Green Office Certification Profile - Teresa Lara & Nora Hakkakzadeh
Green Office Certification Profile by Mary Ann Wilson
Teresa Lara, External Affairs & Nora Hakkakzadeh, student
Luskin Center for Innovation
Center for Community Partnerships
How did you decide to do the Green Office program?
We received the call for certification, ran it by our Director, and agreed to apply.
How long did it take you to complete certification?
The entire program took about 6 weeks from start to getting our certificate
How did you motivate your department to make changes?
This came easily. We are a small office and everyone was on board to get the certification. Additionally, most of the changes were easy to implement and did not require drastic changes in behavior.
How would you characterize the initial response to implementing these changes?
It was very natural. Because the entire office was willing to participate and the changes were easy to implement the response was accepting.
Did you have any up-front costs to implement any of these changes?
There were no upfront costs because most of the changes were related with computer settings. However if we go forward with getting the platinum rating there would be upfront costs. We host a lot of events and it’s a bit more expensive for biodegradable serving ware.
Did you see any savings as a result of implementing these changes? (e.g., lower energy costs, lower paper costs, no plastic ware, etc.)
I’m sure the electricity costs went down a bit.
What are the challenges, if any, in maintaining a green office?
Cost of getting an office copier that allows for more ‘green’ options
Have you gained any insights from implementing this program that may be helpful to others?
To be more vigilant, and to be more aware of computers, copiers, and lighting settings.
Published: Monday, November 07, 2011
