Asia Pacific's first PADI Green Star Award awarded to Matava, Fiji

We're pleased to announce that Matava – Fijis Premier Eco Adventure Resort has received the first PADI Green Star award in the Asia Pacific region in November 2011 for our sustainable and eco-conscious environmental activities and business practices.

The program helps PADI Dive Centers and Resorts identify practical actions they can take to protect and preserve the environment. Because they choose which conservation actions they would like to implement, PADI Dive Centers and Resorts can completely customize the program for their businesses.

“There’s more to going green than simply jumping on the eco bandwagon,” says Bob Coleman, Vice President of Sales, Retailer and Resort Association, PADI Americas, Latin America and Canada. “Well-organized conservation initiatives can reduce costs while strengthening your brand, especially when you strategically introduce them into your overall business plan. Earning the PADI Green Star Award shows customers that you care about the environment and are taking action to protect it. With today’s environmentally-conscious divers, going green can be an important competitive advantage.”

Richard Akhtar of Matava and
Mike Holme of PADI Asia Pacific

The PADI Green Star award requires dive operators and resorts to conduct an objective audit of their facility and business practices and assesses performance in water and energy use, transportation, waste management and conservation leadership.

“We hope other dive operations and tourism providers in the Asia Pacific region follow our example and help to protect their local environment and achieve sustainable business practises in a green and clean manner!” said Mr Stuart Gow, one of Matava's Directors.

"We are extremely proud to win this award. We have been lucky to win overseas and global awards for our environmental policy in the past year, but it is especially gratifying to be recognised at home by our colleagues in Fiji." he continued .

Richard Akhtar, Managing Director of Matava - Fiji's Premier Eco Adventure Resort said "At Matava, we are of course both happy and proud to receive this prestigious award. We find it even more important that the industry, by rewarding environmental efforts, choose to take a stand for the environment we depend on. We also see it as an important continuing signal to the community which at the same time can serve to inspire the numerous individuals and companies who have been doing so much, and continue to do even more in the field of environmental enlightenment and conservation. This award has highlighted Fiji's leading role and efforts in this regard especially."

"At Matava, we are of course both happy and proud to receive this prestigious global award. We find it even more important that the industry, by rewarding similar efforts, choose to take a stand for the environment we depend on. We also see it as an important continuing signal to the community which at the same time can serve to inspire the numerous individuals and companies who have been doing so much, and continue to do even more in the field of environmental enlightenment and conservation. This award has highlighted Fiji's leading role and efforts in this regard especially in our our region of the South Pacific."
Mr Akhtar finished by saying "Matava - Fiji's Premier Eco-Adventure Resort has again proved that it is indeed among the leaders in environmentally sensitive resorts worldwide, and this latest award solidifies our position as an example of how resorts can operate AND help maintain and improve the surrounding environment"

PADI Green Star Award presented to Stuart Gow of Matava by Drew Richardson, President of PADI at DEMA 2012
(Danny Dwyer, Drew Richardson, Stuart Gow, Hendrick Nimb, Mike Holme)

 The Green Star award was presented to us during DEMA week in November 2011 by PADI's Project Aware and PADI President Mr Drew Richardson.

###

Notes to editors

About Matava - Fiji's Premier Eco Adventure Resort

Matava - Fiji's Premier Eco Adventure Resort, is an eco adventure getaway offering you a fun and unique blend of cultural experiences and adventure activities in the environmentally pristine and remote island of Kadavu in the Fiji Islands. Matava - Fiji Premier Eco Adventure Resort is a PADI Dive Resort as well as a Project AWARE GoEco Operator. With more than 12 years experience in the Fiji Islands, Matava is recognized as a leading educational dive centre. Matava offers accommodation for up to 22 guests in lush tropical surroundings in traditional thatched Fijian 'bures' with hardwood polished floors, louvre windows and private decks offering privacy, comfort and superb ocean views.  

  

For interviews, images or further information please contact Stuart Gow, Stuart@Matava.com, t: 679-997-5416

About PADI Green Star Awards:

PADI Dive Centers and Resorts have a powerful new tool to help organize and implement environmental conservation programs - and be recognized for their efforts - with the PADI Green Star Award. The program helps PADI Dive Centers and Resorts identify practical actions they can take to protect and preserve the environment. Because they choose which conservation actions they would like to implement, PADI Dive Centers and Resorts can completely customize the program for their businesses. For additional information, contact Roger Josselyn at 800 729 7234 (US and Canada) or +1 949 858 7234 ext. 2519.

Warning: Fending Off Mosquitoes May be Harmful to Your Health « I Count for myEARTH

Natural Mosquito Repellent

According to an article by Vanessa Vadim, environmental advice columnist for Mother Nature Network, "Every year, 500 million people are infected with mosquito-borne illnesses and at least 2.5 million die from those infections."

Mosquitoes are attracted to floral scents found in perfumes, hair products, sunscreens, moisturizers and fabric softeners. They also like potassium, which is found in meat, bananas, melons, sports drinks, milk, potatoes and tomatoes, all foods we like to enjoy in abundance for summer cookouts. Mosquitoes are also tempted by the lactic acid and carbon dioxide that our bodies produce with exercise, so lingering outside after a workout is a surefire way to attract these annoying little pests.

The good news is that you can repel mosquitos naturally by incorporating repellent plants into your landscape and by welcoming animals into your yard that eat mosquitoes. If this isn't an option for you, you can make your own personal mosquito repellent. Using unscented skin cream as a base, add a few drops of eucalyptus, cedar, geranium, peppermint, lemon grass, fennel, catnip, rosemary, tea tree, castor or soybean essential oils and apply the mixture to your skin. You can also use water or alcohol as a base, mix together with essential oils in a spray bottle and mist onto your skin. Another natural repellent? Avoid wearing dark colors. As with any product, be sure to check the label on each bottle of essential oil for directions for use.

This information provided with help from http://icountformyearth.wordpress.com

Warning: Fending Off Mosquitoes May be Harmful to Your Health « I Count for myEARTH

Travel Smart: Invasive Plants and Animals - The Green Guide

With 650 million tourists crossing international borders annually, travel is a leading cause of unintended invasive-species introductions. Fungi, insects and seeds hitch rides in luggage, on food and clothing, even on our bodies. "The organisms...that we import intentionally pale in numbers beside the masses of smaller living things we set in motion incidentally," cautions Yvonne Baskin in A Plague of Rats and Rubbervines: The Growing Threat of Species Invasions. And not without cost: In the U.S., invasive species have contributed to the decline of up to 46 percent of imperiled species.

Some countries require aircraft "disinsection" to crack down on alien invaders, forcing airlines to spray cabins with insecticides, including synthetic pyrethroids, which can spark asthma attacks. Passengers may be subject to in-flight spraying on some flights to Asia, Africa, the South Pacific and the Caribbean, while other countries spray planes immediately before passengers board.

What You Can Do: Travel Smart: Invasive Plants and Animals - The Green Guide

Green Travel

HOW GREEN ARE YOUR TRAVELS?

Help Protect Your Favorite Travel Destination

"Green" Hotels Association® is encouraging all travelers to green up their travel. The U. S. Travel Data Center estimates that 43 million US travelers are "ecologically concerned." These travelers will be especially interested, but all travelers can take part in this important mission(the greening of the travel industry-whether away for business or pleasure.

Managers of all businesses react and respond to requests of guests, customers and clients who voice their concerns. So, when you write a note or speak directly to management regarding our environment, you are casting a vote. You can write a note to the general manager of the hotel, to the captain of the airplane and to the manager of a tour company or cruise line with compliments or comments regarding their green program. Thank them for their green program if they have one. Or, ask why they don't have a green program. As a paying customer, it is important that you let them know that you want them to lower water and energy usage and reduce solid waste-and that you want to participate.

"Encourage businesses to think as you do by choosing where to spend your travel dollars. Spend your dollars with travel businesses that are interested in protecting the beautiful destinations we all love to visit", suggests President Patricia Griffin.

Hotels and airlines which have an environmental agenda deserve your patronization. Book your guestrooms and meeting rooms with hotels that are clearly interested in protecting our environment, and let management know that's why you've chosen their hotel. "Green" Hotels Association® member hotels are encouraged to implement water-saving measures, execute energy-saving techniques and reduce solid waste. Rather than putting all these measures into effect "behind the doors", GHA encourages all lodging accommodations to get guests and clients involved. Hotels can offer towel and sheet-changing options, soap and shampoo dispensers, guestroom recycling baskets and reduced food-related waste. Almost all guests realize that we need to help protect our favorite destinations. Those guests are more than willing to participate in a hotel's green program. Choose "green" hotels by calling or faxing "Green" Hotels Association® for a list of members. Or, check out GHA's Internet site-www.greenhotels.com.

"Further ideas for greener individual travel", says Patricia Griffin, "include: during your hotel stay, let management know that it is not necessary to change your towels and sheets every day. When you leave the room, turn off the AC/heat, lights and TV. Carry your own bar soap and shampoo. Leave the little bottles of shampoo if you don't use them. Avoid room service."

Book flights with airlines that recycle the waste created when serving food and beverages to passengers. British Airways, for instance, has a very strong environmental agenda. Southwest Airlines recycles all cabin waste, and was the first to offer electronic ticketing systemwide.

Use the hotel van instead of renting a car. Use public transportation in your destination city.

Before you leave home, you can take the first steps to green up your travel by turning down the thermostat on your hot water heater, adjusting your AC/heat thermostat and stopping your newspaper.

You can help protect the beautiful business and pleasure destinations we all love to visit. You can help protect Mother Earth. You can help protect our environment for future generations.

"Green" Hotels Association - Green Travel

Kadavu Island forum: where is waisalima beach resort - TripAdvisor

WaisalimaMan

Sacramento, CA

"Matava Resort is a nice dive resort on the opposite side of the island and about 40 minutes from the airstrip by boat.

It's more rustic in nature because it's built on a hillside in the jungle rather than down closer to the beachfront. Gorgeous views abound form all over the property.

They have a wonderful veggie garden and a 4 star chef offering international dishes as well as local stuff.

They also have a fully equipeed big game fishing boat captained by a record holding IGFA representative. For this kind of fishing off KDV, this is the place to stay.

Snorkeling is done at a nearshore island that you can walk to at low tide, swim to at high tide. They have great diving and good people, too. Swimming off their place is not very good - at low tide it's a sand flat. "

Kadavu Island forum - TripAdvisor

EC3 Global launches Green Globe Lite

Green Globe Lite, a global on-line program released today, will – for the first time – provide tourism operators with a user-friendly, affordable tool to measure their business’s carbon footprint and environment performance. The program targets small to medium-size businesses (SMEs) which make up a large percentage of the tourism industry.

Green Globe Lite’s operational health check involves a quantitative assessment of the business's performance in the areas of energy consumption; CO₂ emissions; water consumption and waste production. It also provides guidelines for developing and implementing a sustainability policy. It meets international standards for carbon footprint calculation and is backed by the STCRC (Sustainable Tourism Cooperative Research Centre), the world's leading tourism research body, which is in turn backed by 17 of Australia's leading tertiary education institutions and industry bodies.

“While the final structure of the Federal Government's carbon pollution reduction scheme is still to be determined, SME tourism operators are recognising the benefits of measuring their environmental performance. Apart from the operational efficiencies, there are demonstrable bottom line benefits of significantly increased savings and profits through better resource management,” explained Stewart Moore, CEO of EC3 Global. EC3 Global manages the Green Globe programme on behalf of Green Globe Asia Pacific.

Melbourne City Council's Savings in the City project benchmarked 20 city hotels for energy, water and waste and introduced sustainable practices. Over two years from October, 2005, the selected hotels saw a combined reduction in waste of 2410 tonnes, or the equivalent of 628 truckloads. One hotel spent $4000 on reducing the energy used for lighting. The changes implemented saved the hotel $15,000 per year in energy costs, and a further $7500 on maintenance.

Incorporating feedback from a series of industry workshops undertaken with Australian Hotels Association (AHA) in 2007, Green Globe Lite addresses sustainable practices within accommodation, restaurant and spa operators; visitor information centres and administration offices. The program has been applauded by the Australian Hotels Association, which is promoting Green Globe Lite to its members. 

“The partnership between the AHA and Green Globe provides hotels across Australia with an affordable, easy-to-use tool to measure and assess their environmental performance. It provides a clear pathway for them to adopt sustainable policies and practices,” said AHA Chief Executive Officer Bill Healey.

At A$850 per annum, the Green Globe Lite program is an investment of only A$2.30 - or a cup of coffee - a day and is undertaken without a third party audit or additional third party input. For further information on Green Globe Lite, visit www.greenglobe.org/greenglobelite or call +61 (0) 7 3238 1900.


EC3 Global launches Green Globe Lite

Is your ecohotel really green? How to tell

Helpful tips to help you make an informed decision when booking an eco hotel

With pollution and climate change as ever-growing concerns, it is evident that every social sector needs to play a more active role in mitigating the negative impact of their actions and strive for sustainability. The tourism industry is stepping up to the plate in this struggle for sustainability and setting environmentally sound goals and standards. 

In this context, the ecohotel is gaining rapid popularity. Consumers are becoming more aware of their impact on the environment, and are opting for green accommodations that tend to minimize their environmental footprint when traveling. But what are green accommodations? How can travelers know when they’re choosing eco hotels and not conventional hotels that simply advertise an eco friendly image? It’s necessary to provide a concrete definition of what an eco hotel actually is, so that travelers can make more informed decisions when booking accommodations and hotel owners can better understand how to provide for consumer demands. Generally speaking, Ecotrotters defines ecohotels as those which:

• Make important environmental improvements to their structure and practices in order to minimize their impact on the environment
• Place an emphasis on sustainability and environmental conservation
• Consider the needs of local communities and promote fair trade
• Promote knowledge and understanding of sustainability and ecological practices

When booking your accommodations, try to look for hotels that minimize their impact by employing simple practices such as using natural cooling as opposed to air conditioning, replacing incandescent lights with compact fluorescent lamps, installing low-flow shower heads and toilets, and offering a sheet and towel reuse program whereby guests have their linens exchanged every few days instead of daily. All these simple actions provide great benefits to the environment by reducing the amount of energy needed. Recycling is another sound practice, which can include composting kitchen materials and recycling waste water. Something else you can check for when making a decision as to whether your accommodations are eco friendly or not is the hotel’s use of its grounds. Hotels are moving a step closer to sustainability, and are thus greener, when they grow their own produce or buy ingredients produced locally to prepare the food offered to their guests.

Social responsibility is another key factor when determining how green a hotel is. Eco hotels must have a deep respect for local culture and traditions and provide jobs for the local and/or indigenous populations. They should also offer environmental training programs for staff and environmental courses and seminars for hotel guests, as well as participate in ecological projects off hotel property. Check if your choice accommodations follow any of these practices. 

These are just some examples of eco measures employed by green hotels. However, the consumer must be careful not to fall prey to those establishments that claim to be environmentally friendly when in fact they are not. Guests shouldn’t hesitate to ask if a hotel has a written policy concerning environmental initiatives and relations with local people. As there are currently more than 100 eco certification programs worldwide with different standards, perhaps what guests must first do is familiarize themselves with the general criteria that make a hotel green, and decide which suits their needs and objectives. 


Ecotrotters.com - Eco Articles - Is your ecohotel really green? How to tell

How to offset carbon emissions for travel and living

Take a look at the different actions you can take to reduce and offset the build-up of greenhouse gases

Human beings have needs which must be met. But in meeting those needs, our actions are causing a build up of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere which are a consequence of the energy and the services we use every day. We burn fossil fuels for electricity in our homes and businesses, for transportation, and to manufacture the goods we buy and consume every day. Considering that doing without energy seems highly unlikely, we should at least take actions to offset our CO2 emissions. This is where carbon offsets come into play.

Carbon offsets are financial instruments representing a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions which allow governments, businesses, and individuals to compensate for their emissions. One carbon offset represents the reduction of one metric ton of carbon dioxide, or its equivalent in other greenhouse gases. Carbon offsets are bought by either governments and businesses to comply with restrictions on the total amount of carbon dioxide emissions allowed, or at a much smaller scale, by individuals, businesses, and governments that wish to mitigate their emissions. By participating in sustainable projects, we are generating offsets. Some of these projects include reforestation, energy efficiency projects, methane abatement, and the production of renewable energy, such as hydroelectric dams and wind farms.

Although these projects may seem unrelated to our daily lives, there are plenty of simple actions we can take to offset carbon emissions. Through more efficient heating, cooling, and lighting we can drastically reduce our energy consumption. By simply replacing incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps and taking out our sweaters from the closet and lowering the thermostat during winter months, we are making a difference, believe it or not. Carpooling and using public transport are also simple actions that lessen our impact.

When traveling, many of us decide to fly to our destinations, either for comfort or to save time. Air travel, however, produces more greenhouse gas emissions than any other form of transportation. We can make our travel greener by donating to a series of projects that help offset greenhouse gases resulting from our trips. The internet offers hundreds of sites introducing carbon offsetting projects to which you can make donations. The environmental impact of your flight is calculated and a price is allotted as to how much that impact actually costs. You donate that amount to the project, and thus offset the emissions caused by your flight. Several airlines throughout the world are also looking at neutralizing the effects of their flights on the environment, so before you buy your ticket, check if your airline company is involved in a carbon offset program.

Most carbon offset projects that you may participate in will not only reduce global carbon emissions, but will improve the quality of life of the populations where the projects are developed. Through a reforestation project, for example, we are not only reducing carbon emissions, but also providing a better education for children who would otherwise spend their time collecting wood for fuel. We are also helping preserve forests and providing a habitat of many plants and animals.

Participating in offsetting practices is not as difficult as it seems. There are numerous types of activities that can generate carbon offsets. We can modify many of our daily activities to reduce our carbon emissions, make donations to established carbon offset programs, or do business with companies and service providers that follow carbon offsetting practices. Whatever action we take, we must always study our options and choose transparent methods for mitigating our impact.

Ecotrotters.com - Eco Articles - How to offset carbon emissions for travel and living

Whole Travel Launches Rating System To Keep Eco-Friendly Hotels Honest

The “green” incarnation of travel, called ecotourism, mandates that travelers minimize their cultural, economic, and environmental impacts as much as possible to promote sustainability. But while there are thousands of hotels worldwide that promote themselves as “green”, many of them are only partially fulfilling these requirements - they might not be wasting energy, but are paying locals at near-slave wages, or funneling money out of the local economy.

Whole Travel, a new site that launches tonight, is looking to keep these hotels honest while promoting the concept of sustainable travel. The site assigns each hotel with a score based on its environmental, cultural, and economic impacts, as well as its “customer interaction”, or how well it teaches visitors about the issues that affect their destination.

To receive a score, hotels first self-assign a rating based on how well they think they fare in each category. Whole Travel CEO Matthew Davie acknowledges that these scores will be biased, but believes that submitting a misleading score would actually hurt hotels in the long run, as readers of the site would be able to tag them as dishonest and discourage prospective customers. However, the site isn’t relying on good faith alone - it is also working with local non-profits around the world to verify rating for hotels in their regions. The site is also working with international non-profits like Sustainable Travel International, which has similar goals but is based on a “badge” system that hotels need to pay for to become accredited as Green.

Besides the new hotel rating system, Whole Travel also includes a number of more standard features that you’d expect on a travel site. Users can search for hotels using descriptive keywords rather than location names (you could search for “relaxing” for a list of locations that fit the bill). The site also includes standard lists of hotel pricing and links to Kayak to book flights and hotels.

As a travel site Whole Travel isn’t doing anything new - you can aggregate hotel listings on countless other places across the web. But its “green” hotel rating system could prove both very popular and very lucrative, provided the site is able to establish credibility. And with partnerships with major hotel chains already in the works, the company may not be far from painting the world - and its pocketbook - green.

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CrunchBase Information

Whole Travel

Website:	wholetravel.com
Location:	Palo Alto, California, United States
Founded:	September, 2006

Whole Travel is a travel site that encourages eco-friendly tourism by aiming to rate hotels by how “green” they are. World Travel also changes the way people search for travel locations by searching for activities rather than location. Learn More

Whole Travel Launches Rating System To Keep Eco-Friendly Hotels Honest

10 Ways To Go Green At Work

By Charlene Davis

Going green. There are endless ways to create a greener workplace -- from using recycled products to installing doubled-paned windows for better insulation. The best way to start is by taking small steps. Here are a few ideas you can work with.

1. Green up your commute. Since your workday begins when you arrive, let's start with how you get there. The best-case scenario is to telecommute by working from home. Today's technology -- e.g., video conferencing, instant messaging and online seminars -- has made this a reality.

However, if your office can't be home-based and walking or biking is not an option, consider carpooling with two to three other like-minded people or using public transportation. Other alternatives are purchasing a hybrid or electric vehicle or switching from an eight-hour workday, five days a week to a 10-hour workday, four days a week. This will cut your daily commute time by at least 20% and give you longer weekends.

2. Go digital. The greenest paper is no paper, and one of the most effective ways to be more eco-friendly in your office is to reduce paper waste. Switch from a fax machine to a fax modem to send and receive paperless documents. Use electronic forms whenever possible, and email letters and documents to be read online rather than printed out. Have staff members take their laptops to team meetings so they aren't printing reams of reports.

An added bonus: Storing files on your computer saves time, money and space. Just don't forget to backup, preferably to an off-site data system. You can also use compact flash drives to easily and efficiently transport and share documents. Not only are they more convenient than CDs, but most have security features to protect sensitive data.

3. Read the green print. When printing is unavoidable, use the draft mode on your printer and make double-sided printing your default. The same rules apply to your copier as well. You should also use 100% post-consumer recycled paper.

Glenn Croston, author of 75 Green Businesses You Can Start to Make Money and Make a Difference, also recommends using software from Greenprint.com to avoid printing excess blank pages and converting documents to PDF files for paperless document sharing.

4. Green your PC. Since we're talking about using computers to their maximum potential, we also need to discuss how to make them more efficient and environmentally friendly. Start by putting computers on "standby" or in "hibernation" mode when they haven't been accessed for more than 10 minutes; turn them completely off when you're finished working for the day. When it's time to replace older desktop computers, switch to a laptop for more efficiency.

Not only are they more portable, but they use 80% less energy. And when upgrading, take advantage of take-back programs for people who want to recycle their old computers. Some manufacturers, such as Sony (SNE) and Dell(DELL), offer free shipping or trade-in credit toward new purchases.

5. Can you see the light? Daylight is the best natural resource. However, natural lighting is not always adequate, and energy-efficient light bulbs such as compact fluorescent bulbs or LEDs should replace incandescent lighting for cost and energy savings. Just be sure to turn off the lights when leaving the room. Croston recommends installing occupancy sensors or timers on lights so they automatically turn off when no one is around.

6. Get real. ... Plants that is. A silk tree may be easier to take care of, but a real one adds natural beauty to your surroundings while improving the quality of indoor air. This can be especially important if you work in a newer building that is tightly sealed to conserve energy.

Older buildings and homes may also feature materials that produce harmful pollutants from synthetic carpeting and fabrics, plastic coated wallpaper or laminated countertops. One of the best natural defenses against these contaminants is to make liberal use of live houseplants.

7. Take a break. And when you do, toss the plastic wear and foam cups. Encourage your employees to bring lunch from home in reusable containers or frequent restaurants that have green carryout initiatives like Chipotle (CMG).

Provide washable china and utensils in your lunchroom, or encourage staffers to bring their own. This would also be an excellent time to get some coffee mugs with your company logo on them for visitors and employees to use.

8. Perk up. Speaking of coffee, use fair-trade certified, shade-grown coffee in reusable coffee filters. Not only is organic coffee better for you, but the shade-grown beans help to protect biodiversity of the fragile ecosystems in the countries that grow it, while the reusable filters cut down on waste. Croston also cautions against using nondairy creamers in coffee because they are loaded with hydrogenated oils and other unhealthy products.

9. Use green marketing tools. Promote your eco-friendly habits in your marketing materials, both internally and externally. "Let your customers, suppliers and employees know that you are taking active steps to protect and preserve the environment," says business writer Jacquelyn Lynn. "It will build loyalty and enhance your company's image."

This can be done in a number of ways, but one of the simplest is to add a green tag line to emails that [says] something like: "Please think green before printing this email" or "Bio-based for a healthier environment."

10. Don't just think green; wear it. Another change you can personally make is to have a green wardrobe. Purchase clothing with organic fibers such as cotton, silk, wool or hemp, or fabric made from recycled materials. Who knew plastic soda bottles could look so good?

Try to avoid clothing that requires dry cleaning, but if it does, look for a green dry cleaner that uses a carcinogen-free process. Another recyclable fashion alternative is to "go vintage" by visiting secondhand and thrift shops.

Off to a Green Start
Going green in the workplace is easier if you do it from the beginning, and Glenn Croston, suggests looking for green business opportunities. There are green businesses in a wide range of industries, he says. "If you keep your eyes open, there might be a new business you [start] by thinking, acting and working green," says Croston.

However, in many fields, launching a green initiative from the outset is not feasible, especially if you've been in business for a while. So create a plan of action, and jump in anywhere using some of the suggestions outlined in this article. Lynn urges everyone to remember that little things add up to a lot.

"When you're a small operation, it's easy to think that what you do doesn't really matter," she says. "But when you multiply the things you do by thousands of other small operations, it's a big impact"

About the Author:
Charlene Davis (www.cdavisfreelance.com) is a nationally published writer specializing in business, retail, e-commerce and food. In addition to numerous articles and ghostwritten publications, she is the author of "Start Your Own Photography Business," "Start Your Own Clothing Store," and "How to Sell Clothing, Shoes & Accessories on eBay," as well as two additional books co-written with Jacquelyn Lynn, "Make BIG Profits on eBay" and "Start Your Own Senior Services Business," all available from Entrepreneur Press.

http://mainstreet.com/10-ways-go-green-work

Echarger: Saving the planet economically with fashionable, energy-saving products

Echarger: Eco-friendly travel chargers

Echarger is a small company aiming to make a big difference to the environment by offering a range of environmentally friendly – and extremely useful – battery and mobile chargers for people on the move or out of reach of a standard power supply.

Echarger’s range of fashionable, energy efficient and solar travel chargers is available in a variety of formats to suit a wide range of portable gadgets, from mobile phones to MP3 players; digital cameras to portable DVDs; game consoles to sat navs and lots more.

Never run out of juice again! Echarger gives you a readily available supply of energy to charge your equipment, no matter where you are: on the move; at college or work; or even stranded in the middle of nowhere.

Do your bit for the environment by reducing electricity usage and harnessing the power of the sun to charge your kit!

All echarger products come with a 100% satisfaction guarantee and a 12 month warranty.

For more information please browse this website and feel free to contact us with any questions.

Echarger: Saving the planet economically with fashionable, energy-saving products