant will suffer.

Be sure to remove any brown or damaged leaves as soon as you see them. This can be a sign of too little light or too much water. Plants that lean toward a light source should be relocated to a spot with stronger light.

The appearance of any indoor plant can be improved with an interesting or unusual container. Terra cotta is a favorite, but many resin and plastic pots are now available for reasonable prices. Contrast the pot color with the plants foliage color to spice up dull desks or dark, neglected corners of the office. Humidity loving plants, such as the Croton, thrive in warm, oft-overlooked areas like copy rooms.

A reception desk or meeting room decorating with colorful, live plants can promote a more friendly and causal environment, putting clients at ease. Take a good look at your office and you're sure to find a perfect space for a small, delicate African Violet or an easy-care, brightly colored Amaryllis.

© Copyright 2005. All Rights Reserved.

Lack of blooms casts a pall over Lotus Festival

By Tiffany Hsu and Tami Abdollah , Times Staff Writers

Los Angeles Times

July 05, 2007

With year-round fire season and record low rainfall, Los Angeles is, without a doubt, one hot place.

But memories of winter's cold snaps linger. The freezes of January that resulted in crop losses for farmers and blanketed Malibu in snow also gave the lotus plants at Echo Park cold feet.

For decades, the lotus bed at the northern end of the park's lake was near full bloom at this time of year, just in time for the July 13-15 Lotus Festival that always takes place on the second weekend of this month.

But this year and last, because of the extremely cold winter and spring, the growth of the warm-weather plants was stunted and delayed, said David Foster, gardener and caretaker of Echo Park.

'We had a prolonged period of really cold weather, around 30 degrees and under, for multiple days in a row,' Foster said. 'For downtown L.A., that's a bit abnormal.'

Only about 30 lotus blooms are scattered against the lake's bank, hugging its sides; typically at this time of year, there are hundreds of blooms, grandly rising out of the water and across the small cove in the northern corner of the 15-acre lake. Concrete below the plants holds them in about 3 feet of water, while the rest of the lake is about 8 feet deep.

Since 1972, the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks has held the Lotus Festival at Echo Park not only because of the lotuses but because of the park's proximity to the Chinatown, Little Tokyo, Koreatown and Filipino communities.

According to legend, the lotuses were introduced to the lake in the 1920s by evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson, who collected them on a missionary trip conducted by her Angelus Temple, across the street from the park.

The dearth of lotus blooms seems to be more severe than this time last year, said neighbors, who estimated that there were up to three times more flowers in 2006.

Thomas DeBoe, chairman of the Echo Park Advisory Board, said the petals are falling off the existing blooms. Several local plant specialists have examined the flowers, DeBoe said, and the board is trying to call in a city botanist to investigate the flowers' slow growth.

'Everybody is really concerned about it,' DeBoe said, adding that this is the first year he has seen so few blossoms. 'Right now, it's just a little strip; that whole area should be covered with lotus.'

DeBoe said the city should consider importing some lotus blooms for the festival. Foster said ideas have been suggested about heating the plants next year to prevent a similar delay, but otherwise, he said, 'It's something that's out of our hands.'

But it may be this year's record low rainfalls, not the current heat wave, that is at fault, said William Patzert, a climatologist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Canada Flintridge.

Though last year's cool spring and warm summer led to a 'late bloom, but a pretty good one,' Patzert said, this winter's cool, dry weather could have deprived the lotuses of essential nutrients present in rainwater, leading to fewer, more anemic blooms.

'In comparison with aqueduct water, rain has a lot of nitrogen, so after it rains, everything greens up,' Patzert said. The record-breaking lack of rain 'has deprived the lotus of critical ingredients like nitrogen, so this year's crop might be suffering from a nutrient deficiency.'

But the Echo Park lotuses aren't the only plants on an unexpected schedule this summer. At Botanicare Plant Services in Manhattan Beach, proprietor Todd Schneider said some of his plants have developed poor growing habits.

'With the excessive heat, the plants dry out and require more water, and a lot of people don't realize that,' he said. 'This year, we have plants that are supposed to bloom early that aren't and other plants that usually stay dormant that are blooming.'

To combat the effects of the weather, Schneider said, Botanicare's staff is working extra hours maintaining the plants by giving them more water and removing dead leaves and blooms.

But he also suggested that the strange behavior of his plants may be due to this year's unexplained absence of pollinating bees.

'There are less honeybees doing less work,' Schneider said. 'The temperature in California has always been going back and forth, but now there are flowers on trees that usually bloom in spring that are only just blooming now.'

Regardless of the reason, if the lotuses fail to emerge en masse by the time of the festival, DeBoe said, tourism and summer spirit will falter in Echo Park.

'The lotus is more than just a plant. It's the theme of the summer,' he said. 'Everyone is walking around the park commenting about how sad it is - the summer without a theme. The lotus helps attract a lot of people. It brings the community together.'

tiffany.hsu@latimes.com tami.abdollah@latimes.com

Holidays and plants

Can you believe it? The holidays are right around the corner! Botanicare Plants offers poinsettias, wreaths and an array of holiday decor. We offer only florist quality and also take care of delivering, placement and care for your plants. If you choose to buy elsewhere, we do charge a fee for caring for your poinsettias. Give us a call and we'll meet with you to discuss what kind of plants and holiday decor would work best in your location. We also offer topiaries, centerpieces and an array of colors in the poinsettias. Call us today at 310.445.2540!

Welcome to Botanicare Plants Blog!

We want to welcome you to our Blog! As plant enthusiasts, we are posting our blog to give you helpful and interesting articles and information on houseplants, orchids, and trees. Whether you have a "green thumb" or just want to find out how-to-tips, you can check our posts for some useful information. We have been in the Interior Plant Service Industry for over 20 years and want to share our knowledge with you. We believe that living plants not only beautify a home or office, but we believe that having them benefits our planet and helps remove harmful toxins from the air. Check our blog frequently! Enjoy our useful information and share it with your friends!

Succulent design secrets

Sunset, July 2007

They're among the most enthralling plants on the planet--sculptural shapes and fleshy, jewel-toned leaves make succulents standouts in the garden. That's why we love Designing with Succulents by frequent Sunset contributor Debra Lee Baldwin (Timber Press, 2007; $30). The just-released book is as inspiring as it is practical, with color photos that show how to use these otherworldly beauties in borders, on slopes, between patio pavers, mixed with other perennials or grasses--even in undersea-themed gardens. Container gardeners will love the many great ideas for mixing succulents in pots, including the blue-green combo pictured here, designed by Christina Douglas. The celadon pot holds a small Aloe plicatilis, cascading Graptopetalum paraguayense, and a fine-leafed Sedum rupestre 'Blue Spruce'.

COPYRIGHT 2007 Sunset Publishing Corp.
COPYRIGHT 2007 Gale Group

Living and designing with house plants

Sunset, Feb, 1996

Want to make a bold statement with a major specimen plant, but afraid you'll kill it? Is there any way to keep a pot from transferring moisture to hardwood floors? Here are some insights from the pros.

What are the basic questions to consider when choosing a large plant?

Interior landscape designer Elizabeth Price-Asher of Price-Ragen in Seattle tells clients to pick plants that fit their lifestyle because stress is more visible on big plants. "What plants want is consistency. Even low-maintenance plants prefer consistent neglect to on-again, off-again care.

"Just as important as choosing the right plant is choosing the right container. Plant and pot should read as a cohesive unit that doesn't scream at you. It has to fit with everything else in the house. It's broken all the time, but the general design rule of thumb for container size is one-third pot, two-thirds plant: get a 24-inch-high pot for a 6- to 7-foot tree. But trust your judgment. Get a plant-pot combination that you're comfortable with, and keep it in proportion to the furniture around it."

Price-Asher adds that most interior landscapers don't actually repot their plants in heavy containers. That way they can pull out the inner plastic pots and take the plants outside when they need to spray for insects or disease.

Are there any plants that novices should simply forget about?

"Unless you're pretty dedicated, forget Ficus benjamina - it's really temperamental," says Greg Hassen, president of Citiscape Design in Los Angeles, which specializes in corporate plant maintenance. "It doesn't deal with change - in temperature, water, light - very well. Unless you're really diligent, you'll kill it. Ferns are difficult for the same reasons and one of the messiest plants you can get.

"Grape ivy is another problem plant: it needs to be in a cool, bright spot, and it gets mildew really easily."

On the other hand, he says, beginners should have good luck with aspidistra, which will thrive almost anywhere, even in low light. "We use a lot of low-light-tolerant plants like Dracaena fragrans 'Massangeana' and D. deremensis 'Janet Craig'. They hold up pretty well, and you can really cut back on watering unless there's a lot of heat. Chinese evergreen is also a really great, hardy indoor plant. It tolerates low light, doesn't need much water, and doesn't grow too fast - plus there are lots of varieties to choose from."

What are the "designer" plants today?

Both Price-Asher and Hassen put Ficus 'Alii' and rhapis palms at the top of their lists.

"Ficus 'Alii' takes more abuse and holds its leaves better than Ficus benjamina," says Hassen. "Rhapis palms are great because they're slow-growing."

Price-Asher adds Chamaedorea (bamboo palm), ming aralia, and cactus. "Cactus are really hot right now, particularly Cereus peruvianus and Euphorbia ingens."

Can house plants coexist peacefully with my hardwood floors?

No problem, says Edward S. Korczak, executive director of the National Wood Flooring Association, as long as you keep the pot out of direct contact with the floor. "There are cork pads that do a good job at this, or those little terra-cotta or iron feet that support the saucer off the ground. The saucer by itself is not enough; it will transfer moisture to the floor."

For floors that already have a water stain, Korczak shares a trade secret. "There's a product on the market called Zud; it has oxalic acid in it. Mix it to the consistency of toothpaste, put it on the darkened area, let it dry back to a powder, then vacuum it up. The dark ring should be gone. It might take a couple of applications, but this trick works on water stains about 75 percent of the time."

COPYRIGHT 1996 Sunset Publishing Corp.
COPYRIGHT 2000 Gale Group