Businesses

Even driving a car once a week increases the amount of CO2 in the air, but since we all need to get around, the Union of Concerned Scientists made a report of the "Automaker Rankings 2007: The Environmental Performance of Car Companies" and a PDF of the full report.

The construction and maintenance of buildings are responsible for 40% of US energy use and 30% of wood and raw materials use (more on these statistics can be found at Global Green USA). Green or sustainable building is the practice of creating healthier and more resource-efficient models of construction, renovation, operation, maintenance, and demolition. Read More »

Biofuels are the future of transportational energy and that future is now. Biofuels are fuels made from plant materials that can help free America from oil dependence and cut global warming pollution. If produced the right way, biofuels will increase revenue to farmers, cost less than gasoline, and may actually improve the condition of land that is not usable for other crops. Read More »

It's nothing new, but it is still useful! Run errands or visit a friend on a bicycle and save the environment while getting healthy and fun exercise. Business owners: Have a 'company bike' that employees can use to run errands. For information on bicycle routes and bicycling in Massachusetts, see Massbike.org.

"In Massachusetts, businesses may take a credit against the state excise tax for the purchase and installation of a solar water-heating system. The system must be installed at a commercial building, and the credit may not exceed $300 or 15% of the system cost, whichever is less. This credit expires December 31, 2007. A business may carry over unused portions of the credit for use in taxable year 2007" (DSIRE site). Check out Corporate Credit for more information.

The phrase "carbon offsets" doesn't tell you a whole lot, which most likely accounts for some of the confusing around the topic. Carbon offsets are, in fact, purchased. Carbon offset organizations are essentially fund raising organizations which take the money you spend buying "offsets" and use it in big ways that individuals may not be able to -- for instance, to fund large alternative energy projects. So the idea is, if you drive your car 1500 miles and produce 1300 lbs of CO2, then you would buy enough carbon offsets to plant 82 trees and negate that 1300 lbs of CO2. Read More »

ConcordTrader is a consignment store based in West Concord, MA since 2004.

Below are some of the items they consign: Read More »

These days, computers are the number one way we get our information, but there are ways to make our electronic friends more energy efficient as well:

• Turn off your computer at night or when you are not using it for several hours.
• Enable the Power Management feature for your monitor.
• Turn off your computer monitor when you are not using your computer for 15 minutes or longer.
• If you buy a new computer, consider a laptop. Laptops use only 1/4 the energy of a standard desktop. Read More »

Not only is carpooling a great way to cut down on the nasty side-effects of gasoline emissions, but it's also a lot more fun to share the grueling Monday commute with a friend. Find Concord carpool options at:
http://www.erideshare.com/carpool.php?city=Concord&state=MA&zip=01742

The Electronics Recycling for Businesses encourages and supports businesses that want to be environmentally friendly. Twice a year in Concord; for more information and required forms, see:

http://www.concordma.gov/Pages/ConcordMA_Recycle/tv