If you’ve never heard the term “Web 2.0″ before, sorry buddy, but you’re out of touch. Chances are however that you’re already familiar with Web 2.0, even if you don’t know it. Ever watched a video on YouTube, written on a friend’s wall on Facebook, or uploaded a photo album to Flickr? Then you’ve experienced Web 2.0. What you maybe haven’t realized yet is that it’s is one of the best places to build and advertise your small business and, yes, save energy doing it. Read the full story

We resisted taking the social media plunge as we thought it was just a fad but we figured it was worth a try. As our goal is to connect people and build a community, we view Facebook and Twitter as two communication channels to create rich conversations and share key information. So far we’ve met some interesting people and learned some helpful information about developing our content.    

If you are a Facebook user, please become a Fan of our Padosa Facebook Page .

Come tweet with Padosa on Twitter.

Hope to see you there!

You’re a business owner looking for office space to rent. You want a cheap, long-term lease for a comfortable and productive environment where your company can thrive. You’re interested in green initiatives, but you’re unsure of their fiscal effectiveness. Is a green lease right for you? Read on to find out.

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Are you in interested in recycling and reducing waste and need some resources to get started? Below is a list of recycling resources, including helpful sites for waste reduction, green purchasing, printing and packaging, composting and food waste.

General

U.S. EPA Waste Wise program – Federal program providing assistance for businesses, governments and nonprofits in solid waste reduction and disposal.

NJ Department of Environmental Protection Read the full story

With a late-spring weekend approaching, I felt it was a good time to let go of some frustration so that I could head off to my weekend without the baggage. I have been thinking of some of the things that really bother me about company practices around sustainability, and thought I’d throw out a list of a few of my favorite ‘unacceptables.’  I am focusing this list on tactics. I could do a larger list on issues of strategy but I’ll save that for another day. Enjoy the weekend! Read the full story

Do you want your business to become energy efficient, but don’t know where to start? We have put together a guide to help you figure out how to conduct energy audits as a means to assess your potential savings opportunities. Read the full story

Chances are that if you are interested in green business initiatives, you have heard of  LEED, (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). The term is frequently mentioned in articles covering green building practices.  LEED is a voluntary sustainable building rating system created by the US Green Building Council (USGBC), a national nonprofit organization promoting sustainable architecture and design. The LEED rating system establishes national criteria for constructing green buildings.   Read the full story

Energy consumption accounts for a large chunk of an organization’s operating costs. Energy efficiency practices help reduce energy costs without compromising service. In addition to saving money and helping to improve the bottom line, energy efficiency supports the environment and improves employee morale. According to Green Workplace Survey, environmental programs improve employee morale by 43% and increase employee loyalty by 16%.

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I met a small manufacturer recently who expressed concern for rising electricity rates. He had been budgeting 3% increases in electricity in keeping with his history, and the past few years had shown increases of 15-20%. He wanted to know how to start a program to save electricity. He felt overwhelmed by the amount of information on the topic and was struggling to figure out what related to him. Read the full story

Market competition today has changed. Providing a great product or service is no longer enough to sustain business success. From customers to government agencies, all are demanding companies to take on corporate responsibility. Suppliers, investors, consumers alike are demanding companies to examine their business practices and take responsibility for its impact on the environment and society. A survey of social trends conducted by the research firm GlobeScan in 2007 found that consumers, 55% surveyed in North America, punish companies whose business practices harm the environment. These discriminating consumers have created a $306 billion ‘green’ market.

Financial markets are also showing interest in the role of sustainability practices of businesses. Dow Jones has created Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes to track the financial performance of sustainability driven companies. Al Gore and David Blood made a point in McKinsey Quarterly May 2007 that investing in sustainability delivers above-average returns.

Sustainability issues and climate change are increasingly influencing purchase decisions of consumers and customers. A company that ignores environmental or social issues may limit its value through loss of opportunities.