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Welcome to the new GREAT FOREST monthly newsletter--your source for sustainability news for businesses and commercial buildings.
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Great Forest Q&A
Got a question? Ask Great Forest's experts. Each month we will feature one Q&A.
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NYC's Proposed New Energy Efficiency Laws
The plan, which aims to reduce carbon emissions and make buildings more energy efficient, targets some 22,000 buildings in NYC larger 50,000 sq ft. These older buildings contribute nearly 80% of the greenhouse gases in the city, and spend $15 billion every year for energy.
The focus will be on energy reduction measures that pay for themselves quickly. The city's six-point plan includes:
1) Creation of a NYC specific Energy Code
2) Lighting Upgrades
3) Benchmarking
4) Audits and Retrofits
5) Green Workforce Development
6) Green Building Financing
To find out how the proposed new laws will affect you, or to start preparing for energy audits and benchmarking now, contact Michael Sanfilippo at msanfilippo@greatforest.com
Check on other NYC Recycling, Waste, and Energy regulations. |
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New Metrics Offers Snapshots of Sustainability
This innovative online environmental assessment tool was designed to focus specifically on results!
The metrics offers snapshots of sustainability in a minimum of three areas: Energy, Waste and Water.
Users can track data over years to reveal cost savings and spot areas that need to be improved.
In this tight economy, metrics lets you measure the value of your company's sustainability programs to help you stay competitive.
The metrics is offered at no additional charge as part of Great Forest's sustainability services. Learn More. |
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Recycling in a Recession
Earlier this year, recycling markets took a tumble due to the recession. However, Great Forest has noticed that many business owners and building managers are continuing to recycle. This is the smart thing to do. Rather than scaling back in this economic downturn, businesses nationwide should expand their recycling programs and make it even more effective. Here's why:
1) Bottom line, recycling is still the most cost effective way to get rid of trash. While recycling fees have increased from zero up to $40 per ton for paper recycling over the past few months, it is still cheaper than paying for waste hauling, which runs at about $90 per ton. Besides, waste ends up in a landfill.
2) Having a good recycling program means less money spent on penalties. In this tight market, many recycling companies are becoming increasingly picky about what they take in. They may turn away recycling that has not been properly sorted, or charge a contamination fee. To avoid this, businesses should make sure their recycling program works well, and that everyone is aware of how to recycle.
3) Rolling back on any recycling program means that businesses would have to spend time and money re-educating their employees or building tenants about the practice again when the markets pick up. Rolling back would also mean rolling back on all the investment and progress made since many of the nation's recycling laws were implemented in the 1990s. Today, we recycle 32% of our waste, a rate that has almost doubled during the past 15 years*. It is estimated that U.S. businesses use about 21 million tons of paper every year and trash enough of it to build a 12-foot wall from Los Angeles to New York City**. We cannot afford to recycle less.
4) Finally, we don't want to run afoul of the law. Many cities and counties require that all commercial enterprises recycle. Cutting back may leave a company susceptible to fines.
Bottom line, recycling is the most cost effective way to manage waste, even in these depressed times. So go ahead and spread the word, recycling is alive and well and here to stay, even in this economy.
*Source: State of Garbage Report, Bio Cycle Magazine, EPA, Aluminum Association, Can Manufacturers Institute and Resource Recycling Magazine.
** Source: Clean Air Council
Note: Less recycling means more waste and potentially more pollution. Learn about the effects of toxic pollution at www.blacksmithinstitute.org
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Earth Day Events 2009
 This Earth Day, Great Forest staff took the green message out on the road, offering educational displays and presentations to clients and building tenants, and even taking a group of high school students on a green tour. See photo highlights. |
20 Years of Sustainability
Thank you from Great Forest
 I can't believe it's been 20 years since Great Forest started. Thank you for being our partners in sustainability, for working with us when green wasn't yet fashionable, and for being part of a revolution in business that continues to amaze me. When Great Forest started, the term sustainability did not really exist; buildings were green because of paint, not performance; recycling was almost unknown, and energy efficiency was barely mentioned My how things have changed!! Great Forest has been a key part of this pioneering push to green America. * To date, Great Forest has worked with more than half of all commercial office space and hotels in Manhattan and over 1,500 buildings across the country, covering approximately 350 million square feet.
* So far, we are responsible for up to two-thirds of commercial recycling in NYC, with as much as 50,000 tons of material diverted from landfills each day.
* For LEED and ISO 14001 work, we consider ourselves a leading agency in the region, and our energy services span hundreds of clients. Beyond our NYC home, Great Forest is now in Westchester, Rockland County, Connecticut, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago. We couldn't have done it without you. Here's looking forward to another great 20 years ahead with you. Richard Fuller President, CEO, Great Forest Click Here For A Great Forest Green Timeline | |
