Engaging your Workers

Recently, I just finished the book Strategy for Sustainability by Adam Werbach. I really enjoyed reading the book and learning about all the different facts and figures of the companies that have made sustainable improvements. It was interesting to understand more in depth specific companies' sustainable practices and certain incidents where they were forced to change.

However, the chapter I enjoyed most was chapter five Engaging Individuals: People Want to Help. I thought it was interesting and valid to connect a sustainable work environment with engaged employees. I never thought of it that way, but it makes sense, if an employee is passionate about working hard in their job and enjoying the work that they do then they will make the efforts needed to make sure things are done properly and well. It's when unengaged employees that don't care to fix the problems or pay attention to things that don't seem right affect the sustainability of resources in a business, much like the peanut butter incident in Sylvester, Georgia. Engaged workers are happy workers and according to the book there are four factors that help increase happiness in a person:

1. Being of service to something larger than yourself.
2. Experiencing "flow" or full engagement, on a regular basis.
3. Showing your gratitude to the people in your life.
4. Sharing your life with at least three close friends or family members.

Ultimately, people will become more engaged in the workplace if the company stands for a purpose and provides activities where people can connect their work to what matters in their life and what makes them happy. A business that promotes sustainability engages employees to get involved in more than a monetary gain. People do believe that the environment is in crisis, they do want to help and they do want to learn more about the issue. A company that provides this for their employees will improve engagement and better their business.

Take the test from the book to see how happy you and your employees are:

Rank your agreement on the scale of 1-10

7-strongly agree
6-agree
5-slightly agree
4-neither agree nor disagree
3- slightly disagree
2-disagree
1-strongly disagree

Q's:
In most ways, my life is ideal __
The conditions of my life are excellent __
I am satisfied with my life __
So far, I have gotten the important things I want in life __
If I could live my life over, I would change almost nothing __

Now add up all your rankings to get a total score:
35-31 Extremely satisfied
26-30 Satisfied
21-25 Slightly satisfied
20- Neutral
15-19 Slightly dissatisfied
10-14 Dissatisfied
5-9 Extremely dissatisfied

Positive Quotes for the workplace!

A Changing Miss America

So last night flipping through the channels on T.V, I ran into the good old Miss America pageant. What a classic! The 50 women probably in pageants since they could talk, strut their stuff on stage showing how they "look" in a bikini, an evening gown, doing their talent (most like every time it is singing or some sort of dance), and finally, how they "look" answering their question that supposedly measures the true value of the individual. "World Peace" right?

Half of the time, I was laughing at how their fakeness showed through their smiles and how when walking in high heels most of them looked so off balanced that any second they could fall. Answering their questions, I could just tell how they were producing as much word vomit as the could to dance around a valid answer that showed any true depth to their core values or beliefs. They have to be careful to not be too controversial right? So minds well just blab and blab and blab with a sweet smile so it "looks" like they actually stand for and believe in a change. I thought to myself, these girls have been answering the same questions and doing the same talents for years, why haven't the issues and questions caught up to the times?

Then their it was, the former Miss America 2009 was interviewed about all of her accomplishments and improvements as she was the reining figure of all young women everywhere and among all the other wonderful community service and philanthropic actions, she showed her support for going green by promoting Natures Bottles. "Natures Bottles is an environmentally-friendly bottled water company that uses plastic made from plants to make their bottles, which helps to eliminate petroleum based plastic water bottles. We know that with their extraordinary vision, they can help change the future." Says Art McMaster the President and CEO of the Miss America Organization.

Finally, one of the most well known events and pageants of the year, that have dealt with the same issues and questions for years, is making efforts to promote green living. Even though my idols and role models in life are not these so called talented girls on stage, they are for millions of young girls around the world. Even though their are obviously more efforts that the whole pageant's organization could do to promote going green and sustainability, they are making steps and showing these steps on national television which could influence the actions of viewers watching. So last night I development small increase of respect for the Miss America pageant.

Guest Speaker Tom

Today in class we had a guest speaker from the University of Oregon's Center for Sustainable Business Practices. Listening to him talk, it was interesting for me to understand and see some of the obstacles that get in the way of individuals making choices that help improve the ecological state. People are too concerned with simplifying their lives and can't handle the complexity or change that comes with altering your life to live sustainably.

All the great ideas and changes that are
being promoted that will drastically help the environment and preserve energy can be too detailed and complex for people to really want to take the time out of their busy day to understand and change. Even so, the question came about that if an environmental group went door to door telling people that they will come into their home and recreate their home into a sustainable building to no cost to them and ultimately, will help improve the planet and allow for more job availability in the United States, will people accept? I mean why not, it is no cost to them and it is only improving the environmental and social state. But many people will not accept. It's new. They're bringing these changes into their actual homes. It may seem too controlling and political. People are unsure about the real issues of the environment and are not completely sold that their needs to be a change.


That is where communicators come in. That is why it is so important that people speak out about the issues and bring it to the every day person. Yes, people understand that global warming is this new idea brought about by environmentalists, and they understand that conserving energy and reducing their carbon footprint will benefit the environment. But people do not understand the weight of each sustainable action and its impact on the world. Many do not understand that certain sustainable choices and improvements have more of an impact and benefit in the big spectrum. Communicators need to expand more on the issue and need to reach everyone, not just the big businesses and corporations.

Earth Day

The 40th anniversary of Earth Day is coming up on April 22, 2010 and is providing more opportunities than ever to get involved and participate in Green activities and events. This day, devoted solely to the environment, hopes to bring historic improvements in climate change policy, renewable energy, green jobs and acknowledge individuals who make sustainable commitments in their daily lives. It is an opportunity for everyone to come together and make a change for the better in our world.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJAbATJCugs (Global Warming 101 video)

Earth Day provides many different events and opportunities for people to get involved:

Global Days of Service on April 17th & 18th 2010: Is a day of volunteer actions in communities that focus on climate change solutions like tree planting, forest restoration, energy efficient retrofiets, water protection, and urban gardens.

A Billion Acts of Green: Is the opportunity to register planned community events for Earth Day and also, your individual "Acts of Green." These acts can be anything from buying a hybrid car to planting your own garden.

A Global Day of Action on April 22, 2010: Earth Day Network will be assembling community meetings on climate change in 500 communities around the world and organize 2,000 campus events around the world.

A Global Day of Celebration on April 24, 2010: Earth Day network will organize 40 major city events around the world and an additional 20 events presented by partner organizations in cities such as Rio de Janeiro, Beijing, Tokyo, and Barcelona.

Here is a List of all the Events provided on Earth Day Network

Top 10 Green Celebrities of 2009

Recently I came across an article on the Top 10 Green Celebrities. The article, in honor of Earth Day, focuses on the top 10 celebrities that have made efforts to act green and become environmentally friendly. As the celebrities are in the spotlight supporting different environmental programs, becoming vegetarians, owning hybrid cars and speaking out about becoming environmentally friendly, I wonder if the motives behind these great role models and idols making a change is to truly help the environment or if it is only a publicity stunt. Like the article says, "These days Hollywood stars don't have red-carpet cred unless they roll up to awards shows in hybrids" asserting that the efforts that celebrities are making to go green are only so that they can keep up with the trends in Hollywood. Yes, these top 10 celebrities are doing more than just buying a hybrid, but are their efforts truly genuine to help improve the world and speak out for something they value and care about.

However, maybe the image and what these celebrities represent out in the media is what society needs to make the changes too. Celebrities can be role models and influence the decisions and opinions of people all over the world. If they have a strong green attitude and presence in the media, then more people may be inclined to find ways that they can be green too. When your a child, people always ask "who is your role model and why?". And seeing Cameron Diaz on Nickelodeon receiving the "wannabe" award may influence the children of today to make green choices and live environmentally friendly. Isn't that a celebrities positive role in society, to stand for something and encourage others to make a change as they do?

The list of Top 10 Celebrities of 2009:

1. Ed Begley Jr.

2. Leonardo DiCaprio

3. Daryl Hannah

4. Edward Norton

5. Brad Pitt

6. Woody Harrelson

7. Alicia Silverstone

8. Cameron Diaz

9. Adrian Grenier
10. Natalie Portman

Clorox Advertisement Greenwashing

On the Greenwashing index website I find it interesting to see the different advertisements and consider whether what they are saying and promoting is truthfully valid, or Greenwashing.

This advertisement for Clorox's new product Green Works is a plastic tub that contains multiple disinfectant wipes that are apparently 99% natural and biodegradable. At first the ad draws in the viewer with the headline "Just what the world needs, another cleaning product". By saying this they are able to set up what is different and special about this product compared to other cleaning products. It becomes the consumers social responsibility to choose not just another cleaning product, but one that is biodegradable and natural.

However, the plastic tub is placed in the middle of the forest with the word "naturally" next to it. The plastic tub not 100% natural and not biodegradable completely counteracts that word. They are trying to convince the viewer that a plastic tub in the middle of the forest is part of nature and how are we to know for sure whether or not the wipes are really 99% natural and biodegradable too?

Also, visiting the Clorox website, the main theme and purpose of Clorox is cleanliness and bleach which really does not go hand in hand with green living. How can we trust a cleaning company to truly believe in the values and importance of sustainability? They don't. They are just trying to convince the consumer who is starting to value making green choices in their purchases that their product will help them feel like a responsible green citizen.

The whole product is anything but sustainable. A bunch of disinfecting paper towelettes in a plastic tub... How is that good for the environment? What people should do is use a towel that they can wash after each use. It would be just as effective in cleaning and would be much more sustainable.

A Sustianable Valentines Day

It's interesting to think that even meaningful gestures and precious memories from childhood could have been sustainable if people would have viewed production in a different light. One specific example is Valentines Day. I remember back to the elementary years when the true purpose and meaning of the day had really no relevance to the acts and activities that took place.

I would spend the entire week decorating an old shoe box so that my Valentines Day box would be the prettiest and most perfect in order to win the decorating competition. I would glue on wrapping paper, ribbons, buttons, cut outs of hearts and little heart candies which read "sweetheart" or "be mine". Then I would beg my mother at the grocery store to get the coolest Valentines Day cards which had pictures of Power Rangers or Tweety and Sylvester because these cards I would put my name on and would reflect my personality. Then I would beg and beg in order to get the best candy to go with my cards.

Now in elementary school, if you were going to give out a valentine, you had to give it to every single student (making the day that much more insignificant to its true purpose). So I walked around the room proudly, dropping my valentines into all the wonderfully decorated boxes and anticipated the reward of 29 other card valentines accompanied with assorted candies.

Looking back I realize how much "stuff" I and all my other classmates would use to continue a tradition that I didn't understand the true meaning of. And that is why I was excited to come across an article on The Green Guide on how to have a more sustainable and green Valentines Day.

They advise to:

bake your own treats at home.

For the card valentines, use printed card stock that may be lying around at your house such as: decks of cards or baseball cards. You can use the image on the cards and then just print out an overall greeting.

If you have time, you can even make homemade paper!

And give out organic lollipops.