Tag: sustainability
Energy Star is an Easy Cool Choice for Conservation
In April, 2017, more than 1,000 US businesses urged the Trump administration to strengthen the federal Energy Star program, rather than eliminating it. For these businesses, including big names like Staples and Ingersoll Rand, the argument is an economic one. Every tax dollar invested in the Energy Star program saves $680 annually, which is a return any businessperson would appreciate.
Here at Cool Choices, we are also a strong proponent of Energy Star. While we appreciate the economics, we also have other importation reasons for supporting the program.
National Bike Month: The Benefits of Biking
May is National Bike Month! National Bike Month was established in 1956 by the League of American Bicyclists as a way to celebrate the many benefits of biking and to inspire more people to ride bikes.
The League of American Bicyclists believes that bicycling makes our nation healthier, economically stronger, environmentally cleaner, and more energy independent. Here’s a list of our top 5 benefits of biking and our top 5 fun biking ideas.
Beyond the Game: Making Daily Sustainable Habits a Way of Life
To highlight the cool things our alums do after taking part in the Cool Choices online sustainability program, we love to share stories from past participants. Our alumni always impress us by taking sustainable practices to the next level. Sara inspired us with her desire to make small, daily sustainable habits a way of life.
An Integral Corporate Sustainability Model for Employee Engagement
Sustainability Managers and other organizational leaders face many challenges when it comes to prioritizing their sustainability initiatives. From energy and waste focus areas to product procurement and resources, it is also important to integrate employee engagement into your sustainability action plan. By leveraging employee engagement, leads can accelerate sustainability efforts, while achieving deeper impacts on cost and waste.
The History of Earth Day
How did Earth Day get started? Let’s take a look at the origins of this widely-celebrated day of action as well as its role in efforts to preserve the Earth’s natural resources and to protect public health.
A Week’s Worth of Sustainable Living Ideas
Are you looking to be a little more sustainable in your daily life? We have seven sustainable living ideas that you can get started on today!
Leveraging Social Norms to Achieve Sustainability Objectives
As human beings, we are surrounded by social norms – interactions with others that indicate approval or disapproval of our actions. We get cues from folks close to us, such as a partner who rolls their eyes when you start to tell ‘that’ story again. We also get cues from total strangers, like the pedestrian who smiles when I stop for them in the crosswalk.
Follett Team Members Take Game-Based Approach to Being Green
Cool Choices welcomes hundreds of Follett Corporation team members as they prepare to kick off their 6-week game-based sustainability program designed to create a buzz around being green at work and at home.
Follett team members will form teams of 6 and compete to take the greatest number of sustainable actions. Starting October 24th, participants at Follett will earn points for their teams and win prizes by reporting their daily sustainable actions online, including saving fuel and energy, recycling, choosing meatless meals and conserving water.
Founded in 1873, Follett currently works with 70,000 PreK-12 schools and higher education institutions as a leading provider of education technology, services and print and digital content. Follett demonstrates a strong commitment to the communities they serve and to various corporate social responsibility initiatives. For example, Follett promotes good in global communities through its campus store partnerships with Alta Gracia, a clothing brand known for its implementation of a living wage in the Dominican Republic, and the Thirst Project, a water non-profit founded and fueled by students. Additionally, Follett promotes educational innovation and a love of learning through its partnership with Reading is Fundamental and annual hosting of the Follett Challenge.
Once again, the Cool Choices team sends out a warm welcome to Follett team members!
Beyond the Game: Kristin’s Sustainability Story
Cool Choices alumni continue to inspire us with the sustainability actions they’ve taken since taking part in our program. This month we were impressed by Kristin’s story about her volunteer work at a local nature preserve.
What green activities have you been up to since taking part in the Cool Choices program?
I planted native plants around the edges of a wood, pulled invasive species and mulched trails to prevent run off from rain.
Do you have any tips for others trying to be sustainable?
Look into volunteer opportunities with your local nature preserve!
Kristin took part in the Madison, WI city-wide Cool Choices online sustainability game in 2015.
Healthcare Employees at UW Health Boost Sustainability & Wellness Efforts
We extend our congratulations to UW Health employees on completing their customized Cool Choices employee engagement program!
Click image to see full size.
Check out how employees boosted sustainability efforts at UW Health!
- Nearly 180 teams of employees from UW Health participated in the Cool Choices sustainability and wellness program.
- Over 60 UW Health locations competed. They formed teams of 5 to log their sustainable actions online every day for 8 weeks.
- UW Health participants worked together to take more than 44,400 sustainable actions that save money and help the environment.
In their game, UW Health employees achieved estimated savings of $253,365. The participants logged actions that will save 3,498,037 gallons (5 Olympic sized swimming pools) of water annually and avoid 2,613,589 lbs (1,034 car trips from LA to NYC) of CO2.
During the game UW Health employees shared 1,725 sustainable ideas. These suggestions can be implemented to save money and energy.
“By adopting sustainable practices UW Health employees save money at work and at home while improving their personal wellness and reducing environmental impacts,” noted Kathy Kuntz, Executive Director at Cool Choices.
Thanks UW Health employees, your engagement and dedication are very inspiring!
