What is your carbon foot print?

Environmental effects has been a big theme even before our new president announced that he was investing billions of dollars into environmental programs and upgrades. But the term carbon foot print is usually equated with our personal self or our own life style. Right? No!! Think about where you work, or if your a business owner, think about your companies usage. How much paper gets copied each day? How many paper coffee cups used to be thrown in the trash? How many employees are traveling by car and plain, and to what extent? If its an action that requires energy within your company, then it is almost guaranteed to contribute to the carbon footprint of your company.

So, you ask, why should I care? and your probably thinking you have more important things to think about such as your bottom dollar. That's exactly right IT'S ABOUT YOUR BOTTOM DOLLAR!!! That's why you should care. In the long run, it will save your company thousands of dollars. It makes sense that if your using less energy, that less money will be going out of your pocket. Right?


Productivity: There has been studies done on this area in which employee productivity has gone up due to increased day lighting, more flexibility in air comfort, and lowered health risks due to VOC off gassing.

Cost Savings: There's been debate with how much going "green" really saves a company. There is no standard calculation for this, and it really depends on where a company started at and where they are finishing. Are you willing to make major changes? Or is it just minor? As a manager or owner, you have to think of the longevity of these savings. Of course this savings turns into increased revenue for the company.
Expanded Business Opportunities: More and more businesses are only conducting business with other businesses that produce green products. As we move more and more into the popularity of being "Green", more businesses will be forced to be apart of these trends, and your customers will expect that what they are receiving is environmentally friendly as well. For example, we're are seeing companies like McDonald’s use bio-degradable hot cup holders. Even the car industry is recognizing that the consumers are buying more and more of the energy saving automobiles.

Attract & Retain great employees: Today’s workers want to be part of companies that are not only successful but also environmentally responsible. This means being apart of a company that takes obvious steps to help the environment. Many of the incoming workforce from universities around the country feel that this is a significant part of what they are looking for in there new careers.

This is a new era, and as business owners, we must keep up with these changes in order to be successful. Not only does it benefit your bottom line, it helps the environment.

The paint chip dilema

I attended an interior design get together over the weekend, in which about half the people there where not professional designers. Many of them came with problems and issues they have had in their home. I noticed that there was a theme occurring. Many of them didn't know how to deal with issues relating to color choice. That can be a tricky issue, because many things relate to color. There are a some questions that should be analyzed before settling on one choice.


What is the size of the room?

What kind of lighting is there?

What is the space used for?

Is there an existing color theme in some of the furniture, finishes, and fixtures that you will be re-using?

What is the size of the Room? It is known that color is used to alter the perception of the size of a room. This can be very helpful in small, cramped spaces where you might want to make it feel larger. On the other spectrum of things, in a larger space you may want it to feel smaller and cozy. What ever the situation is, picking the right color can help achieve this. In general, uniformity of color can provide the illusion of spaciousness, but keep in mind that over doing this can provide the opposite effect as well. There are a couple rules we should think about before applying color. Advancing colors (Bright colors) make a wall seem nearer, can close a large room in, or pull down a tall ceiling. Light reflecting colors make a room appear larger.


What kind of lighting is there? As a very basic explanation to this question, color will change depending on the quality and quantity of daylight, and the type of artificial light. Lighting can be a science in itself. Just keep in mind that one color in the store can look totally different in your home or office. It is also recommended to try it out with your new light source if you are changing that.

What is the space used for? Many colors have suggested meanings or psychological effects that come with them. In the healthcare industry lighter colors are soothing, where brighter colors create energy and might be more appropriate for an up beat restaurant. When picking the color of a particular room, examine if the color of choice matches what the activity of the room is. We wouldn't want to paint a baby's nursery room bright red or even black. These colors might effect the sleeping patterns of the baby. I don't think it's an accident that baby colors are pastels.

Is there an existing color theme in some of the furniture, finishes, and fixtures that you will be re-using? This would seem to be the most obvious, but many people ignore this fact. They get stuck on a new color theme they may have seen in a magazine, and don't take into consideration how those colors fit with what they already have. It's not just walls that provide color. The lighting has its own color, along with the woods from furniture, trims, carpet, accessories, and doors. A successful overhaul of a color theme will look at all these pieces.