Getting Started

Usually the chief executive or upper management in the front office decides that it’s a priority to green the office because either a) it’s the law, b) it’s consistent with the policy position of the elected head of the agency or executive, c) it’s consistent with the direction of litigation, or d) it’s the smart thing to do. There are a hundred good reasons, and if you want to ramp up your knowledge of the big picture, check out the Planet Green pages on the Discovery Channel’s website for the global-to-personal reasons http://planetgreen.discovery.com/go-green/ultimate-go-green/, or pick up a book on the subject. One of my current favorites is Green Your Work—Boost Your Bottom Line While Reducing Your Carbon Footprint, by Kim Carlson.

The clock starts to tick once the executive decision’s been made, the direction to green the office has been issued, and you’ve been given the assignment to make it happen. If you’ve been assigned the task of greening your office, the good news is you’ve already got the support of upper management. Sometimes, this can be the toughest task. Without the support of the chief executive, greening is going to rise and fall on an all volunteer army which will justifiably wonder at some point, “how can we get X to happen if this effort isn’t on the radar screen of top management?”  And without someone in charge, well, we all know what can go wrong when there’s a leadership vacuum or no one is in a position to carry forward recommendations and execute the decisions. So here you are, the chief’s behind you and you’re in charge. Now what do you do? How do you take the general charge to green your operation and shape it into a plan of action?