So, you’ve made the decision to “go green” at your work or internship. You are taking a stand for sustainability. But somehow, the green starting line feels like a lonely place. Sure, you’re committed and ready to move forward, but how will you get your team in the same mindset?

It may have taken you some time to make the decision to be green, so don’t be alarmed if your staff is slow to start connecting the eco-dots. Change is hard, even good change. But there are a few things you can do to encourage your team to jump onto the green bandwagon and start building enthusiasm for your eco-friendly paradigm.

Be Knowledgeable About Your Operation—Benchmark!
Strive to learn all you can about the environmental effects of your business operations. Find out how many kWh of electricity your hotel averages per occupied room; how many gallons of water per occupied room; and your ratio of waste to recycled materials. The American Hotel & Lodging Association provides a spreadsheet to help you establish benchmarks and document your progress, and members can take advantage of GreenQuest, a free online tool provided courtesy of Burton Energy Group. Use these tools to define and establish your goals, and then continually measure and discuss your progress. Build enthusiasm for reaching milestones.

Speak the Language—But Don’t Show Off
Understand green terminology. But know how to translate green-speak into layman’s terms. Once you have command of your green vocabulary, you will find it easier to explain environmental concepts to team members in meaningful terms. Again, AH&LA has provided a glossary of terms that will aid you in this process.

Diversify Your Green Team
Don’t make the obvious mistake of selecting only department heads to be on your green team, especially if you sense reluctance from them. Instead, find cheerleaders, those with passion for the cause, who will help to build enthusiasm long after the green meeting has adjourned. Interview interested employees to be sure they understand the mission of the team and can fulfill the duties with the needed level of conviction.

Hold a Kick-Off Event
Set up a table in your employee break room with information on the new green initiatives. Use balloons, posters, anything to draw attention and make it fun. Communicate the benefits of going green and provide recycling commitment cards (visit America Recycles Day website for sample forms). Consider offering ceramic coffee cups to those who sign commitments to help them reduce the use of disposable cups. Take pictures or video and post them to keep people engaged.

Solicit Feedback
Ask your team for their ideas on how to more effectively reach the new goals. This communicates that you’re all in it together, and everyone makes a difference. Use suggestion boxes and employee surveys. Provide incentives and give recognition for making suggestions. Hold a brainstorming meeting. Make it safe to suggest—there are no bad ideas when it comes to helping the planet.

Set an Example
Publicly recycle. Visibly adjust thermostats. Openly turn off lights. And yes, be seen going through the trash to remove recyclable items. Be a role model for taking a stand to make a difference. Be consistent, every day, every hour. Your team will respect this and follow your lead.

Keep Learning
There is so much to know about environmental stewardship. Keep yourself informed. Subscribe to news and blogs relating to sustainability and green hotels, such as Green Lodging News. Strive to learn something new daily, and share it with your team.

Celebrate Achievements
Make a big deal when things go right! People need to know that their efforts are paying off, so share the good news about your waste reduction, water conservation, and energy savings successes. Post it on bulletin boards and feature it in your newsletter. Incorporate ecology into your instant recognition programs, and catch people in the act of being green. A little celebration goes a long way.

Don’t Lose Heart
Along the way, there will be setbacks. You might be tempted to feel discouraged when people temporarily forget about green initiatives. Remember that humans learn through repetition. It takes 21 days, and 30 to 40 repetitions to form a habit. Your team needs to know that you are there to lead the charge through thick and thin. When you witness a green indiscretion, correct it, forgive it, and don’t stop believing. Always trust that your efforts are changing the world, one initiative at a time.

Julie A. Baylor, CHA, Julie Baylor Hospitality Consulting, can be reached at julie.baylor[at]hotmail.com.

This article first appeared on the Green Lodging News website. Syndicated by Sustainable Travel International.

If you’ve been reading my blog or Tweets for a while, you know I’m not a fan of plastic. Well David de Rothschild, founder of Adventure Ecology, has found a way to make plastic work. After being inspired almost four years ago by a United Nations Environment Program Report, de Rothschild had an idea to build the world’s first boat made completely of recycled plastic bottles. David and his crew, heading from San Francisco to Sydney, set sail on the Plastiki last week.

The Plastiki, a 60-foot catamaran, is named after the Kon-Tiki -- the raft used by Norwegian explorer and writer, Thor Heyerdahl, in his 1947 expedition across the Pacific Ocean from South America to the Polynesian islands.

The Plastiki is made of 12,500 reclaimed plastic bottles. She will travel 11,000 nautical miles across the Pacific to both raise awareness about the condition of our oceans as well as to see first hand the impact we people having on the environment. The Great Eastern Garbage Patch is one of the destinations prior to completing the journey three months later in Sydney.

I was lucky enough to be invited to the Plastiki’s press unveiling a few weeks ago. I met the crew and was even able to go on board and check her out myself. David de Rothschild’s passion for this project and the environment is

obvious. For the past several years his life has been dedicated to saving our planet – even at great risk of his own.

Jo Royle, the Plastiki’s award-winning Skipper (hear my interview with her), was super-sweet and very enthusiastic about spreading the message about plastic and other pollutants in our oceans. Jo shared something that really made such an impact on me- and makes no sense to her: The boating industry is responsible for producing incredibly toxic waste, even though their own captains and crews see the effects first hand. Isn’t it time to change?

Another interesting person (and crew member) I met was Olav Heyerdahl -- Thor Heyerdahl’s (Norwegian explorer, writer and Captain of the Kon-Tiki mentioned above) grandson. Olav shared some of his own experiences sailing the world, comparing his journeys to those of his grandfather’s, via diaries and logs meticulously kept by the elder Heyerdahl. Since his grandfather’s travels, the condition of our oceans has changed drastically. Where sharks made it nearly impossible for his grandfather to swim, Olav said he has seen only a few. Where his grandfather was able to eat tuna daily, Olav only had one such, because there just wasn’t any tuna to be caught. Olav, unfortunately, has seen an abundance of trash, especially plastic; his grandfather, however, saw none. In fact, his grandfather never recorded seeing any man-made debris.

The Plastiki

Not that I’m an expert on boat building, but my first impression was how sleek she is. Nothing I saw made me think she was built from recycled materials. Actual bottles make up the body of the boat and provide nearly 70% of her buoyancy. The glue, made especially for the Plastiki, is a special mix of cashews and sugar (ok, yum!). The sails are one of the first to be made from recycled plastic and the masts are constructed from aluminum irrigation piping.

Matthew Grey, the Expedition Coordinator, demonstrated one of the most unique and interesting features of the boat – the on-board bicycle. The bike has a dual purpose: 1) to help prevent loss of muscle mass, and 2) to generate power.

One of my most favorite features was the vegetable garden. As a nutritionist and vegetarian, I thought this was such a great idea. Having on-board access to fresh, organic greens will no doubt help keep everyone healthy.

It took immense effort to make the Plastiki as sustainable as possible and if it’s possible for a boat, it’s no doubt possible for any building or structure. The homes we live in, the cars we drive, the offices we work in can all be made less toxic! The technology is out there. It takes commitment, but as David de Rothschild, his crew and the developing team have proven, it’s possible.

I commend them all for their dedication. David said that one of his goals was to show that it could be done. the Plastiki will definitely inspire other industries to head in the same direction.

Now I ask, how can you raise awareness and have a positive impact?

Live natural. Live well.

Heather

Check out Heather's site, www.getnaturalgetwell.com

Hello everyone! 2010 is upon us; it's not only a new year, but a new decade. Looking back, it has been quite an interesting one. 2009 itself was a massive learning experience. This past year has opened my eyes to many things, but especially to live more sustainably.

Some college students feel as if they can't live a sustainable and frugal life without having to sacrifice their lifestyle. I'm here to tell you that's not the case. I'll be giving you tips on how to save money, go green, survive college, and reduce your impact on the environment.

Here are a few simple things we can do to make a drastic change in 2010:

• Do not print your e-mails: Most college students don't; the less evidence, the better. A lot of us only use our e-mail accounts for school, internships, or work. This goes for assignments as well. Try not to bring a paper copy of your assignments to class unless it's absolutely necessary. The trees will thank you.
  
• Download green iPhone apps: One that will help you track your carbon footprint is Carbon Tracker (obviously). Other good ones that will help you on your way to greatness are
• Bank of America: mobile banking
• Pizza Hut: order your food right where you are
• Chipotle: who doesn't want their burrito ready when they get there?
• iFlip: a flashcard application for $5 that will save you many index cards
  
• Pay your bills online: Save a stamp (aren't they $0.42 now?), an envelope, and some time.
  
• Do your shopping online: This is some advice I wish I would've taken this holiday season. Avoid the lines, you get a greater variety (sometimes), and you save gas. Only downside: you can't try on the clothes, so for those sale items, I suggest you go ahead and make the trip.
  
• Clickbee.net is a website where you can get cash back on your purchases. Doesn't hurt to try.
  
• Turn off your lights: When you leave a room, turn the light off, even if you're coming right back, but especially if you're not. Your energy bill will thank you, which in turn will have you thanking yourself.
  
• Limit your showers: Sure it might feel swell, but you really only need a 5 minute shower to hit all the basics and crevices. Make it a challenge with your friends to motivate you even more.
  
• Share a ride: I cannot emphasize it enough: carpool, carpool, carpool. I know you have friends who go to the same places you go. School, work, movies, etc. Take the trip together.

You don’t have to replace all of your current wares with the most green items on the market. However, you should consider eco-friendly purchases when it comes time to buy new items. For example, when replacing paper towels for the kitchen, why not purchase recycled
towels or hand towels instead?

Green isn't hip. It isn't fashionable. It is a choice and a way of life.

Let's keep it that way by combating myths about green lifestyles.

You shouldn’t have to spend a fortune to make better decisions.

However, you will have to outweigh your current cost of an item to its long-term cost. For instance, if you are looking to purchase new bath towels, 100% cotton may be the cheapest. However, its absorbency and softness will last a year before you have to purchase a new set. How about a 100% organic bamboo towel set instead, which will last you longer but cost a little more money at the outset?

Most campuses have implemented recycling programs. However, any true Rainmaker can pinpoint several ways to make their current programs more efficient!

• Contact Facilities Management at your local university to request a recycling bin next to every trash can on campus.
• Bring your own mug every morning for coffee and ask for a discount. If there isn’t a discount in place, talk to Dining Services about arranging one.
• Is the dining hall still using Styrofoam plates? Make formal, written requests to the University to replace Styrofoam with recyclable paper or plastic plates.

Have more ideas? Post them in the comments section.