Save the Environment (AND some money!)

Environmental issues have increasingly been at the forefront of political, economic, personal and corporate discussions.  However, if you're like me, it's hard to find affordable, realistic ways to be more environmentally sustainable.  I want to buy sustainable fashion, convert to more efficient appliances and participate in sustainable agriculture by growing my own foods, but as a college student I have to be careful with my money, I typically don't own the building I live in, and apartments and dorm rooms don't exactly lend themselves to growing vine-ripe tomatoes.

However, I recently read this book that I really appreciated. It's called New Day Revolution and was a quick read that had a lot of simple tips I plan to use (and no, no one's paying me to say good things about it :-). I just really enjoyed it and found it helpful--plus it's only $5). Here are some of my favorites:

• Shorten your shower by 60 seconds each day to save 5 gallons of water a day and more than 1,825 gallons a year (on top of $11 in utility bills)
• Ensuring that your tires are fully inflated saves on precious fuel
• Roll down your windows when driving in traffic and turn off the air conditioning to save fuel; on the highway do the opposite--having your windows open on the highway reduces gas mileage up to 10 percent
• Take your roof rack off when you're not using it (the rack adds drag and hurts your fuel efficiency)
• Go inside instead of going through the drive thru: this will reduce CO2 emissions. Also, pulling forward in a parking space so you don't have to back out saves gas.
• Buy organic, fair trade coffee: this ensure that growers are being paid a fair wage and organic coffee is more sustainably produced and better for the environment than other types
• Use your own mug instead of a disposable paper cup and you'll save a tree all by yourself
• Eat a cold meal. Doing so will "save about $1 and keep two pounds of coal in the ground." Turning one meal that you would normally eat meat at into a meatless meal will also save energy.
• Unplug your charger when it's not in use to save $30 a year in electricity costs. (The "average household uses 450 pounds of coal a year just to keep DVD players and computers plugged in").
• Switch your five most used light fixtures to energy saving incandescent bulbs
• Don't flush your medicine: It's bad for the environment. On the other hand, throwing old medications away can be dangerous as well. Instead, take your out-of-date bottles to a local pharmacy for disposal.
• Recycle batteries (which can burst open) and used printer cartridges--or, refill the printer cartridges to save money!

Hope these helped and you heard something new! If you have tips of your own please post a comment below--I'm always looking for good ideas.

For ways Optimum tries to take care of the environment, click here or copy and paste this URL into your web browser: http://www.optimumcompanies.com/ProEnvironmentPolicy.html

Banking on the Green

These are cautionary times, indeed. Economists, public officials, and journalists address are struggling to find the best explanations for subprime mortgage collapse and the ensuing turmoil in the financial sector. The Federal Reserve continues to experiment with possible economic cures. There is no single solution can resolve the country’s financial problems. But that does not mean that we are without hope.

New opportunities are emerging, especially in the western states, where climate change has become an economic stimulus. Climate change has moved from an abstract to an inconvenient truth.

In the West, in particular, it has become intermingled with discussions of water shortages, sprawl, and restoration of natural resources, rural development, tourism, population growth, and industrial expansion.

• The Western Governors’ Association which represents 19 states and three U.S. territories recently adopted a resolution to increase the use of alternative fuels and improve vehicle fuel efficiency while reducing dependence on foreign oil and cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

• There is an enormous demand for energy - particularly clean, affordable energy such as wind power and biodiesel, which can be produced in America while adding value to agricultural products. Clean coal technology is an important solution for the near future, bridging the petroleum economy of the past together with the hydrogen economy of the future.

• In another major action, eight of the nation’s largest water agencies have formed the Water Utility Climate Alliance, which will develop unified strategies to understand, prevent and respond to climate change.

• In Colorado, a new Solar Residential Program offers $1 million in rebates to residents who install solar systems in their homes. The program is part of Gov. Bill Ritter’s commitment to build a new “energy economy” in the state.

Setting the standards in a relentless battle
Battling something like climate change is a daunting task, especially when viewed in a global perspective. Yet banks can make a difference. The key is to take a ground-up approach: attacking climate change first within their own operations, then in their communities, and finally at state and national levels.

Lewis Bank of America, which began in San Francisco in 1904, is setting a high standard for all banks. Last year, it launched an $18 billion program to promote environmentally sustainable business activity that addresses global climate change. The 10-year initiative encompasses lending, investing, philanthropy, and the creation of new products and services.
Among the initiatives are financing real estate projects incorporating LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification; offering homebuyers, through its Green Mortgage Program, a reduced interest rate or $1,000 back for each home-purchase mortgage meeting the federal government’s ENERGY STAR specifications; and working with nonprofit organizations committed to improving the environment, such as the Redwood Forest Foundation, which acquired 50,000 acres in the Usal Redwood Forest by using $65 million attained with flexible long-term financing.

Becoming Green
Bank of America’s environmental efforts are external and internal, with $1.4 billion committed to achieving LEED certification in all new construction of office facilities and banking centers. Needless to say, most banks can’t match Bank of America; however, they can initiate programs that match their own capabilities and goals.

Mechanics Bank of Richmond, Calif., for instance, has launched a program to make all of its 31 retail offices LEED certified. Yet although the bank has gained customers and reduced its utility and maintenance costs, ROI is not the sole stimulus for the green program.

Uzel’s National Bank is promoting a paperless system of operations and using recycled materials where possible. The bank also was instrumental in the launch of Greenecco.com, an ecologically inspired website, and in the creation of a green credit card, where 50 percent of the proceeds from the card are donated to the environmental charity of the cardholder’s choosing. These types of credit cards will no doubt find increasing favor among banks. Bank of America’s new Brighter Planet Visa credit card, for example, allows customers to earn points used to help build community-based renewable energy projects across the United States.

Alpine South Rifle At Alpine Bank, with 38 locations located throughout western Colorado, a Green Team was created two years ago to study every facet of the bank’s operations. The result is an impressive list of environmental initiatives. Among the many achievements are attaining ISO 14001:2004 certification — the internationally recognized gold standard for environmental management — and receiving LEED certification for its South Rifle location.

Getting Started
The creation of jobs related to climate change and the restoration economy translates into unprecedented opportunities for banks willing to be leaders and innovators, even when the risks may be high. Here are a few suggestions:

• Become involved in local, state or regional organizations as a member of a working group or advisory committee.

• Explore how to become an equity partner or a participant in a public-private partnership to promote local, county or state green projects.

• Develop lending programs to encourage existing customers — and potential new customers — to invest in green technologies, such as solar power and green construction.

• Help existing businesses to become more environmentally friendly and establish programs to help new businesses dedicated to helping the environment.

• Introduce new products and services, such as green credit cards, that strengthen your relationship with customers seeking ways to help the environment.
Make your bank green, such as gaining LEED certification for your facilities and introducing programs such as Alpine Bank’s “Reduce, Recycle, Renew.”

The banks mentioned here realize that improving the environment helps their customers, their communities, their own institutions and their business outlook. If you are still caught under the yellow caution flag, it may be time to explore how to turn your institution — and your community — green.

Green is good!

With spring showers fading & making way for blistering-hot summer days, I was thinking what a great time this is to take a deep breath, look around and enjoy all that nature as to offer. In between margaritas on Saturdays & lemonade on Sundays it does seem like the perfect opportunity to appreciate what surrounds me – while making sure I’m doing my part to protect i - And I know I’m not the only one to feel this way...

Optimum is no exception! I am proud to say that through our actions as individuals and as a company it is clear how much Optimum cares about the world around us. As a group we do strive to do our best to protect & preserve what’s around us for both present & future generations with our environmentally conscious actions. What’s even more exciting is that in recent months, as I’m sure is the case for many businesses around the country & the world, it seems we have found a renewed sense of urgency to do something now! We have really stepped up our efforts! From increasing the products we recycle internally (not just aluminum cans & paper anymore!) to touring plants that specialize in green products, it’s been refreshing to watch our group unite for this important cause. For some interesting facts & information, please read on! For products you can purchase to exhibit your company’s environmental commitment to its employees & customers, check out Optimum’s store.