With the global green movement converting people left and right, large corporate companies are finding that eco-friendly operations can co-exist with business growth. It may be a nudge from the media, or the need to please popular demands, either way this is great news in the corporate world; especially since some major companies have been ridiculed in the past for dumping waste and using not so friendly tactics. Here are how some corporate companies are going green.

Bank of America: This banking company reduced their paper usage by about 32% from the year 2000 through 2005. This was done even though they experienced a 24% growth in customers. The company works hard to be green as they run an internal recycling program that recycles about 30,000 tons of paper a year which saves about 200,000 of our earth’s trees. They also reward their employees with a $3,000 bonus if they purchase a hybrid vehicle.

General Electric: Since 2006, General Electric has sold about $12 billion of its Ecomagination products to the general public. This includes solar panels and LED lighting options. To apologize for polluting the Hudson River with polychlorinated biphenyls, this corporate company is also setting up rigorous cleanup operations in that area as we speak.

McDonalds: The increasing public shift in environmental friendliness definitely pushed this popular fast-food chain to go green. Instead of rummaging through natural habitats of animals, Mickey D’s is now working closely with PETA to develop more humane and environmentally friendly practices.

Anheuser-Busch- Budweiser: This top selling beer company has decided to trim about an eighth of an inch from each beer can to save about 21 million pounds of metal per year. The best thing about this product transformation is that it does not reduce the amount of beer per can by any means.

Starbucks Coffee: This popular coffee company decided to switch to recycled paper for its coffee cup sleeves which saves about 78,000 trees in one year.

Walmart: This nationally recognized store has just released its long-term plan to operate green. They have stated that they will begin to power each and every Walmart store using 100% renewable energy sources.

Dell: While computer equipment has always been one of the most difficult and costliest products to dispose of safely, Dell has come up with a way to make this task less difficult. Through the “no computer should go to waste” recycling initiative, Dell allows each customer to return any of their brands products to the company for free. That way the company can work to dispose of each computer safely.

Other corporate companies that are going green include Toyota, Target, Honda, Continental Airlines, Hewlett-Packard, Dupont, Home Depot, and many, many more. As you can see, every niche market can go green. From hid conversion kit to LED headlights, car makers all over the world are beginning to release environmentally friendly cars more and more in recent years. If you want to help as a consumer buy a hybrid and do our earth proud.

Author: Autumn L Rose
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Protecting the environment is an international concern. Driven by the power of the Internet and the world media, it’s not just about “green”, “organic” or the environment anymore. Today, it all connects with “fair trade”, “sweatshop free”, “positive or sustainable lifestyles” and “…positive political and social movement…”. Nonprofit organizations like Green America have even established screening and approval processes for green companies to assure consumers of “… social justice and environmental sustainability”.

However, despite the current green movement’s clamor for social justice and passion for a better quality of life, green is still rooted with typical consumers. Without their sincere concern and continuing commitment to keeping our environment healthy and clean, the new green ethical considerations would not have evolved. Consumers continue to buy a wide range of products that are available in eco-friendly alternatives including toys, food products, bedding and clothing.

The multi-billion dollar clothing industry is still one of the green pioneers. They have produced eco-fashion styles made from organic agriculture such as cotton, hemp, silk and bamboo. Many of these apparel companies have now connected social justice with protecting the environment. They are also committing to charitable giving and community involvement. Some apparel companies have actually translated the current rage for social justice and positive life styles into new components on their clothing. These special features on their brand of apparel reflect their company’s commitment to social justice and a better quality of life.

The Baltimore Sun, in its Sunday Supplement “Green: Your Lifestyle. Our World” (April 20, 2008), included a number of articles on companies producing green products. They understand all too well that their readership is looking for ways to become more socially responsible while maintaining a comfortable lifestyle. Consequently, buying apparel solely based on the fact that cotton, bamboo, hemp or silk fabrics are organically grown is simply not enough. Elimination of toxic pesticides and the use of natural fertilizers in organic farming is certainly essential and commendable. But the consumer needs to insure that the dyes used to create color or print on organic apparel are also non-toxic or eco-friendly. Although more expensive, many Green America Companies, go well beyond minimum requirements by using eco-friendly dyes, thus producing a safer and better organic product to protect you and planet Earth.

Bob Folkart is Vice-President of Live Life Organics, a company devoted to encouraging the living of a passionate life through environmental awareness. Live Life Organics has created a range of organic clothing containing positive inspirational messages, that does not use toxic dyes, and includes a plantable hang tag that grows wild flowers. To view these organic products, go to http://www.livelifeorganics.com.

Author: Bob Folkart
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Demand for environmentally friendly buildings has grown considerably in recent years, and Realtors are making a lot of money helping investors buy and sell them. As this market grows, it’s up to savvy agents to follow new green technology, and the changing interests of buyers. Government green building incentives and international treaties are also a big factor, and agents who know what policies are next can often anticipate demand.

Part of the reason green buildings took so long to attract demand was the lack of knowledge on the subject. Many developers assumed building costs would be inaccesibly high because of standards that had to be met, and materials required. But in recent years the opposite has happened – buyer awareness has helped expand the market, and many developers have found green buildings to be much less expensive than they assumed. As green buildings become more common, construction materials, such as insulative glass, and public information, have increased dramatically.

Realtors looking for the latest information and industry perspective on green buildings can attend now attend regular conferences on the subject, which are among the most popular events in the real estate industry these days. The most common theme at these events is how to stay ahead of the curve, and ensure green developments don’t go out of date as new technologies emerge.

Green buildings are also having an impact on the buy-sell cycle of many real estate markets, because their owners act differently than other buyers and sellers. Many green building owners and renters keep their homes for longer before selling them, a trend running counter to the common practice of buying and flipping in many high-end markets. With sustainable value comes higher overall prices, and the demand for better construction and longer lasting buildings.

The benefits of environmentally friendly construction are now well known: these buildings have a smaller demand on power and plumbing, resources resulting in fewer greenhouse gases and less resource extraction, heating and cooling cost savings, and more comfortable living spaces. They’re also generally more attractive and complementary to the cityscape.

Realtors who understand the benefits green construction, and know how to talk about it with buyers and sellers, will profit considerably as demand for these buildings increases. Now’s the time to learn all you can about this exciting new home market.

Rick & Jennifer LeForce are green building experts, and top Peoria Arizona real estate professionals. Visit their website for local information, a Peoria real estate area home search, and buyer and seller resources.

Author: Rick LeForce
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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