GOING GREEN

Going Green



Going Green

Introduction

I am employed in the organization in discussion for the last four and a half years. I am a civil engineer working as a lead designers and project co-ordinator. In the last few months I have encountered many practical implicatioins of utilizing green products in a company.

Primary Audience

HR manager and Administration manager

Secondary Audience

The Board and CEO

Problem

The one that I would like to propose to my company is to use carpet padding to meet the goal of  Go Green  flooring. A change is taking place in the built environment. It used to be sufficient for builders, architects, planners and developers to look at budget, schedule, and quality. Now there is another consideration rallying support in our industry: environmental sustainability. We look at the effects our buildings and cities have on the well being of the environment, and we see the need for a reconsideration of how we put to use our limited resources, how we control the degradation of our water bodies, forests, and atmosphere. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency website, in the “Basic Information” section, “The traditional definition of sustainability calls for policies and strategies that meet society's present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” This working definition has had far-reaching implications since its institution with the 1970 National Environmental Policy Act. The EPA's site also discusses the need to strive for “synergy” as regards public and private policy issues, and discusses the basic goals of each. The former is concerned with meeting “basic economic, social, and security needs now and in the future without undermining the natural resource base and environmental quality,” while the latter is concerned with the “increase [of] long-term shareholder and social value, while decreasing industry's use of materials and reducing negative impacts on the environment.” The above definitions are broad and subject to specific contexts and concerns. It is up to the individual, and the community within which they operate, to fill in the blanks. (Verweij Thompson 2006)

Although carpet padding is responsible for a lot more than comfort, the average person walking across their living room may imagine that thicker is better. More padding, after all, should result in better insulation, softer impact, and stronger carpet. You shouldn't scrimp on cushioning, since it largely determines the lifespan of your carpeting, but neither should you always go for the thickest option. Thick carpet padding isn't worth it ...