One of our most influential tools in a capitalist society is our power as consumers. When you choose to buy something, you are not only supporting the brand, but the production of that product, and the company as a whole.

Guides such as Consumer Reports have long existed to provide consumers with detailed information and reviews on product performance. GoodGuide takes that notion a step further, according to their website, providing “the world’s largest and most reliable source of information on the health, environmental, and social impacts of the products in your home.”

With a visit to GoodGuide, you can browse items ranked in three categories: Health Performance (which includes adverse health effects and safety), Environmental Performance (which includes energy and climate impact, as well as use of hazardous materials), and Social Performance (which measures company philanthropy, labor and human rights, and customer satisfaction).

So the next time you are debating which brand of makeup or detergent to buy, take a quick look online—what you read may just make the decision for you.

Contributed by: Maghan Cook

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

According to Wikipedia, hypermilers are drivers who exceed the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimated fuel efficiency on their vehicles by modifying their driving habits.

The energy in fuel consumed in driving is lost in many ways, including engine inefficiency, aerodynamic drag, rolling friction, and kinetic energy lost to braking. Driver behavior can influence all of these factors to reduce fuel consumption. WIRED magazine discusses the subject at length.

Related terms:

Nempimania (also Nenpimania) is an obsession with getting the best fuel economy possible from a hybrid car. It is derived from the Japanese “nempi” meaning fuel economy, and “mania”.

Ecodriving is a term used in Europe to name initiatives which support energy efficient use of vehicles. Check out this site for golden rules on ecodriving.

Contributed by: Maghan Cook

Tomorrow, August 13 is Don’t Drive Day in Charlotte. This Mecklenburg County Air Quality program initiative aims to limit and minimize air pollution and promote education and awareness around the community.

So take the Lynx, ride a bike, or a vegetable cart, but whatever you do, don’t drive! And then be sure to email dontdriveday@yahoo.com to explain how you got to work, and to be eligible for prizes!!

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Addison Whitney employees are taking steps to make the office lean and green. Kristin Everidge and Maghan Cook enlisted the help of intern Kelsey Bryant, from Elon University, to design a poster encouraging everyone to reduce, reuse, and recycle print paper. The posters are displayed at each printer station with instructions on how to print on the reverse of unneeded printouts and a bin for collecting scrap paper.

Want to use this poster for your workspace too? Just follow these simple instructions.

1. Download the poster and accompanying instructions sheet
2. Open using Adobe Reader
3. Print the large format poster (page 1) on 11” x 17” (Tabloid) or scale to print on 8.5” x 11” (US Letter)
4. Print instruction sheet (page 2) on 8.5” x 11” (US Letter)
5. Hang by your printers and start to make a difference!

This resource will also be available on the DOWNLOADS tab on brand salsa.