Take The "Earth Day Challenge"

MINNEAPOLIS, April 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- In honor of Earth Day (April 22), property management company Cities Management (www.citiesmanagement.com) and environmental think-tank Dovetail Partners (www.dovetailinc.org) developed 10 Simple Steps that any sized business can take to operate more sustainably.

This Earth Day, they are challenging all Minnesota businesses to do at least one of these:

1. PLANT SOME GREEN:  Something as simple as plants in the office can add color and life to a room, while also cleaning the air.
2. SET UP A RECYCLING CENTER: Convenience is key. Place paper recycling receptacles at every desk, and provide centralized recycling in copy areas, mailrooms, near vending machines and lunchrooms.
3. DO MORE VIRTUAL TRAVEL: Make greater use of teleconferencing to reduce long-distance travel. Even trips of just a few hundred miles can result in hundreds of pounds of emissions.
4. STOP PHANTOM POWER LOSS: Computers left on overnight waste up to $100/year in electricity. Use power strips, so employees easily turn off all equipment with one button. Anything with a power light on is using energy, even when it is not being used.
5. CHOOSE GREEN OFFICE SUPPLIES: Look for materials with recycled content, rechargeable batteries and products that are made without polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastics. Replace styrofoam or plastic cups in the break room with paper or reusable glass mugs.
6. GO "GREEN" WHEN YOU CLEAN: Environmentally-safe cleaning products are widely available. Copy machines also impact indoor air quality, so place an air purifier in the copy room.
7. MAKE CONSERVATION A PRIORITY: On average, one employee uses $300 in annual office supplies. Reduce environmental impact and cost through duplexing, centralizing office supply storage, and buying only what you need. Develop a company-wide conservation policy.
8. USE BODY LANGUAGE: Reduce energy use and water consumption by installing motion-activated controls on lights and water faucets.
9. JOIN THE FUN: Look for volunteer opportunities where employees can be part of a community event around Earth Day. Or, start your own Earth Day Celebration!
10. ASSIGN A "GREEN GURU": Give an employee responsibility for researching and recommending new initiatives for your workplace, whether it's joining a car pooling program or choosing energy-efficient office equipment.  

For More Information
Visit Cities Management (www.citiesmanagement.com) and Dovetail Partners (www.dovetailinc.org)  online. 

Contacts:
Traci Lehman, 612-381-8619, [email protected] 
Kathryn Fernholz, 612-333-0403, [email protected]
Janine Hanson, 651-485-8782, [email protected]

SOURCE Cities Management