Visitors to The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk can watch the seals be fed, learn about sea turtles or take a cruise on board the research vessel Oceanic. But what they may not realize is that aside from monitoring and studying the ecosystem of Long Island Sound, The Maritime Aquarium is also a leader in employing environmentally friendly technology.

Dave Truedson, the facility's associate Director of Operations says they started going green over a decade ago. "We've been greening the Aquarium for the past 12 years or so.       

"We utilize ecologically friendly building materials and are conscious of our carbon footprint. And, because we are home to many different kinds of live fish and mammals, we have always been careful about what kinds of chemicals we use."

Over the years, the Aquarium has reduced its energy consumption by changing from incandescent to fluorescent lighting and by taking advantage of new, more energy efficient T8 fluorescent lamps. As a Premier Maintenance client, the Aquarium has also become more aware of new green cleaning solutions.

"Now there are more green products on the market for us to use. With PMI we've learned about a new foam scrubbing machine which uses less water and now we use micro-fiber cloths instead of all those paper towels," says Truedson. "PMI has also helped us triple the amount of material we recycle because the maintenance people make sure we get our paper and cans and bottles into the right containers. It's made a big difference."

PMI president Michael Diamond says the Aquarium is truly committed to following through on its green programs. "They are serious about making a difference in terms of recycling and energy use. We commend their efforts."

The Maritime Aquarium is in the midst of a long-range fundraising and master planning process and, according to Truedson, being green is a major part of the plan. The Aquarium holds an annual fundraiser called the Red Apple Awards Dinner.

This year's theme is "The Red Apple Goes Green" and will honor GE Commercial Finance for its commitment to the environment through the Ecomagination program-which builds products that are economically friendly and ecologically sound. The event will be held on April 24 at The Maritime Aquarium and will include a cocktail reception, awards ceremony, live auction, silent auction, and sit down dinner. You can get more information about the Red Apple Awards Dinner at this website: development@maritimeaquarium.org or by calling 203-852-0700, ext. 2204.

With all of the news concerning the New York Knicks about claims of sexual harassment, what can we do to make sure that we are not subject to the negative publicity associated with a sexual harassment claim?  

It is well recognized that sexual harassment is prohibited in the workplace.  The first step is to understand the definition of sexual harassment and each employee's obligations. 

There are two recognized types of sexual harassment-quid pro quo and hostile work environment.  Quid pro quo (this for that) harassment occurs when submission to or rejection of sexual advances or requests for sexual favors is used as the basis for employment decisions.  Hostile workplace harassment is unwelcome sexual conduct that unreasonably interferes with an individual's job performance or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment.  There is not a precise formula of what constitutes a hostile environment, however, isolated instances of harassment, unless severe, generally do not create an abusive environment.

Each employee throughout all levels of a business is charged with the duty to protect the organization.  If you see, hear or have any reason to believe that sexual harassment is occurring, you should promptly report it to a person in charge.  If the person in charge is the person responsible for the harassment, you must find another manager to investigate the claim and ascertain whether improper conduct has occurred.  Consult your organization's sexual harassment policy and complaint procedure to better understand the reporting process. 

Just as an employee finding and reporting a misplaced piece of jewelry should be commended for his or her actions, an employee who promptly reports perceived improper conduct should be commended for helping the organization to do "the right thing," that is, to engage in business without unwanted publicity and to keep the workplace safe from harassment, real or perceived.  You cannot be punished or retaliated against for reporting harassment.

Sexual harassment laws are not to be viewed as a "general civility code for the American workplace," and the occasional use of profanity in the workplace is not forbidden.  However, a rule of thumb to live by is if the comment or joke is not what you would say in front of your spouse, significant other or child at the dinner table, it should not be said in the workplace either.

Glenn A. Duhl is a management employment and litigation lawyer at Siegel, O'Connor, O'Donnell & Beck, P.C.. You can reach him at 860- 280-1215 or by email at: gduhl@siegeloconnor.com.  He represents management in preventive employment law and litigation of all employment matters.  Please visit: www.siegeloconnor.com

The information contained in this article is general in nature and offered for informational purposes only. It is not offered and should not be construed as legal advice.

On February 1^st, PMI will join with thousands of women, companies and organizations across America in National Wear Red Day. This initiative is part of the Go Red For Women movement founded by the American Heart Association (AHA) to help fight back against heart disease.

By wearing red and making a donation, participants will help the AHA support ongoing research and education about women and heart disease.

  American Heart Association