Environmental Excellence for Business

Thank You for Choosing Environmental Excellence! The Choose Envl'ronmntal Simple Steps ficellence Campaign to Improve the Environment Thank you forjoining the Choose Environmental Excellence campaiign With your help, we can make the world a better place to live both today and tomorrow. effort by businesses, individuals, local governmment and schools. The campaign teaches people the Simple Steps they can take to help the environment in every part of their daiIy lives-& home, at work, at play, and at school. This publication includes Simple Steps businesses can take to imprrov the environment. The Simple Steps are organized into three main categories for your convenience: Getting 'Down to Business, Watching the Bottom Line, and Spreading the Word. These sections offer adviic on topics ranging from Food Service to As you take each step to help the environmment check off the box next to it. As you read them, you may find that your business has already taken some of these Simple Steps. Use this list as a guide to record what your business is doing and what improvemeent can still be made. Let the rest of the staff know, too! This is also a good time to remind them about other environmental improvements your Choose Environmental Excellence is a joint n Saving Energy. As a participant in Choose Envirunmenfal Eximprrovin your community. Choose Environmentta ExceUence participants commit to making environmmenta improvements. You can choose your program's emphasis. You can buy recycled products, recyccle or conserve energy and water. ! cellence, your business has taken the first step to 0 business has made. Outstanding Efforts are Rewarded Each year Choose Environmental Excelleenc rewards organizations that make outstanndin efforts for the environment. As a Choose Environmental Excellence campaign participant, your organization will have the opportunity to apply for the annual Environmennta Excellence Awards. Applications are mailed to each Environmennta Excellence business participant. Award recipients are selected based on their environmental programs (not only recycling, but also energy conservation, water conservattion pollution prevention, and employee education). Keep track of the steps your businees has taken by checkiin them off on the Simple Steps list. For information about the annual Award Progrram call 561-1087. Businesses C The Kansas City area is struggling to keep its air quality at healthy levels. A significant percentage of air pollution is cause by individuals' activities such as driving, refueling and lawn mowing. Here are some ways that businesses can encourage employees to help reduce air pollution: m Watch for Skycast during the summer telecommuting on Red Alert! Days, your months. Skycasts are a forecast of air pol-business can help reduce congestion and lution levels. When the Skycast is a Red air pollution. Call RIDESHARE (842-Alert! your business can advise employ-RIDE) for more information. ees that it's a good day to carpool or take m Attend Way To Go. Way To Go is an analteernat transportation. Consider appoint-nual, city-wide event promoting alternative ing someone in your business to find out modes of transportation. Attendees learn what the Skycast is each day by calling Star about ridesharing, public transit, and other Touch at 889-STAR (enter AJR2), check-commuting options. Call 561-1087 for ing the weather page of The Kansas City information. Star, or checking at www.marc.org. Offer your employees discounted bus m Encourage employees to reduce traffic passes through the Metro TRIP procongeestion By offering work schedule gram. Call June Northern at 346-0274 for changes such as staggered hours, flex-time, more information. preferred parking for car-poolers or