WestGate won't Waste: January 2009

WHO WE ARE? WHAT WE WANT?

On the 20th of October 2008, several residents from WestGate Park Bucharest, sustained by WWF Romania, initiated a campaign to make this business park more eco-friendly.

You must know that even if we work in an office, we still have an impact on the environment.In order to sustain our business, we consume electricity, water and gas and we produce substantial quantities of waste: plastics, paper, and much … much more.

This is why we have decided to reduce our ecological footprint on our surrounding environment, but in the end it all depends on us.

Thus, through the means of this blog we are providing you with information on ways of reducing consumption and recycling waste at the office, but also at home.

We believe that sustainable development will bring long-term benefits for each side implicated: companies, community and nature.

Add this page to your favorites and stay posted for more news and information.

30 January 2009

HOW DID WE START?

As residents of WestGate Business Park Bucharest, some companies - WNS, Accenture, Dacia Group and Ericsson - initiated a green project - “WestGate Won’t Waste” - based on 3 actions:

REDUCE

REUSE

RESPECT

The purpose of this campaign is to implement the same procedures for all the companies, by informing and educating, in order to reduce the impact on the environment at work and everywhere around us.

This initiative, sustained by WWF Romania, started on the 20th of October 2008 with informal videos and "Promise Cards" (flyers printed on recycled paper with some eco solutions).

In order to keep our readers up to date with these actions, the "eco" team created this blog and a second one in Romanian language - http://nu-waste-gate.blogspot.com/.

Having the support of the cleaning companies, the second step was to improve the activity of waste collection by using separated disposals.

We believe that from our home to the office, everyone can take actions that make a difference.

By applying this simple rule, we can make our work place more efficient and we can reduce our ecological footprint.

Respect Earth and life in all its diversity!

ECO OFFICE?

A greener workplace can mean a lighter ecological footprint, a healthier and more productive place to work, and good news for the bottom line.
Whether you’re the boss or the employee, whether your office is green already or still waiting to see the light, some practical steps can lay the groundwork for a healthy, low-impact workspace.
From how you get to work - we recommend telecommuting - to helping your company walk the walk through corporate financial investment in green, to getting a new green job that matches your career with your ideals, to starting your own green business, we break down your green workplace.

Masdar: the first zero-carbon and zero-waste city

The citizenship debate continues on and as part of this discussion, we must consider a vital piece of the belonging puzzle. Where we live and how we live there are battle grounds on many fronts but none more so these days than from an environmental standpoint. Leading the field of innovation are the United Arab Emerates who with their ultra luxurious and exclusive "The World" residences in the Persian Gulf in Dubai have made a mark in the real estate market.

The expectations for such a project to be environmentally friendly can't be too high. The stagering amount of material and terraforming this project required puts it beyond the point of possibly being carbon neutral. As a saving grace native flaura and fauna have flourished in the shallows that have been created as a result of the islands. Such an acheivement brings into question how we live and those that are included in community, even perhaps redefining community in a way that will allow a better understanding what it means to be isolated.

The next big announcement from the UAE comes in the form of an idea that we can really support. Masdar, a zero carbon and zero waste community powered completely by alternative energy, mostly solar.

"Today the WWF and the city of Abu Dhabi released more details (here's our first story) of the 47,500 inhabitant eco-town called Masdar ("the source" in Arabic) that they plan to raise from the desert floor. WWF provided ten sustainable-city concepts, the UK's Foster and Partners is supplying the design, and a new Abu Dhabi corporation is contributing the cash for the walled Masdar City, which will stretch out 3.5 miles and is planned to be carbon neutral, zero waste and car free." said Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Chief Executive Officer for Masdar.

What is not clear about Masdar is how accessible it will be. There are many different descriptions of features for the city, but no direct descriptions of accessibility features. Those involved must be commended for an incredible vision of what future cities will look like. Biggest question on my mind is how all citizens will be able to contribute in a future city such as Masdar and how that will impact the community.

SOURCE: http://www.planinstitute.ca/

WestGate won't Waste

WHO WE ARE? WHAT WE WANT?

30 January 2009

HOW DID WE START?

THIS BLOG IN ROMANIAN

ARCHIVE:

GREEN @ WORK...

...a project sustained by:

ECO OFFICE?

Calculate here your company's carbon footprint

WE SUSTAIN:

Masdar: the first zero-carbon and zero-waste city