Not-for-profit organizations are going green. Wikipedia describes it this way: Environmentally friendly, eco-friendly, and nature friendly are synonyms used to refer to goods and services considered to inflict minimal harm on the environment. Here are some tips on how not-for-profit organizations can be environmentally friendly.

1. Operate online

The easiest way to reduce waste and energy use is to operate virtually. This includes:

• Holding online/teleconference meetings
• Working from home
• Using electronic documents (agendas, minutes, evaluations, reports, etc.)
• Giving meeting delegates CDs, or better still, weblinks for voluminous documents

2. Buy green products

Create a policy that states that your organization will strive to buy products, equipment, services etc. that are environmentally friendly. Examples of eco-friendly purchasing policies include:

• Aim to buy more items that are bio-based, biodegradable, compostable, recyclable, repairable, reusable, low-polluting and energy- and water-efficient.
• Target products or services with a high recycled content, low toxicity, and low levels of volatile organic compounds – a class that includes chemicals with adverse health effects.
• Buy energy produced from environmentally friendly sources, such as wind and the sun. Create an evaluation matrix that those who purchase have to follow before proceeding. Where you need to use paper, buy eco-friendly paper. Where you need to buy plastic, buy eco-friendly plastic.

3. Go to green places

Many meeting facilities have retooled to be environment friendly. Click here to see a website that lists some and the aspects that allow them to be referenced as environmentally friendly.

Declare your event a “green” one. Celebrate your intentions.

4. Work with green people

Not the Martian variety, but build teams of people who are committed to your organization’s green values. Appoint a team of people to serve as your “Green Team”. Let them identify ways to be green and monitor compliance. Create a green culture and let members and customers know what it is you are committed to.

5. Reduce, reuse, recycle and compost

Ensure your office is an environmentally friendly one by providing opportunities for staff and visitors to apply environmental strategies. If your building doesn’t provide recycling services, arrange for someone to take recyclables and compostables where they will be dealt with and ensure this is part of that person’s job description and compensation package.

There is a public debate about how significant such small initiatives can be in the “big picture”. That acknowledged, by preaching your commitment to being an environmentally friendly organization, you will be spreading a good message to everyone who knows about you…and that certainly can’t hurt.

There’s an old Indian proverb about the earth: Let’s not leave it a mess for them.

Paulette in President of Solution Studio Inc., a consulting practice that serves the not-for-profit association community. Paulette co-authored two manuscripts on risk management & not-for-profit organizations and regularly conducts risk management, strategic planning and board development workshops. She can be reached at 1-877-787-7714 or Paulette@solutionstudioinc.com.