January 28, 2013 -
Green Buildings
Yesterday I met the brilliant co-founder of Whole Foods, John Mackey, and he shared with our group the simple premise on which he started: whole foods, whole body, whole planet.
Adapted to our industry, consider: whole facility/whole employee.
John Mackey made it simple for people to make healthy food choices.
Following his lead, and keeping it simple, consider the following:
1. Use less water - this could translate into installing waterless urinals and/or improving grey water management
2. Add "C" (compost) to the classic 3 "R's" (reduce/reuse/recycle) - commercial composting is now more readily available and cost effective
3. Expand the veggie selection in your cafeterias - increasing interest in a vegetarian diet may be linked to climate change. As an example, the United Nations has already acknowledged that eating less meat and animal products will have a positive impact on the climate.
Nadine Cino, LEED Accredited Professional, is the CEO & co-inventor at Tyga-Box Systems, Inc. and a chair of the IFMANYC Sustainability Committee, New York, N.Y.