GF logo grab
November 2013
Tis
Tis the Season to Compost? Read our Guide

Photo credit: Niall Kennedy

This month, Environmental Leader featured timely advice from Great Forest about composting for businesses and organizations. With Thanksgiving and the holiday season upon us, the amount of food waste generated is expected increase dramatically. 

 

Since 30% of waste generated in the U.S. is made up of organic and food waste, composting may be one of the few ways left to improve corporate sustainability goals or to achieve zero-waste ambitions. Done right, composting may continue to reap benefits for your organization long after the holidays are over.

 

But is your organization a good candidate for composting?  How much will it cost? Here is a quick guide to composting to help you decide.

 

Another great idea? Donate! 

 

Find a local food bank, connect with organizations like Food Donation Connection, which works with the restaurant industry to donate surplus food, or New York's City Harvest, which accepts donations of prepared food. 

 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Recycled
"Recycled" Bird Takes Off At America Recycles Day 

 

Great Forest hosted a series of events at office buildings across the country on America Recycles Day to promote recycling. 

 

There were games, giveaways, "Lunch and Learn" lectures, and even a magnificent six-foot-tall bird created out of recyclable materials!

 

"We wanted to draw attention to the fact that everything we used to create the bird can and should be recycled," says Great Forest consultant Sandra Robishaw, who also happens to be an artist. 

 

The bird was created out of different types of materials that usually end up in the trash instead of the recycling bin. Can you spot what the bird is made up of?  >>Read more, see more photos
SolarSolar Power for Everyone?
 
Three-year-old Henry Shales, visiting from New York, takes a close look at a solar panel on display at the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2011 in Washington, D.C., Saturday, Oct. 01, 2011. (Credit: Stefano Paltera/U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon)
Have you thought of switching to solar power? Great Forest recently obtained a quote for our headquarters (a five-storey brownstone) in New York City that shows a payback in less than five years with solar providing 81% of our building's electricity needs. We are moving ahead with plans to adopt solar and we recommend that you consider it too.
 
Now that the cost of solar panels have decreased by as much as 80% since 2008, solar energy is now affordable and within reach. Through its SunShot initiative, the U.S. Department of Energy hopes to drive down the cost of solar electricity to $0.06 per kilowatt-hour. 
 
Does
The Link Between Selfishness, Happiness, and Being Green
 
At Great Forest, we are always interested in what motivates green behavior. So when we found out that our very own Kevin McNab completed his Masters thesis paper last year on the relationship between environmentally responsible behavior (ERB) and subjective well-being (SWB), we asked him to summarize his findings for us. 
 
His research, which included a survey of nearly 1,000 students, offers some practical insights that we can all use. Among them, a possible relationship between environmentally responsible behavior and happiness!  >>Read Kevin's summary here.
QandAQ&A: What is the most critical driver of sustainability within a business?
Source: Economist Intelligence Unit for Coca-Cola Enterprises
 
A new report answers that question, and more. According to Sustainability Insights: Learning From Business Leaders, some 44 percent of companies say engagement with business leadership is the most important factor in successfully implementing a sustainability strategy. A top-down approach, however, won't work unless the business community puts sustainability at the heart of its operations. >>Read more
Great Forest Inc.
212.779.4757
2014 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10035

A pioneer in the industry with over 20 years of experience, Great Forest is one of the leading sustainability consultancies in the country. We improve environmental performance and reduce costs for clients nationwide ranging from Fortune 500 corporations to property management companies, hotels, retailers, financial and educational institutions, and municipalities. 
STAY CONNECTED

Like us on Facebook   Follow us on Twitter