Small Green Steps

Friday, October 26, 2012 9:50 PM by Taylor Studios in Professional and Industry Tips


As a follow-up to my last blog about what some museums are doing to increase their sustainability, I’d like to list a few steps any museum or nature center could take to decrease their impact on the environment.

  1. Paper – If you provide your visitors with a map, exhibit guide, or brochure, give them a chance to leave it behind when they leave, ideally in a special container labeled for that use. The worst that can happen is that you’ll have to recycle the handouts or whatever paper ends up there. However, there’s a chance you’ll be able to reuse some of them!

Many institutions have already shifted their marketing materials to a digital format, but sending out newsletters via email can save a lot of money in printing, paper and postage costs. That way, you know that your paper mailer won’t head straight to the trash.

  1. Water – If your institution is considering updating its restrooms, there are many ways to reduce the water demand. Low-flow toilets, triggered faucets, and waterless urinals might fit in your budget, especially if you do some research about how much they could help the bottom line. An easier step for existing fixtures could include diffusers on the faucets, or signs by sinks asking visitors to reduce their water use. If you have exterior gardens or flowerbeds and access to your downspouts, buy rain barrels. Ask your visitors to decorate them at a themed event!

[

(image courtesy of Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District)](http://v3.mmsd.com/rbcustomize.aspx)

  1. Recycling – Make recycling a priority internally for your staff. Once they get into it and you have a system set up, make it easy for your visitors to recycle. Clearly label receptacles for plastic, paper, and aluminum, and make sure the visitors can find them. When you empty the containers, weigh them, and then let your visitors and staff know how much you recycled.

  2. Transportation – Encourage your staff to use public transit, ride sharing, or bicycling with fun incentives. If you have a good transit system, make sure your online and printed directions list the buses or subway lines visitors can use to get to you.

  3. Energy – Programmable thermostats are a great investment, since they work with your existing central air system. If you have a fridge in your break room, find out how old it is. Energy companies are offering free pickup of your old fridge when you buy an energy efficient model. If you have fluorescent tube lighting, many states have tax credits / rebates to help you upgrade your fixtures from the T12 tubes (1.5” diameter) to the more efficient T8 tubes (1” diameter). Incandescent task lights can be replaced with compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs, but newer LEDs come in a wide variety of configurations. LEDs are more efficient that CFLs and will last a lot longer.

Obviously, this is only a start, and your institution may not be able to benefit from all of these suggestions. However, they may get you thinking of what would work at your location.

Share this on social networks