Of course, the solutions needed to achieve these ends require extra work, but
in the end, considering their importance, they are well worth the effort.
Providing convenient recycling bins near trash cans makes it easier for
employees to recycle rather than simply trash their waste. Special recycling
areas for office recyclables, such as printer cartridges can also be put in place.Reducing travel...................................................................................
One way for CIOs to help green their companies is to reduce corporate travel
by investing in state-of-the-art teleconference solutions, such as Cisco’s Tele-
Presence. Teleconferencing may not replace all meetings, but if new technolo-
gies can eliminate employee travel by just ten percent, the reduction in your
company’s budget, not to mention its carbon footprint, could be substantial.
Various CIOs have confirmed that the performance of their company’s sales
teams have risen after they deployed videoconferencing. Less travel equals
happier employees — another benefit.Getting LEED Certified .................................................................................
If you’re really serious about building green, you may want to consider pursu-
ing LEED certification. To achieve LEED certification, your construction pro-
ject must satisfy specific green criteria, which varies according to one of six
credit categories. These include Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy198 Part III: Going Green
Sick building syndrome
Approximately 23 percent of office workers in the
United States experience two or more sick build-
ing syndrome (SBS) symptoms a year, including
dizziness, nausea, and eye, nose, and throat irri-
tation. Since 2002, when the Indoor Environment
Department at the Lawrence Berkeley National
Laboratory in California conducted the study, that
percentage can only have risen. On a positive
note, however, the study also showed that the
improved air quality that comes from designing,cleaning, and building green lowers SBS symp-
toms by 20 percent to 50 percent! Working in
green facilities can also reduce allergies and
asthma by as much as 25 percent, and employ-
ees can be spared outbreaks of the cold and flu
by 9 percent to 20 percent. Healthy productive
employees, lowered healthcare costs: The ben-
efits just keep accruing. It’s something to think
about before that dreaded congestion in your
head makes clear thinking a distant memory.