Green Tips from the NonProfit Center

Green Coffee for St. Patrick’s Day?

There’s no doubt about it, we love coffee – especially in the wake of celebrations like Saint Patrick’s Day. In 2009, an estimated 54% of adults in the United States drank coffee daily (National Coffee Association).

When it comes to coffee, what choices do we have for going green?

Shade Grown and Bird Friendly® Certified

The benefits of shade grown coffee depend on the level of shade provided and whether or not multiple species of shade trees are involved. Coffee plants grown under the cover of different varieties of shade trees can promote a more diverse ecosystem. Shade trees are preserved rather than harvested. This can counter devastating deforestation trends and the related loss of animal and plant species in many coffee-producing areas. In particular, shade grown coffee can support migratory bird populations, many of which are severely declining.

There are many production standards that are labeled “shade grown” and as of yet, there is no one independent agency that provides certification. However, the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center has established a “Bird Friendly”® certification that encompasses aggressive standards for shade grown coffee and the conservation of migratory birds.

Fair Trade

Coffee production is an intensive agricultural operation. Fair Trade certification signifies multiple standards for coffee roasters, importers and producers, ensuring that community-oriented practices are used throughout production. Among the many agreements involved in Fair Trade, a guaranteed floor price for coffee is set and access to affordable credit is provided. Together these Fair Trade standards enable an investment in coffee production techniques for labor, the environment and our greater community. An estimated 85% of Fair Trade coffee is shade grown and organic (Global Exchange).

Organic

The Organic Trade Association promotes the use of organic coffee, coffee that has been certified for adherence to strict standards that include soil health, production, pest and weed management, harvest and more. No synthetic chemical pesticides or herbicides are used throughout production.

Among many environmental benefits, organic production promotes soil health, reduces waste water pollution and supports diverse plant and animal species by preserving natural ecosystems.

For more information:
Birds & Beans: shade grown, Fair Trade, organic coffee that is Bird Friendly® certified
TransFair USA: Fair Trade certification
The Organic Coffee Collaboration

Choosing the Green Fork in the Road

While it is important to use plates and utensils that can be washed and reused repeatedly as part of your personal environmental strategy, using non-disposable items isn’t always possible for employee or community events. The same is true for home-based parties, celebrations and other gatherings, especially those with large numbers of people in remote locations.

Sometimes environmentalism involves making better choices given the outcomes needed. When it's necessary to use disposable food service items, you can still choose to reduce your environmental impacts. Many products are now available with recycled content and/or biodegradable materials.

For example, compostable utensils look similar to their plastic cousins but eventually breakdown during the disposal cycle. In Third Sector New England’s offices, when we first used cornstarch based forks, spoons and knives, they were not as heat-resistant as needed for hot drinks and foods. However, these utensils have been recently redesigned to be sturdier and stronger. Furthermore, the new packaging is biodegradable. And new products are available as well – even biocompostible condiment cups and bowls.

So, have fun at your next baby shower, birthday party or other soiree. And consider the options for food service items that you will use. If disposables are necessary, choose to use items with lower environmental impacts. This way, we can all have fun for generations to come.

Learn more about buying biodegradable and/or compostable cups, bowls, utensils, plates and more at:

• EcoWise
• Biocorp
• Biodegradable Store

Resolutions for 2010

Whether you are learning to speak conversational Mandarin, losing ten pounds or competing in your first marathon, congratulations on setting such admirable resolutions for the coming year. Consider complementing these ambitious goals with a few simple, everyday changes at work and home that can lead to large environmental impact.

Drink tap water.

Over 20% of all bottled water tested indicated chemical contaminants above state health limits; 17 million barrels of oil, enough to fuel 1 million cars for a year, are used to produce a year’s supply of water bottles; and, only one in five plastic water bottles are recycled. The list of environmental and health impacts goes on from there.

Reduce, Recycle, Reuse and Compost.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, an estimated 23% of the total waste stream heading to our landfills and incinerators is comprised of food and yard waste. This large percentage includes materials that can be easily composted and converted from waste into soil. Many composting systems are readily available and can be customized to suit your indoor and outdoor composting needs.

Paper or plastic? Neither.

Reduce your use of disposable bags altogether by using bags you already have. If you need to purchase a reusable bag, consider buying one from a local environmental organization and supporting their mission in the process.

Numerous environmental organizations sell reusable bags. One example is Boston-based, environmental justice organization ACE, which provides great reusable bags for sale and as a perk for membership.

Use less office paper.

Before you print or copy, take a breath and consider whether the page is really necessary. If it is, take a second breath and set your equipment standards to create double-sided documents. When creating a single sided document, re-use the backside of others. (Ideas for reducing office paper use: “Copy Paper’s Hidden Costs, Real Opportunities")

Install a programmable thermostat.

16% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions are generated from the energy used in houses nationwide. Make use of your home’s heat and air conditioning more efficiently by setting the thermostat to match home occupancy and useage. Programmable thermostats make the settings automatic and consistent.

EnergySTAR provides great information about programmable thermostats along with a sample schedule for thermostat settings .

Reduce meat consumption.

The average American eats over 200 pounds of meat each year. “If every person in the United States cut meat out of their diet for just one day it would save… nearly two million pounds of CO₂-equivalent emissions,” says Sharanya Prasad, program officer for World Society for the Protection of Animals. Cut meat to cut green house gas emissions and a host of other environmental and community impacts. 

Celebrating a Humane Thanksgiving

Did you know that the United States is by far the largest producer and consumer of turkey in the world? Approximately 250 million turkeys were raised this year. In November, we’re really “talking turkey,” because for the majority of U.S. households Thanksgiving just isn’t Thanksgiving without a turkey feast.

This heightened meat consumption impacts human health, the environment and certainly the turkeys. Understanding this, the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) provides important information and resources to help Thanksgiving celebrants make better choices and enjoy humane holidays whether eating at home or dining out.

Reduce Intake to Reduce Impact

The most obvious strategy is to reduce meat intake during holiday celebrations.

“If every person in the U.S. cut meat out of their diet for just one day it would save over 200,000 tons of food and nearly two million tons of CO₂-equivalent emissions,” explains Sharanya Prasad, program officer for WSPA. “That amount could feed an estimated two million people in need. By choosing humane labels, reducing meat in your diet and minimizing meat products in your side dishes, you can curb your carbon footprint and have something to truly be thankful for.”

Check for the Best Options

If you are planning meals that include animal products, there are other important steps to take.

The first is to choose animal products with a humane certification. While terms are not straightforward, you can find humanely produced food with a bit of extra effort on your part. For example, pasture raised, USDA Organic, and Animal Welfare Approved indicate different very different standards. WSPA provides easy-to-read descriptions of the numerous options along with rankings for which standards are a good start, which are even better and which make the best options.

WSPA also provides a comprehensive database at eathumane.org that allows users to select the name of their local grocery store and search for specific brands of eggs, dairy and meat products with humane labels and certifications.

When You’re Dining Out

Recognizing that many families eat out for holiday celebrations, WSPA is supplementing these resources by providing a new database to help users find restaurants that that offer humane food options. Data is available for 15 U.S. cities and includes over 150 restaurants.

Using these strategies and resources, we can all make better choices to celebrate a more humane and environmental Thanksgiving.

Greening Your Halloween
(October 2009)

Ask about Halloween and people mention candy, costumes, jack-o-lanterns and haunted houses; environmentalism and human rights are not the first things to come to mind. But here are interesting data to consider: last year Halloween celebrants spent an average of $66.54 each on costumes, candy, decorations and greeting cards. With over 60% of all consumers celebrating the holiday, total spending for Halloween was estimated at a staggering $5.77 billion. That’s a lot of consumption going on.

There are many strategies for making better choices when it comes to Halloween. For example:

• Homemade costumes can be created using recycled and recyclable materials
• Non-candy treats are available with reduced packaging
• Local, organic pumpkins are great for jack-o-lanterns
• Walking, biking or using public transit to access trick-or-treating destinations reduces pollution associated with driving while building community

Or change Halloween customs entirely by Reverse Trick or Treating. Reverse Trick-or-Treaters provide—not take, but provide—neighbors with vegan, fair trade, dark chocolate along with information about cocoa production. Participants in this free program support Global Exchange’s Fair Trade Cocoa Campaign and increase awareness of fair labor practices, fair trade and environmental management.

Whether through more thoughtful purchases or the development of entirely new traditions, Halloween participants have plenty of opportunities to continue the celebration with updated practices that better support our community and environment.

Each person in the United States consumed an average of over 23 pounds of candy last year and despite challenging economic times, the Confectioners Association reported that overall Halloween candy sales grew slightly at a 0.3% rate.

Sources for more information:

http://www.greenhalloween.org/ - great suggestions for how to get started, healthy alternatives for treats, plus a marketplace
http://www.grist.org/article/sustaina-boo/ - top tips for greening your Halloween experience
http://www.robinsfyi.com/holidays/halloween/costumes.htm  - homemade Halloween costume ideas that re-use materials

September 2009

We often think that our online activity is completely green. But according to a July 13, 2009, article on CNN.com, 20 milligrams of carbon emissions are generated for every two words your constituents read on your nonprofit’s website. Given that stunning fact, we suggest some tips to help you “green” the experience a website user has each time he or she comes to your organization’s site. These tips will also help you become a green superhero, so you can ensure that your online tools are always used for good – not evil.  

• Disable the “print this page” button on pages that don’t need to be printed, so you won’t tempt users to waste paper. Only place the button on pages like directions and event time/place notices.
• Include language in your emails to discourage people from printing them. Some TSNE staff have included language asking people to “please consider the environment before printing this email” at the bottom of all outgoing messages.
• Use a link to Google or other online map system that allows the user to zoom in to their preferred level and print a printer-specific screen rather than a map that may waste several pages of surrounding text.
• Set up computers so that faxes go to a staff member’s email addresses and not to the fax machine for printing.
• Equip your computers with surge protectors of reasonable capacity. The bigger the surge protector the more energy it consumes.
• While the online carbon footprint may be more substantial than we think, you can use web conferencing, often free or very low-cost for nonprofits (Yugma or ReadyTalk are options), to offset the multiple carbon footprints of in-person meetings and conferences.
• Encourage telecommuting, and save all of the energy used by a commute, by making it easy for staff to parachute into your local area network from home.