To achieve our goals, we are getting back to the basics: REDUCE what we buy, REUSE what we have, RECYCLE applicable materials and RESTORE our sense of values.

Administratively, Optima is making great strides with its green efforts. Our waste reduction efforts include using responsible decisions when disposal is our only option. Our goal is to need more recycling bins than trashcans.

 

Presently, we donate or recycle all e-waste. Electronics like telephones, radios, TVs, computers and cell phones make up the bulk of electronics that have the potential to cause the most environmental damage, due to their hazardous ingredients. Optima's all unused items are sold, donated or exchanged. Leasing equipment makes sense when exchanging. We now order solar-powered electronics such as calculators, and do so only if a replacement is needed. We recycle toner cartridges as well.

Optima uses rechargeable batteries and we have a recharging station located in the office. We recycle existing disposable batteries.  Switching to reusable batteries not only helps the planet and community, but saves Optima money too! Every year, more than 15 billion disposable batteries are sold worldwide. When these batteries are thrown out, they release harmful heavy metals such as mercury, lead, cadmium and nickel into our soil and water supply.

 

A staff-sharing program is also being implemented. Optima employees contribute DVDs, CDs, books, and magazines to be shared amongst each other. Any item not checked out over a certain amount of time will be donated to charity.

 

A Staff and spouse E-newsletter is also in the works to list unwanted items for sale, to promote the office share plan for anyone who would like to donate items to our share program, and a list of items available to borrow. The E-Newsletter will include information regarding home recycling tips, left over recipes, items to share or sell, birthday announcements, employee achievements, events planned, family photo's and announcements. We are having a contest to include families to promote recycling. A bicycle has also been donated to Optima to use for local trips.

 

We research and replace items with green alternatives.

We are transitioning our office supplies to recycled or biodegradable products. Optima has also cut down all ordering of new office supplies; taking care to let our original array of office supplies deplete before ordering more supplies. Not purchasing as many office supplies means we didn't contribute to the shipping costs, gasoline used and air

 

Administration has been vigorously working to reduce paper waste. An administrative network drive infrastructure was created as an administrative drive where Templates, Human Resources and Company Operating Instructions, Client proposals and invoices reside and are available to read or email in lieu of printing and distributing. The new infrastructure contains our needed information in pdf and other types of usable electronic file documents. Creating this new drive has converted manual, paper-based processes into electronic files easily accessible by Optima's Owners, our Accountant and Payroll, our Healthcare and Financial consultants, Optima's Employees. In creating this infrastructure we have reduced the use of paper and expensive printer ink, as well as postage expenses, and administrative time. On top of our efficiency gains and reflected savings by eliminating paper and energy, this has also resulted in saving the resources that go into shipping, not to mention the fuel costs associated with delivering paper documents. Our efforts are reducing gasoline consumption, wood, energy consumption, garbage trucks, pollution, and the list goes on. We request approval to email and encourage this electronic practice. Automated receipts are easily generated proving the document arrived. We saw a significant reduction in paper when we stopped printing proposals on paper in 2008. How many man hours were wasted hunting through paper files? Since 1992 how many hours have been wasted because of printing errors or time spent distributing reports?

 

To eliminate duplicate copies of documents we are scanning and storing the document in the appropriate directory on our server.

 

Our receptionist is continuing her efforts to contact companies to take our name off of junk mailing list and is working to reduce duplicates mailed to Optima. Magazines will be shared. Every day we receive pieces of mail that require a lot of resources and are transported on fuel-guzzling vehicles -- only to end up in the recycling bin or, worse yet, the trash.

 

We are also working to reduce the number of paper catalogs and are using websites and CD's, thus preventing paper waste and storage space consumed. We ask our Engineers to reject paper catalog distribution and to only accept them only if websites or CD's are not available.

 

Check scanning was implemented in 2007. No more trips to the bank to make deposits. This reduced paper for deposits and saves on time, fuel and pollution.

We implemented the RFQ center on our website for clients to download our marketing material. This stopped in house printing, using large envelopes, stamps, fuel and pollution. If marketing material is printed we use recycled paper products.

 

Optima's staff uses Microsoft Outlook and the In/Out software for communication, scheduling, absence and vacation planning. We have also implemented a new accounting / operations software. This software offers us many options to eliminate paper trails.

 

The strategic goal is for Optima's operations to create, manage, and maintain our data electronically. This reduces waste and cost. Every week, we are discovering new ways to reduce the amount of paper and ink we use each day, and the amount spent on shipping, processing, and filing.

 

Employees are encouraged to use mugs and not disposable cups.

 

Optima is no longer purchasing bottled water for employees or guest. We added a filtered water system. We encourage our employees to use glasses versus disposable cups. We now order biodegradable cups made from corn.

 

We have tested and utilized telecommuting. This saves on gas, pollution and time. It also gives our employees the options to work at home if needed.

 

Optima's new office has a Video Conferencing System and the administrative department has been trained to operate the system. This video conferencing system allows our employees to interact face to face with firms from all over the country in our own conference room. The video conferencing system has provided a viable alternative to business travel which will allow Optima to cut fuel consumption and save on travel costs and time.

Adding to the aim of cutting fuel consumption is the Optima Building's close proximity to the Light Rail, which provides us with a more green way of navigating Charlotte.

 

Tickets for the light rail were obtained to promote utilizing mass transit and light rail passes are given to employee or visitors if needed by the receptionist.

As a result of our more central location to other industry firms, we have been able to cut our courier usage down which has helped us lower fuel consumption. Our employees are encouraged to walk and deliver our packages if the client's office resides close by.

 

Our annual Christmas party was transformed into a green event. Real Christmas trees were used in place of plastic trees, and our door prize this year were one year old Christmas trees in paper cups to plant or add to the guest compost pile. We ordered used vintage ornaments to decorate our trees off of Ebay. We did not send out printed Christmas party invitations. Optima utilized the evite.com website and sent out all of our invitations via email. Over 350 people came to the open house/annual Christmas party. No stamps, no envelopes, no paper invitations, no post office fuel or pollution. The savings alone should have been the incentive but look at the reduction of waste as well. We also did not use paper products or plastic eating utensils. Linen napkins, flat wear, plates and glasses were used.

 

Optima's move was planned out as a green event. We hired a company that used reusable boxing. Our moving announcement was designed as an email attachment and listed on our website. We also designed a post card that was not dated to announce our move but could be used as a note card after the move. The postcard does not require an envelope and it directs clients and potential clients to our website to prevent excessive printing and shipping.

 

Optima contracted with Service Master to handle our janitorial needs. Service Master is a LEED supported company that uses only green cleaning products that contain no toxic chemicals or by-products. We also changed coffee vendors. We provide organic coffee to our staff. Green Mountain coffee was chosen by Optima because of their company standards utilizing the Fair Trade Systemª provides the best combination of social and environmental standards for coffee producers. This provides the consumer with the security of knowing their coffee was not produced in a way that is harmful to the environment nor to the rural communities that help produce it. We also use one cup coffee makers to eliminate waste.

 

Optima's pursuit of a Green Office has progressed rapidly and we hope to continue our efforts with new ideas. We anticipate great things in 2009 and we hope you will join our efforts in transitioning into the Green Industry.

 

Please remember the items we abandon crowd our landfills and escape into the ecosystem.