Every Day is Earth Day

Cross-posted from The Green Suits:

Every year, something new gets planted. One year it was a spindly cherry tree. That tree has since grown large and blossom(y). Photo © 2011 by Dan Smolen.

On April 22, 1970 a bunch of people–outraged by the huge offshore oil spill near Catalina Island off of the Southern California coast and other ecological crises of the era–celebrated the first Earth Day. Back then as a Third Grader, I learned how we Earthlings treated the Big Blue Marble like a giant landfill.

Few can argue that Earth Day Number 1 was a big wake up call to many Americans, young and old. In the forty-one years that have passed, much has been done by government and industry to make our nation a cleaner less toxic place. For instance: lead has been removed from our fuel and paint; many pesticides have been banned; and organized recycling has helped us use fewer natural resources, (more) wisely.

In 1970, the New York City skyline was shrouded in thick gray smog. In 2011, that same skyline is often crystal clear. And yet with so much progress made, we still pollute heavily and use our natural resources poorly.

The Green Suits get that. We want to do well, but we also want to do right to make the world a better place. So, why do we Green Suits celebrate Earth Day but once a year?

I say let us make every day Earth Day.

The Green Suits are ambassadors for sustainability and corporate social responsibility. But we also walk the walk.

And as I point out in Tailoring the Green Suit: Empowering Yourself for an Executive Career in the New Green Economy, there is much that we can do to “press” the case for a cleaner, greener planet:

• Ditch the bottled water in favor of filtered tap water;
• Cut down on our dry cleaning;
• Favor mass transit;
• Use materials at work made from recycled content;
• Promote carbon footprint-reduction at home and work;
• Don’t over-fertilize the lawn. And don’t water it during hot summer months–let it turn brown;
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator;
• Clean up after your pet;
• Run your washer on cold water, and;
• And, never pass up an opportunity for a teachable moment. At my home, we plant something new each year; several years ago, it was a spindly cherry tree. As you can see, that tree has grown large and blossom(y).

And while you are at it, check out the great information and educational resources available at EarthDay.org.

Mother Earth will thank you for it!

Prefer e-book readers? Download Tailoring the Green Suit to your Kindle or Nook devices, today!

By the way, do you know someone about to graduate college who is eager to embark on a green career? Set them on course to become The Green Suit. Order them a paperback copy of Tailoring the Green Suit: Empowering Yourself for an Executive Career in the New Green Economy, from Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble. You can also buy them the digital version of Tailoring the Green Suit–available now for Kindle and Nook devices!

10 Things You Can Do to Celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day

Cross-posted from The Green Suits:

Happy 40th Earth Day!

Today is THE DAY to reflect on the Earth’s resources and its long-term health and survival.

It is the day to commit ourselves to building a strong and sustainable green economy, one that rids the U.S. of its utter dependence on foreign-sourced energy while helping us regain our leadership in the development of renewable energy and green technology. It is also the day to encourage companies to conserve resources and be corporate socially-responsible.

Indeed, Earth Day 2010 is an urgent call-to-action: this year, management executives from across the U.S. will decide that the time is right for them to pivot into green business careers, so that they may do well and do right, making the world a better place.

I believe we have reached the point where opportunities are beginning to overcome many global crises.

And now, millions of us in the executive ranks will become the ambitious, enthusiastic, and enterprising agents of change: The Green Suits.

In writing Tailoring the Green Suit: Empowering Yourself for an Executive Career in the New Green Economy, I set out to guide thousands of aspiring green business executives across the Jordan. But unlike Moses, we embark on this journey with clear heads, strong purpose, and our goals in sight.

And at times throughout our journey we will stop to ask for directions, so that we get to The Promised Land.

Make the 40th Earth Day a meaningful Earth Day. Here are 40 things you can start doing, today:

1. Attend “Green Drinks” events in your area. Log on to the Green Drinks Web site to find the event nearest you. (NOTE: I will be speaking at this evening’s Earth Day Green Drinks event in Fredericksburg, Va.).
2. Did you know that most laundry detergents on the market are designed for cold-water washing? If you have got a full load of laundry ready to go, wash it in cold water.
3. Going shopping today? If you can easily carry the items in your hands, then tell the cashier you don’ t need that shopping bag. And, if you are about to do your weekly grocery run, bring reusable shopping bags, instead. My two extremely large reusable bags with handles have replaced the dozen plastic shopping bags per week that I used to get, or over 600 annually!
4. Plant a tree (or a shrubbery)! To quote Monty Python’s Knights-Who-Say-Ni, chose “One that looks nice……..and not too expensive! ” Plant native species that, when fully grown, will provide shade to nearby dwellings and habitats for birds and other critters.
5. Reuse. How many things do you buy that are designed for single-use…like disposable shavers? Most things have longer shelf lives than are advertised. And those shavers? There is a product on the market that sharpens reusable blades and shavers!
6. Start composting! Placing food scraps in a low-tech compost heap or a spiffy drum-style compost bin helps turn stuff–normally destined for the kitchen sink disposer–into the-most-amazing soil-additive for your…shrubbery!
7. Reduce water consumption by turning off the lawn irrigation, installing low-flow shower heads, or perhaps showering with a friend. (Could be fun!)
8. Check, and if necessary re-inflate, the tires on your car. Remember how President Obama was ridiculed by some for this suggestion? Truth is, it is sound advice: maintaining proper tire-inflation helps improve your car’s fuel efficiency.
9. Use mass-transit. More companies are offering their talent stipends to ditch the car and ride the rails.
10. And, work from home. Virtual office technology is so efficient and well-priced that many of us may be able to switch to a home-office. Aside from the tempting option of working in your jammies, you likely will be more well-rested and more-efficient on the job when you work from home.

But wait! There’s more!

Buy yourself–or some aspiring green executive you know–Tailoring the Green Suit: Empowering Yourself for an Executive Career in the New Green Economy. Kindle and hardcover editions are now available!

Are you in the midst of a job search? Your purchase of Tailoring the Green Suit may be tax-deductible; check with your CPA or professional tax-preparer to find out, for sure!