Have an Eco-Conversation with Your Boss

Many Treehuggers who commit to a variety of eco-conscious activities at home, from composting to recycling to shopping for local and organic food, may go to an office or other work place every day where all of these practices are completely foreign to co-workers and managers. Having that eco-conversation with your manager or CEO may be one of the most effective ways to create wider change, but how do you convince someone whose main commitment is to your company's bottom line? In Wednesday's Environment column for the UK's Guardian, Imogen Martineau, communications manager at Forum for the Future, makes a number of suggestions for turning your boss into a green workplace convert. Among her suggestions:

Appeal to egos by pointing to business sustainability success stories, such as Ray Anderson's transformation of Interface.
Focus on the bottom line in making your case -- your company can save a lot of money by going green.
Talk about opportunities and innovations.
Make it easy -- discuss, for instance, going carbon neutral.
Keep your message positive -- say goodbye to guilt.
If all else fails, keep some fair trade chocolates in your desk to pass out to co-workers also interested in change.

Not only is a greener office more likely to be a healthier and happier workplace, but others in the company may, in turn, take these practices home with them. Spread the word... and start with the boss! ::Guardian Unlimited via Hugg