We are pleased to announce that our firm has stepped up and adopted a formal sustainability policy. The policy adopts specific measures to reduce material and energy usage, increase reuse and recycling of materials, and to include sustainability as a core value in vendor purchases. We are excited to commit to doing our part to improve sustainability of our own business and legal practice along with other forward thinking businesses.
Our firm has a rich tradition of including environmental sustainability into our decision-making process. For example, we are located in a LEED Silver building, our space was built out with sustainable principles in design and construction, and we have long had a policy of paying financial incentives to staff using mass transit rather than driving. In 2009, we invested a significant intensive effort into sustainable design and construction by having eight of our current attorneys and a paralegal all train and pass examinations to become LEED accredited professionals. This effort included all three of the editors of our blog.
The sustainability policy includes the following highlights:
- Continued support of incentives for public transportation
- Increased education and resources for increased recycling
- Decreased paper and toner usage through increased use of electronic documents, duplex printing and education of use of draft printer settings
- Inclusion of sustainability criteria in vendor and purchasing selections
- Reduction of waste through use of permanent glasses and mugs rather than disposable
- Reduction of energy through appropriate computer, printer and lighting measures
- Last, but definitely not least and my own personal favorite, elimination of bottled water and instead use of water pitchers and glasses (something I know my pal Shari Shapiro will appreciate!)
We see this as being an evolutionary and on-going process. Please feel free to share your own experiences in adopting such policies and also to add on suggestions for additional ideas moving forward!