Tag Archives: greenwashing

Being Green – Car Alarms…

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Hi Folks:

Friday has wound its way around once again, so it must be time for this week’s ‘Being Green‘ post.  Now, if you’ve been around for more than the past few decades you probably remember a time before car alarms were invented.  While these alarms have gotten a lot more sophisticated since they were first invented, what most people associate with them is the screeching siren that accompanies them.  When these alarms first came out people were generally appreciative of them, but that transitioned to annoyance, and now, for the most part, people ignore them.  One poll in England found that car alarms are the ‘most irritating piece of technology ever invented‘.  When a car alarm goes off today, most passersby won’t even bother to lift their gaze from their smart phones. Continue Reading →

Being Green… but is it fun?

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Hi Folks:

Friday once again, and that means it’s ‘Being Green‘ day here on our little corner of the web.  BTW, if you’re looking for one of my ‘Being Green’ posts you can reach them all from this link: http://bit.ly/beinggreen.  It’s a lot easier to remember.

If you’ve read our other posts for this past week you’ll know that Marcia and I are putting the finishing touches on her book of poetry before sending it off to the publisher, and that’s been taking up most of our attention.  I’ve been helping out with cover design, editing and technical support.  It also means this might be a little shorter than usual.  Or not.

So.  Yesterday I was reading the June 2010 “Responsible Travel Report” from Sustainable Travel International, and the opening paragraph contained, “You shop for food, clothes, cars, energy, and maybe even your job with a conscience, but how about your travel? If you’re planning summer travel, how does sustainability factor in to your booking decisions?”  That got me thinking of a couple of things.  For one, green travel is certainly as important as green building or any other issue regarding green living.  As with green building there are standards and certifications for green travel, such as the “Green” Hotels Association, or the Green Key Eco-Rating Program.  The American Hotels and Lodging Association also has its own ‘Green Resource Center‘, although these are ideas for ‘best practices’ and not covered under certification.  Every hotel or other lodging must be built of something, and so the rules for green building apply here as well, and some have done much to curb their waste stream and both water and energy use.  Should one provide individual (branded) soaps and cosmetics in the guest rooms for guests to take with them, or is better to buy in bulk and use dispensers instead?  Hand dryers or paper towels?  There are both energy use and health issues to consider.  Cleaning products?  The list goes on and on and can effect every aspect of a hotel or resort’s operation.  Marcia and I both have experience with the hospitality industry, so we’ve looked at this from both sides of the proverbial coin. Continue Reading →