PixelMEDIA Inc.

Tom recently touched on the larger IT initiatives and green concepts we’re exploring, but we felt there were smaller things we could do as well. Led by our front-desk administrative assistant, Breanne, we’ve started to brainstorm actions we can take without large budgets or extensive building renovations. And our discussions have us thinking more about what motivates participation.

While some may act because they care about the environment and its future, others not motivated by the inconvenient truth alone tend to adopt environmentally-friendly options when they are easy and cost-effective. So beyond having our carbon footprint audited and virtualizing with VMWare, what are we exploring to encourage participation at PixelMEDIA?

• First we joined carbon rally where we can all take part in challenges like “Decup Your Decaf” to nix paper cups in the office, “Beverage Independence” to stop purchasing bottled drinks, and “Kick the Catalogs” to proactively remove ourselves from mailing lists. The site is easy and fun to use, providing new ideas and a running tally of our progress—over 750 lbs of CO2 reductions to date.

• Some days are so busy we’re lucky if we find time to eat, so its no wonder people sometimes chose their individual garbage can over a centrally-located recycling bin. By simply removing a few steps to the recycling bins and replacing individual waste cans with central ones, recycling became the easier option. It’s not quite asking people to live with their trash, but our cleaning crew reports a 40% reduction in waste as well as time and cost savings from not having to replace liners and empty waste baskets for 55 individuals.

• Closing the loop and purchasing recycled paper goods in the office also reduces our monthly purchasing costs. But from toilet paper and paper towels to furniture and automobiles, as individual consumers we seem to pay a higher short-term price for the greener option. Inspired by a slightly different Carrotmob concept, we’re just starting to discuss the idea of organizing employee purchases to take advantage of bulk discounts. We’re hoping a PixelMEDIA Co-op can make it more affordable to purchase sustainable products and services for use outside the office.

Where have you had success getting wider participation in your green efforts? If you have any ideas you’d like to share or know of resources that may help we’d like to hear about them. In the meantime, we’ll continue to focus on the small things we can do now while we explore the larger steps that will have the most impact.

Tags: eco-friendly, green, sustainable