Are you ready for 2018?
The third quarter of the year is often a busy
one for green teams as they evaluate progress on current projects while identifying new projects and priorities for the upcoming year. Setting SMART goals for
these initiatives is a great way to help ensure success. SMART – short for Specific,
Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-Based – helps to clearly define goals
and responsibilities from the start.
With the growth of corporate
sustainability reporting, an increasing number of organizations are choosing to
state their goals and progress publicly. Your Maryland Green Registry member
profile provides an easy way to do that under the Annual Goals checkbox where you can share information or a link to
your report .
For those looking for that
next project, consider joining some of the webinars listed here for ideas and
inspiration.
Laura Armstrong, Maryland Green Registry Coordinator
Webinar on Solar Energy Incentives for Maryland Businesses
December 5, 2017, 1:00 to 1:45 p.m.
Did you know that Maryland is ranked 6th among states for solar power friendly policies and incentives? If you're wondering if solar makes sense for you business, join this 45-minute webinar for a quick snapshot of what incentives and assistance are available to you.
This webinar will
- give a concise yet comprehensive overview of the incentives and financing mechanisms currently available to Maryland businesses,
- introduce you to subject matter experts who will alert you to which incentives may be changing or expiring and where to go for more information, and
- help you identify your next steps in determining whether solar is a viable option for your business.
The webinar is free, but registration is required to save your spot.
 Watching our Waste
A recent study commissioned by the Maryland Department of the Environment found that nearly 70% of the waste disposed of at landfills in the state could be diverted through composting, recycling or donation.
The top categories for residential waste were organics (28%), paper (25%), and textiles and other (17%).
For commercial waste, the top categories were paper/cardboard (28%), organics (23%) and plastics (17%).
As a business, what can you do to help improve these numbers and your own bottom line?
* Maximize use of curbside recycling and commercial recycling collection contracts by improving the placement and labeling of bins and ensure that employees are trained and encouraged to segregate waste.
* Consider segregating cardboard and purchasing a baler for a better price on tonnage. Cardboard recyclers can be found in this directory.
* Food processors and facilities serving meals can reduce food waste through a number of tools.
* Donate surplus food to community food banks.
* Send remaining food and yard waste to a commercial compost facility or explore ways to compost on site.
* Track your waste and materials.
EPA has added waste tracking to the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager tool, enabling users to manage energy, water, and waste – all in one secure platform at no cost. This “tracking trifecta” is a powerful way to streamline your sustainability management program and gain a bird’s eye view of your environmental footprint and resource costs. If you’d like to get started using Portfolio Manager to track your waste management activities, there are easy to use how to guides and a recorded training on “How to Track Waste and Materials in Portfolio Manager.”
|
 Webinars: Live and Archived
Taking time out of your day to learn about a new approach or set of tools related to sustainable practices can be a challenge. While webinars can't replace the value of face-to-face meetings, they can give you some good ideas on how to get started. Here are a few places that list upcoming webinars as well as recordings of archived webinars.
Pollution Prevention Resource Exchange Webinars
Environmental Sustainability Resource Center
Maryland Green Registry News and Events Page
Suggestions and offers?
If you're not finding a webinar on a topic you're interested in, let us know and we can help locate or develop one.
Please also let us know if your organization would like to host a webinar on a particular environmental topic and we'll get the word out to other members.
|
|
