Banana Bulletin

In my last homage to Earth Day, April 22, 2010, I am sharing 13 more simple steps to making your business practices more sustainable and “earth-friendly”. I’ve also included some local resources that can be helpful in your journey to becoming green.

There are many reasons why businesses should consider going green: to cut costs, preserve the environment, prevent climate change, create a marketing avenue, and provide a driving force for employees. But, one reason remains clear: It’s good for business, and the earth.

Even if a company-wide green initiative doesn’t currently exist, there are simple actions you can personally take to make a difference. And, if you only commit to one of these steps, you are well on your way to becoming green (or at least a tint of green).

1. Donate styrofoam peanuts and plastic packaging to local UPS/mailbox stores for reuse.

2. Compost. Using organic materials to enrich your soil is a great way to naturally give back to your garden. Some Contra Costa residents and businesses can place compostable items in the green yard waste bin for weekly pick-up. For more info go to www.wastediversion.org.

Local resources:
List of 163 materials you can add to your compost pile or even bury in your garden.
Composting workshops and purchasing composting bins at a reduced price in Contra Costa, go to www.cccrecycle.org and www.co.contracosta.ca.us.

3. Reduce water consumption by replacing high flow toilets with water efficient 1.6 gallon or less per flush models, installing 1.5 gpm (or lower) aerators in all sinks and 2.5 gpm (or less) showerheads in all showers, cleaning outdoor walkways with a broom or low flow (less than 3 gpm) spray nozzles rather than a garden hose, and irrigate during early morning, pre-dawn hours to reduce loss of moisture from evaporation.

Local resources:
EBMUD business customers can find out about cost-saving and rebate programs at 866-403-2683 or go to ebmud.com. Residents who have home-based businesses can receive a water-saving kit for free!

4. Reduce energy consumption by purchasing Energy Star labeled office equipment and appliances, using energy-efficient lighting, including occupancy sensors for frequently-vacant rooms and ballast upgrades and reflectors for fluorescent fixtures, compact fluorescent lights or LED’s (light-emitting diodes) in place of incandescent bulbs and old, inefficient lighting, and install timers to turn off lighting and energy-efficient exit signs. CFL lighting contains mercury and should NOT be thrown in the trash. Some counties have a hazardous waste disposal facility where residents can dispose of CFL’s.

Local resources:
Household Hazardous Waste Collection in Martinez will take CFL lighting from Contra Costa residents.
Contact PG&E for cost-saving, energy programs.
The California Best Program allows businesses to choose an approved, general energy contractor that offers a free green audit.

5. Get plants. Place live plants in the office or home to clean toxins in the air. Take it one step further and use drought-resistant varieties.

6. Use green-seal-certified, biodegradable and eco-friendly cleaning products. Encourage your janitorial service/property management company to do the same.

Local resources:
Trader Joe’s
Target
Whole Foods
Amazon.com

7. Hire a green janitorial or cleaning service. Ask candidates about the type of cleaning products and methods of waste disposal that are used.

8. Walk instead of driving somewhere once a week. If you need to mail a package at the local post office, or make a deposit at the bank, consider walking or riding a bicycle instead of driving. Exercise is an added benefit!

9. Prevent polluted stormwater run-off by not washing cars, equipment, floor mats or other items outside where run-off water flows straight to a storm drain. This wash water should be directed to a sewer drain instead.

10. Use unbleached and/or chlorine-free paper products. Not only is it better for the environment, but it prevents chlorine from entering your food, especially when using a microwave.

Local resources:
Trader Joe’s
Whole Foods

11. Use low or no VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) paint, paint removers, etc.

Local resources:
Professional Paint Center, Walnut Creek

12. Consider working with local experts specializing in construction recycling and eco-friendly building materials and processes when building or remodeling.

Local resources:
Green Sage, located in San Francisco with a free newsletter.
Build It Green, Bay Area non-profit.

13. Join local, sustainable associations and organizations.

Local resources:
Sustainable Lafayette, (Free to join)
Sustainable Moraga, (Free to join)
Women’s Environmental Network, and free to join
Co-Op America, national organization with a plethora of information, resources, environmentally focused businesses, etc.

Going green doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive for your business. Start with one step and inspire others by becoming part of the solution to a healthier, greener planet.

Any additional steps you’ve taken to make your home or business more earth-friendly?

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In honor of the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, April 22, 2010, I thought it would be appropriate to share some easy, simple steps to making your business practices more sustainable and “earth-friendly”. I’ve also included some local resources that can be helpful in your journey to becoming green.

There are many reasons why businesses should consider going green: to cut costs, preserve the environment, prevent climate change, create a marketing avenue, and provide a driving force for employees. But, one reason remains clear: It’s good for business, and the earth.

Even if a company-wide green initiative doesn’t currently exist, there are simple actions you can personally take to make a difference. And, if you only commit to one of these steps, you are well on your way to becoming green (or at least a tint of green).

1. Become a certified, green business. Businesses can qualify to become a Certified Green Business in Contra Costa and other participating counties after meeting various environmental requirements. It’s free and in Contra Costa County, the certification includes a listing on the Bay Area Green Business website.

2. Support green businesses. Green is not necessarily limited to just environmental practices but can also include socially-responsible and fair trade practices. Find local, sustainable businesses by industry at the Bay Area Green Business website.

3. Purchase fair trade, certified chocolate, coffees, teas, and other products.

4. Purchase locally-farmed, organic food. Local farmers’ markets are excellent resources.

5. Reduce/eliminate junk mail and catalogues at stopjunkmail.org.

6. Buy recycled, biodegradable, and/or environmentally-friendly office products, including products with a high amount of post-consumer, recycled material and biodegradable and/or compostable tableware.

Local resources:
Contra Costa Stationers in Lafayette
Office Max
Eco Shoppe in Walnut Creek

7. Provide water dispensers, ceramic or stainless steel mugs for employees and guests to eliminate use of plastic water bottles and disposable cups. Contact Banana Creative, a local, green-certified business, to imprint your company logo on mugs, for as little as 99 cents each.

8. Print all business marketing material on recycled, FSC-certified paper using eco-friendly ink and printing processes. For internal copying and printing, be sure to use both sides of the paper (duplex setting on most printer/copiers). You can work with your local, green-certified designer to design and print an earth-friendly marketing piece.

9. Purchase eco-friendly promotional products and gifts. Most promotional item suppliers offer a wide variety of cost-effective items for giveaways and client gifts. You can also contact your local, green-certified designer for some creative ideas that will fit your budget.

10. Use refilled ink and toner cartridges.

Local resources:
Inksmile.com

11. Send and receive faxes by email. No fax machine required. This way, you only have to print important documents, and can avoid junk faxes.

Local resources:
Ringcentral.com, San Mateo

12. Get educated about recycling do’s and don’ts at www.wastediversion.org. Recycling is important especially since it takes time for products to biodegrade in the earth. For example, a disposable diaper takes 500 years to biodegrade, plastic soda bottles and glass both take 1 million years, aluminium cans take 50 to 200 years, and batteries take 100 years.

Local resources:
Small businesses in Lamorinda, Walnut Creek, Danville, Alamo, Diablo, or Blackhawk who produce 2 yards or less of garbage per week might qualify for FREE recycling collection service from Valley Waste Management (VWM).

The Contra Costa Recycling & Reduction Guide, 2005is FREE and is still an excellent source of information about local curbside recycling programs, recycling centers, thrift stores, household hazardous waste facilities and much more.

13. Recycle electronics.

Local resources:
Contra Costa Stationers in Lafayette takes cell phones, rechargeable and regular household batteries, ink and toner cartridges for recycling.

Electronic Waste Management, holds regular free e-waste recycling events at Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill.

14. Recycle batteries.

Local resources:
Contra Costa Stationers in Lafayette takes rechargeable and regular household batteries.

For other local household battery recycling drop-offs, go to wastediversion.org.

Going green doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive for your business. Start with one step and inspire others by becoming part of the solution to a healthier, greener planet. More tips to come in the next few weeks…

Any additional steps you’ve taken to make your home or business more earth-friendly?

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Check out the latest trends in color for print, web, fashion and home decor!

COLOURlovers is a creative community where people from around the world create and share colors, palettes and patterns, discuss the latest trends and explore colorful articles… All in the spirit of love.

Check out more at: http://www.colourlovers.com/

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Keyboard shortcuts save so much time and also give your hand a break from the mouse! Give them a try. PC users just use the control key (or alt key) instead of command.

Command-J
Brings up window where you can select which page to jump to.

Command-2, Command-4
Zooms to 200% and 400%.

Command-K
Brings up the preferences window.

Command-TAB
Allows you to switch to other applications or Finder.

W
Shows design in preview mode (without frames or pasteboard).

X
Allows you to switch between fill and stroke in Swatch menu.

E
Selects the Free Transform tool.

Option-Double Click
On any placed image will open image for editing in original application.

Enjoy! And, feel free to share any other time-saving shortcuts that you’ve discovered.

© Copyright 2010. Banana Creative. All rights reserved. Would you like to reproduce portions of this article? Please contact Banana Creative for permission.

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Despite the recent popularity of email marketing and social networking, old-fashioned snail mail marketing is proving to be the key to boosting business. Instead of eliminating or slashing budgets for direct mail, companies should use it to complement other aspects of their marketing approach.

Read more from the Wall Street Journal

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We’ve always put the environment first in every aspect of our business, but now it’s official! On November 3, 2009 Banana Creative was recognized as a Bay Area Green Business. The Green Business Program verifies that businesses meet higher standards of environmental performance.

This includes general actions like:

buying only recycled paper
printing/copying on both sides of the paper
cleaning with less toxic products
using efficient lighting systems to save energy
recycling office paper and ink/toner cartridges
conserving water

And more specific, business-related actions like:

eliminating, redesigning or using online forms
designing materials that incorporate a minimum of 30% post-consumer waste
designing materials that minimize paper waste
designing materials that eliminate the use of envelopes
designing materials that are produced and manufactured in the U.S.
designing matierials that are produced from renewable resources
working with other green businesses

Even though a lot of the requirements had already been implemented, this certification was no small feat. In fact, to qualify, Banana Creative was required to implement over 89 initiatives. But, what’s good for the environment, is good for business! And, we are excited to incorporate and share our greener way of doing business with you.

For more information about becoming a green business, and a complete listing of Green Businesses visit www.greenbiz.ca.gov

© Copyright 2009. Banana Creative. All rights reserved. Would you like to reproduce portions of this article? Please contact Banana Creative for permission.

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As we discussed in my last posting, strong brands don’t only belong to companies with big budgets. A brand is built upon the knowledge of who you are, the key value you provide, and communicating this clearly all of the time. For a company, talking the talk AND walking the walk, is what makes a strong and successful brand. Fortunately, this does not always involve a lot of money.

Use these secrets that I’ve learned over the past 19 years from helping companies build their brand from the ground up.

Be believable. A strong brand only makes promises that can be kept. Try to avoid overpromising or making claims that your customer knows are too good to be true. People today are savvy and naturally skeptical when it comes to marketing. So, be real when you are communicating your brand.

Be unique and interesting. Sometimes this takes courage, but allows your brand to stand out amongst your competitors. Your differentiation factor must also make a difference to your customers. Don’t harp on expected attributes like quality or service, but focus on what gives your company flavor and personality.

Consistently communicate your brand. There are many different business marketing channels that can potentially fuel your business—print, web, social media. But, your brand must remain consistent across all of these channels. A strong brand also communicates the same promise at every touchpoint, both internally and externally. Being consistent in how you communicate and visually present your brand, establishes recognition and eventually response in your marketplace.

Stay who you are both inside and out. If your brand promise is what makes you believable, unique and relevant to customers, then it makes sense to use your brand as the key part of your business strategy. This doesn’t mean you cannot refresh the design and look and feel of your marketing communications (in fact, you should!), but just make sure you keep the heart of your promise.

Instead of focusing on shrinking marketing budgets and skyrocketing costs, use these secrets to make an honest assessment of your brand. You will discover that it really comes down to one big secret: A strong brand means living it.

Would you like to share something that has helped build your brand?

© Copyright 2009. Banana Creative. All rights reserved. Would you like to reproduce portions of this article? Please contact Banana Creative for permission.

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Is it more environmentally-friendly to market your business on the web or in print? The answer may surprise you! International Paper just released a new brochure detailing some eye-opening facts about communicating electronically versus on paper. Read on for more:

NEWS RELEASE
——————————————-
International Place
6400 Poplar Ave.
Memphis, TN 38197

“Are pixels greener than paper?”
Down to Earth Brochure, “Pixels vs. Paper,” Myths and Misconceptions

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - June 24, 2009 — More and more people are communicating with electronic media. But are electronic devices more environmentally friendly than paper? To address this important question, International Paper (NYSE: IP) has launched a new brochure in its Down to Earth environmental series, “Pixels vs. Paper: Are pixels greener than paper?”

Every decision to communicate has some impact on the environment and the brochure reveals some important facts about communicating on paper vs. electronically. Also, the new Down to Earth brochure includes some facts that may surprise you. For example, did you know . . . Paper comes from a renewable resource – Trees.

• Electronic devices are typically made of plastics and other non-renewable resources and often contain chemicals and metals.

• The amount of electricity to run a computer for only five months could produce enough paper for the average person to use for an entire year. Paper is biodegradable and recyclable. Are computers?

• Paper is biodegradable and nearly 60 percent of all paper in the U.S. is recycled.

• Only 18 percent of all electronic devices are currently recycled and e-waste constitutes the single largest waste export in the U.S.

“International Paper’s Down to Earth series has received outstanding responses, so we are continuing the series this year,” said David Struhs, International Paper’s vice president, Sustainability. “With the Down to Earth series, we hope to clear up some of the myths and misconceptions about our paper and the forest products industry and provide thought-provoking educational pieces that help our customers better understand important environmental topics.”

Struhs added, “International Paper believes pixels and paper both have a place in our communications future. By linking paper with the efficiency of electronics, we can streamline our communications and help maintain the best environmental balance possible.”

For more info and a copy of this brochure go to: http://www.ipsustainability.com

~ Danielle
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Are you curious about what other companies are doing to market themselves and what strategies have worked for them? Would you like statistics to back up these marketing tactics? Interested in learning more about social networking? Look no further. Here are my favorite top 10 websites that provide a wealth of marketing information at no cost to you:

Marketing Sherpa
Sirius Decisions
Marketing Profs
Small Business Marketing
Entrepreneur
Raintoday
Tactical Execution
Your Marketing Lab
Marcomm Wise
Small Business Administration

Any others you’d like to add?

Choosing a domain name is tougher than it sounds. Luckily, there are quite a few tools out there to help you search for available domain names and suggest similar ones. Here are twelve resources that you may find helpful:

12 Tools For Choosing A Domain Name

Happy domain hunting!

~Danielle