Green at Work: Special Online Series, October, 2009

Join us every Wednesday in October from 12:15-12:45 for an informative series of presentations on being green at work. Experts from various Pinellas County Government departments will share information and tips on how to reduce your environmental impact at work. Many of us are already in the habits of saving water, electricity and recycling at home, but those same practices are just as important in the workplace. Problem is, there is often a lack of resources and commitment in a shared environment. These free presentations will help identify barriers to green practices and suggest ways to overcome them.

On October 7th join Pinellas County Utilities Solid Waste education specialist Tom Roberts for “Cutting Waste at Work.” PC Utilities already has a successful and popular program of the same name in place, and this is available to businesses throughout the county. Tom will explain how this free program works, and will also review the updated Pinellas County Recycling Program.

Some of the benefits of Cutting Waste at Work include: saving money by lowering disposal costs, enhancing your company’s image by demonstrating a commitment to sustainability and improving environmental quality by reducing litter and pollution.

Pinellas County Extension Urban Sustainability Specialist Vestina F. Crayton will provide research-based insight on green purchasing at the office on October 14th. Facts about the value of using green products, how to identify a green product and what the real costs of common materials used at work will be revealed.

These live, online classes are interactive, and you will be able to ask specific questions of our experts throughout.

Are you aware of the air quality in your office or workplace? According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, Americans spend 90% of our time indoors, yet the quality of the indoor environment is often overlooked. One of the factors that contribute to the quality of indoor air is the presence of hazardous chemicals in the workplace. In addition, handling of these materials can cause problems. Rodney Bolt, Safety Specialist with Pinellas County’s Risk Management Department will provide an overview of where hazardous chemical may be hiding in your workplace, how to safely store, handle and dispose of them, and how to avoid having them in the first place!

On October 28th, James Stevenson, Pinellas County Extension Urban Sustainability Specialist will cover energy conservation in the workplace. Did you know that a PC left on overnight wastes about $50 a year? How many PCs are in your office? Do the math and imagine what you could do with that saved money!

To register for these classes click the “Online Class Registration” button on the front page of pinellascountyextension.org and select the “Solutions in 30” tab. You will be walked-through the easy registration process for each class you wish to attend.

We recommend signing-on about 15 minutes prior to the class’ starting time in order to make adjustments to your PC or Mac’s volume settings (you will need speakers or headphones to hear this presentation.)

We look forward to welcoming you to our Green Office Series.