Eastern Star Communications

How green is our business? Below is a list of Green Business Program checklist actions we've taken to reduce our impact on the environment.

Energy » Lighting

Q: Arrange your workspaces to take advantage of areas with natural sunlight, and design for increased natural lighting when remodeling (workspace within 30' of natural light).
Q: Disconnect unused ballasts in de-lamped fixtures and replace burned out lamps to avoid ballast damage.
Q: Increase natural lighting through installing sidelights or lowering cubicle and nonstructural walls that block lighting to interior workstations.
Q: Keep lighting fixtures, diffusers and lamps clean so that they are lighting as effectively as possible (dirt can reduce lighting efficiency by up to 50%).
Q: Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents or LED lights. Use halogen lamps only for low wattage task and spot lighting.
Q: Replace standard fluorescent lights with low- or no-mercury fluorescent lights that are higher efficiency.
Q: Use "task" lighting with energy efficient bulbs where extra light is needed, rather than overlighting an entire area with ambient light.
Q: Use photocells for exterior lighting and/or areas with significant natural daylight.

Energy » General

Q: Conduct an informal internal energy audit of your facilities (assess and implement simple measures to reduce energy consumption).
Q: Improve building envelope with increased insulation and high-performance windows that exceed current building standards.
Q: Purchase 10% of electricity demand as renewable energy credits (green power) from your utility.
Q: Purchase an additional 10% of electricity demand as renewable energy credits (green power) from your utility (20% total).
Q: Purchase an additional 10% of electricity demand as renewable energy credits (green power) from your utility (30% total).

Energy » Office Equipment

Q: Establish purchasing policy to only purchase Energy Star or energy efficient equipment and appliances.
Q: Install or use plug load controllers for office equipment that switches equipment off after working hours.
Q: Set all office equipment to go to standby mode when not in use (e.g. energy saver buttons on copiers). Turn off equipment when not in use for long periods of time (end of workday).
Q: Set refrigerator temperature between 38

Energy » HVAC

Q: Implement weatherizing policy and measures (I.e. weather stripping, caulking, sealing unused space, not heating/cooling unused space).
Q: Install an energy management system (EMS) for central air conditioning and heating systems.
Q: Install ceiling fans to promote air circulation and reduce the need for air conditioning or use fan-only mode on A/C.
Q: Institute and/or maintain a written maintenance program: Inspect permanent filters every 3 months and clean permanent filters with mild detergents when necessary (change replaceable filters every three months); check the entire system for coolant and air leaks, clogs, and obstructions of air intake and vents; keep the condenser coils free of dust and lint; keeps the evaporator coils free of excessive frost.
Q: Maintain (and adhere to) a written policy that ensures blinds and curtains are closed during peak summer period (white reflects) to reduce A/C load.
Q: Program HVAC system to reduce operations when building is unoccupied or use occupancy sensors to adjust set points.
Q: Shade sun-exposed windows and walls to mitigate the effect of direct sunlight during the summer. Use awnings, sunscreens, shade trees or shrubbery (only applicable for airconditioned spaces).

Operations & Procurement » Facilities / Janitorial

Q: Buy low or no VOC paints, coatings, adhesives, and sealants for surface coating projects.
Q: Buy toilet paper, tissues and paper towels that have 35%-100% post-consumer recycled content.
Q: Implement a "just in time" purchasing policy (inventory reduction purchasing) and a "first-in/first-out" chemical usage policy (using older chemicals first) to use old material first.
Q: Replace aerosols with non-aerosol alternatives (such as pump sprays for fresheners and cleaners).
Q: Use green cleaning techniques and products, including low-toxic, biodegradable cleaners, and properly dispose of expired materials.
Q: When renovating, use eco-friendly flooring, such as CRI green label plus carpeting, CRI green label carpet pads, and floorscore certified flooring (bamboo, natural linoleum, cork, etc.).
Q: When replacing furniture, phase in low-VOC furniture.

Operations & Procurement » General Practices

Q: Choose vendors who can articulate sustainable practices.
Q: In order to improve indoor air quality, ban smoking from interior spaces and designate exterior smoking areas at least 25 feet from building entries, outdoor air intakes and operable windows, with cigarette butt disposal units.
Q: Maintain (and adhere to) a sustainable purchasing policy (Energy Star equipment and appliances; recycled content, biodegradable paper products; energy-efficient, lowmercury lamps; plastic products; food products; building/renovation materials). Consider and favor products that are recycleable at the end of their useful life.
Q: Purchase items with the least packaging and work with vendors to minimize product packaging. Minimize packaging in your own products and services.
Q: Serve locally-grown and/or organic food at workplace events when possible.
Q: Use local businesses for products and services whenever possible.
Q: Use unbleached and/or chlorine-free paper products (copy paper, promotional paper, paper towels, coffee filters, etc.).
Q: When possible, arrange to order goods from vendors who make deliveries of multiple items in a single delivery.

Operations & Procurement » Office

Q: For shipping items, use shredded paper or corn starch pellets for packaging needs instead of purchasing styrofoam pellets, bubble wrap or other packaging materials; also, reuse, in your own packaging, packaging materials received.
Q: Print materials with soy or other low-VOC inks.
Q: Purchase boxes and bags for retail use or shipping made from recycled paper or plastic (or reuse old boxes and bags).
Q: Purchase copy, computer or fax paper, letterhead, envelopes and business cards with at least 35% post consumer recycled ontent.
Q: Use recycled or remanufactured laser and copier toner cartridges.
Q: Where possible, use non-toxic waterbased markers rather than toxic permanent ink markers/pens.

Transportation » Fleet

Q: Carefully plan delivery routes and errands to eliminate unnecessary trips.
Q: Convert company vehicles to lowemission/fuel efficient vehicles (hybrid and/or using natural gas, electricity or alternative fuels).

Transportation » Commuter

Q: Encourage commuter alternatives by informing employees, customers and others who visit your office about various transportation options (post bicycle route maps, transit schedules, commuter ride sign-ups, etc. in a visible area for employees).
Q: Have a bike kit for employees who may have bicycle emergencies or problems.
Q: Offer secure areas for bicycle storage for both employees and customers.
Q: Provide a commuter van or offer a shuttle service to and from bus, train and/or light rail stops; or be located within walking distance of transit stop.

Transportation » Business Travel

Q: Use teleconferencing to cut down on amount of business travel.

Waste Reduction & Recycling » Policies

Q: Donate or exchange unwanted but usable items (furniture, supplies, electronics, scrap materials, computer disks, etc.) to schools, churches, hospitals, libraries, nonprofit organizations, museums, teacher resource organizations, etc.; or enroll in a waste exchange program.

Waste Reduction & Recycling » Paper

Q: Eliminate fax cover sheets by using "sticky" fax directory notes or use software that allows you to send and receive faxes directly from your computer without printing.
Q: Institute a policy that switches to electronic forms, eliminate excess forms and make paper forms more efficient.
Q: Keep a stack of previously used paper near printers. Use it for drafts, scratch paper or internal memos or designate a draft tray on printers with multiple trays.
Q: Maintain (and adhere to) a written policy of "green printing practices, including duplex printing, draft printing, and utilization of scrap paper.
Q: Purge your own mailing lists to eliminate duplication.
Q: Recycle (after full use/reuse) all paper products that your recycling vendor will accept.
Q: Recycle toner cartridges, cell phones and dry cell batteries.
Q: Where possible, reuse envelopes as both send and return envelopes: cover up old addresses and postage, affix new, and/or use two way or
Q: Write "refused" on unwanted first class mail and return to sender.
Q: Write to or call senders requesting removal from mailing list to reduce junk mail.

Waste Reduction & Recycling » Food & Beverage

Q: In the lunch/break room, eliminate disposables (plastic utensils, coffee stirrers, paper towels) by using permanent ware (mugs, dishes, utensils, towels/rags, coffee filters, etc.)
Q: Recycle food and beverage containers (all glass, #1 & #2 plastic and aluminum containers).
Q: Supply water through a fountain, cooler or tap; eliminate bottled water.
Q: Use refillable containers of sugar, salt & pepper, half & half, etc. to avoid individual condiment packets.

Water Management » Exterior

Q: Clean concrete or asphalt surfaces by vacuuming or using equipment that collects and reuses dirty water.
Q: Ensure that your sprinkler and irrigation systems use water-saving best practices, including: optimizing spacing and avoiding runoff onto paved surfaces; using water efficient drip irrigation or soaker hoses where feasible; using water during non-daylight hours; using rain shutoff devices; regularly repairing all broken/defective valves; test systems 4x/year.
Q: If company owns any vehicles, routinely check for leaks and keep a spill kit handy to catch/collect spills from leaking company or employee vehicles.
Q: If you need to use water to clean concrete or asphalt surfaces, use "dry sweeping," water efficient "spray brooms," or low fl ow (<3 gpm) spray nozzles with automatic shut-off rather than a garden hose.
Q: Plant gardens and ground cover that minimize water use and erosion: native or adapted, drought tolerant ground cover or shrubs instead of turf; permeable pavers; plant drought-tolerant turf if necessary; group plants with similar water requirements together on the same irrigation line ("hydrozoning"). If possible, plant and maintain a street tree or sidewalk garden with droughttolerant plants next to your business to allow for more natural absorption of water and less run-off.
Q: Regularly check and maintain storm drain openings and basins that are located on your property. Keep litter, debris and soil away from storm drains.

Water Management » Interior

Q: Regularly check for and repair all leaks in your facility (toilet leaks can be detected in tank toilets with leak detecting tablets. Train your staff to monitor and respond immediately to leaking equipment.
Q: Understand your water bill and review it monthly for indications of leaks, spikes or other problems.