Go Green : Green FAQ's

What is BPA and how can one avoid it?

Can we ever replace plastic?

How Can I 'Go Green' at Work?

What is BPA and how can one avoid it?

Bisphenol A (also known as BPA) is a chemical that has been in use for upwards of four decades in the manufacture of many hard plastic food containers, including baby bottles and reusable cups and the lining of metal food and beverage cans. Trace amounts of BPA can be found in some foods packaged in these containers.

Growing amount of scientific research has linked BPA exposure to altered development of the brain and behavioral changes, a predisposition to prostate and breast cancer, reproductive harm, diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease. More than 93 percent of Americans have some BPA in their bodies, primarily from exposure through food contamination and other preventable contact!

The plastic items most likely to contain are made of either polyvinyl chloride (PVC, or plastic #3) or from mixed plastic sources, otherwise known in the recycling industry as "other" or plastic #7. PVC plastics-also notorious for leaching toxic phthalates that have been linked to human reproductive and developmental problems-are found in a wide range of products, from shampoo and salad dressing containers to shower curtains and kids' toys. Those once-ubiquitous polycarbonate unbreakable baby and water bottles reputed to leach BPA are also a #7 plastic, though #7 is a catch-all for otherwise unidentified or mixed plastics; as such, not all #7 plastic will contain BPA.

As for other disposable and non-disposable household items, if you can locate a recycling number and you find a #1 (polyethylene, PET or PETE), #2 (high density polyethylene), #4 (low density polyethylene) or #5 (polypropylene) or #6 (polystyrene), the item should be free of BPA.

Can we ever replace plastic?

Our lives are molded, packaged and sealed in plastic dependency. Look around you at your computers, phones, water bottles and credit cards. Plastic components pepper everything from our automobiles to our surgical implants. Our children play with plastic toys while we rip the cellophane wrappers off our prepackaged dinners.

The downsides to plastic are certainly no secret. For starters, it's often a nonbiodegradable, petroleum-derived product. Factor in toxins, wildlife endangerment and difficult recycling, and the plastic industry has quite a public relations problem on its hands. But that's only half the story.

As much as the sight of plastic-littered landscapes and debris-strewn highways depress us, plastic is still a highly attractive material. Plastic manufacturing only takes up 5 percent of the world's oil supplies and, in doing so, provides us with an exhaustive supply of material. The ubiquitous substance allows for superior food storage and lighter packaging materials for cheaper transportation. Plastic infiltrates every aspect of our lives for good reason.

So what's a plastic-addicted civilization to do? A return to reliance on aluminum and glass may seem attractive, but these materials aren't as cheap, versatile or durable as plastic. Likewise, paper and cardboard also present problems. Grocery store paper bags, for instance signify the end of a long supply chain that typically entails clear-cutting, motorized log removal, motorized processing, chemical treatment and product transport.

Plastics first hit the scene in the second half of the 19th century and eventually became a top manufacturing material. What will the next great human manufacturing material be? Interestingly enough, the answer is more plastic. Combustible, nonpetroleum plastics will likely become more and more common as researchers continue to find ways of creating polymers from such organic sources as corn, orange peels, bamboo, papermaking byproducts and hemp.

While bioplastics will eventually provide a clean, recyclable, nontoxic alternative, energy and environmental analyst Christopher Flavin, author of "The Future of Synthetic Materials" insists that oil-based plastics aren't going anywhere just yet. He predicts that the next 20 years will see bioplastics absorb a mere 5 percent of the global plastic market.

In the meantime, however, people around the globe can stand to greatly decrease their dependence on plastic -- especially disposable plastics that wind up glutting our landfills, littering our landscape and harming wildlife.

According to 2007 estimates, most plastic bags are only used an average of 12 minutes and then discarded. Consider that the world uses a staggering 1 million bags a minute and you begin to see how big the problem is. Various cities and even whole countries have taken steps to cut down or eliminate plastic bag usage, but even that can't turn back the clock. As each bag takes centuries to break down, the problem will long outlive the groceries they once held -- as well as the humans who filled them.

How Can I 'Go Green' at Work?

A greener workplace can mean a lighter ecological footprint, a healthier and more productive place to work, and good news for the bottom line. Here are some practical eco-ideas to implement at work:
1.	Optimise your electricity needs.
	Artificial lighting accounts for 44 percent of the electricity use in office buildings. The simple act of moving your desk towards a window helps cut down electricity use, saving money and the environment. Make it a habit to turn off the lights when you’re leaving any room for 15 minutes or more and utilize natural light when you can. Make it a policy to buy Energy Star–rated light bulbs and fixtures, which use at least twothirds less energy than regular lighting, and install timers or motion sensors that automatically shut off lights when they’re not needed. One 100 watt light bulb left on for one hour every day consumes 36.5 kilowatt hours of energy per year. Multiply that by the millions of lights left on every day, and it’s obvious that a simple way to reduce energy dependency is to simply turn lights off when they are not needed!

2	Maximize computer efficiency
	Computers in the business sector unnecessarily waste $ billion worth of electricity a year. Make it a habit to turn off your computer and the power strip it’s plugged into when you leave for the day. Otherwise, you’re still burning energy for nothing. During the day, setting your computer to go to sleep automatically during short breaks can cut energy use by 70 percent. Remember, screen savers don’t save energy. Make it a policy to invest in energy–saving computers, monitors, and printers and make sure that old equipment is properly recycled. Look for a recycler that has pledged not to export hazardous e–waste and to follow other safety guidelines. Old computers that still work, and are less than five years old, can be donated to organsations that will refurbish them and find them new homes.

3	Print smarter
	The average office worker goes through 10,000 sheets of copy paper a year. Make it a habit to print on both sides or use the back side of old documents for faxes, scrap paper, or drafts. Avoid color printing and print in draft mode whenever feasible. Make it a policy to buy chlorine–free paper with a higher percentage of post-consumer recycled content. Also consider switching to a lighter stock of paper or alternatives made from bamboo, hemp, organic cotton, or kenaf. Recycle toner and ink cartridges and buy remanufactured ones.

4	Go paperless when possible
	Make it a habit to think before you print. Could this be read or stored online instead? When you receive unwanted catalogs, newsletters, magazines, or junk mail, request to be removed from the mailing list before you recycle the item. Make it a policy to post employee manuals and similar materials online, rather than distribute print copies. They’re easier to update that way too.

5	Ramp up your recycling
	Make it a habit to recycle everything your company collects. Just about any kind of paper you would encounter in an office, including fax paper, envelopes, and junk mail, can be recycled. So can your old cell phone, PDA, or pager. Make it a policy to place recycling bins in accessible, high–traffic areas and provide clear information about what can and cannot be recycled.

6	Develop a ‘green purchasing’ policy
	Make it a policy to purchase office supplies and furniture made from recycled materials.

7	Watch what you eat
	Make it a habit to bring your own mug and dishware for those meals you eat at the office. Make it a policy to provide reusable dishes, silverware, and glasses. Switch to Fair Trade and organic coffee and tea, and buy as much organic and local food as possible for parties and other events. Provide filtered drinking water to reduce bottled–water waste.

8	Rethink your travel
	Make it a habit to take the train, bus, or metro when feasible instead of a rental car when traveling on business. If you have to rent a car, some rental agencies now offer hybrids and other high–mileage vehicles. Make it a policy to invest in video conferencing and other technological solutions that can reduce the amount of employee travel.

9	Reconsider your commute
	Make it a habit to carpool, bike, or take transit to work, and/or telecommute when possible. If you need to drive occasionally, consider joining a car-sharing service like instead of owning your own wheels. Make it a policy to encourage telecommuting (nice perk that’s also good for the planet!) and make it easy for employees to take alternative modes of transportation by subsidizing commuter checks, offering bike parking, or organizing a carpool board.

10	Create a healthy office environment
	Make it a habit to use nontoxic cleaning products. Brighten up your cubicle with plants, which absorb indoor pollution. Make it a policy to buy furniture, carpeting, and paint that are free of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and won’t off–gas toxic chemicals. Modular components form the core of an environmentally efficient office design. Buying modular furniture helps you mix, match and grow without the need to reinvest in an entirely new look simplifying future purchasing decisions and reducing waste.

If more people “Go for the Green Option” in their daily work life, the positive benefits will multiply. Start by making more personal decisions with the environment in mind. Then help increase awareness by spreading the word to your colleagues, teams, bosses, suppliers and customers. It all adds up!