Employee Environmental Sustainability Policy

For Islamorada, Village of Islands Employees

Implemented May 2008 (updated 2011)

In order to contribute to a greener planet, Islamorada, Village of Islands has enacted policies to reduce global warming pollution levels and provide economic and quality of life benefits such as reduced energy bills, green space preservation, air quality improvements, and energy conservation.

We Can Help Save Our Planet!

Required Actions

Energy

  • Appliances/Equipment: Turn off office equipment and appliances not in use at the end of each business day.
  • Appliance/Equipment Purchases:  If making purchases for your department, purchase only ENERGY STAR® appliances and equipment unless the product is shown not to be cost-effective on a life cycle cost basis.
  • Computers:  Turn off computers for the weekend and when they will not be in use for more than 24 hours.
  • Computer Monitors:  Turn off your computer monitor when you will not be using it for more than one hour. Set your power save mode to turn the monitor off automatically when not in use for one hour.
  • Copiers/Printers:  Print and copy materials double-sided whenever appropriate.
  • Energy Conservation:  Keep windows and doors closed when air conditioning is turned on.
  • Lights:  Turn off the lights in rooms when not in use.
  • Thermostats: Keep room temperatures no lower than 74 degrees during business hours and turn thermostats to 78 degrees on weekends (with the exception of rooms housing computer servers).

Transportation/Fuel

Meetings

When possible, make arrangements for meetings to occur via conference call rather than having participants drive to the meeting location.

Vehicles

  • Anti-idling:  Follow the Village’s anti-idling policy (Exhibit 1).
  • Air Conditioning:  Do not use air conditioning with open windows.
  • Reduce use:  When possible, carpool, rideshare, bike or walk to work and to meetings.
  • Tire Pressure:  Check tire pressure on at least a monthly basis and adjust as needed to recommend pressure for the tires. (Contact Public Works if you require assistance.)

Waste

Catalogs, Flyers, and Junk Mail

Request removal from mailing lists for catalogs, flyers (such as training flyers), and junk mail that is not useful to you or your department or is available online.

Electronic documents

Scan and email documents instead of sending paper copies whenever appropriate.

Office Supplies

  • Unless cost prohibitive, order office supplies made from a high percentage of post-consumer materials.
  • Do not order toner cartridges that cannot be recycled unless recyclable cartridges are not available for the equipment.
  • Consolidate orders to reduce packaging materials used, conserve fuel and reduce emissions. Do not place small orders unless there is an urgent need for the supplies.

Paper

Reduce paper waste. 

  • Print and copy double-sided unless the use of the document requires single-sided printing.
  • Reduce the size of documents by decreasing margins, spacing, and font size to fit more on each page.
  • Use the backs of printed sheets for notepads or printing drafts.
  • Utilize the reusable Interdepartmental Delivery envelopes instead of mailing envelopes for internal document transmittal.
  • Scan and electronically transmit documents whenever possible.
  • Save electronic documents in electronic files instead of printed files whenever possible.

Recycling

Recycle all office products as provided below. Additional recycling information is available on the Village website. Do not throw away recyclable items in trash containers. 

  • Utilize the envelopes and boxes provided by the manufacturer to return toner cartridges for recycling. Do not throw recyclable toner cartridges in the trash or in any recycle bin.
  • Utilize recycle bins provided for all recyclable plastics (#1. #2, #3, #4, or #5 on the bottom), glass, aluminum, and tin containers, newspaper, and corrugated cardboard. The cardboard must be broken down and flattened. Plastics, glass, and cans that contained food or beverages must be rinsed.
  • Utilize recycle bins provided for all office paper (including shredded paper), magazines, telephone books and catalogs, and non-corrugated cardboard (including FedEx and other cardboard shipping envelopes and flattened non-corrugated packaging materials).
  • Use the containers provided to recycle all batteries.
  • Use containers provided to recycle plastic shopping bags and clear newspaper sleeves. 

Further, reduce waste

Bring a coffee cup and tumbler from home. Use them instead of disposable cups.

Water

Water Conservation

Report any leaking faucets or toilets that continue to run after the tank is full so that repairs may be made to conserve water.

Additional Suggested Actions

Use only reusable shopping bags

Plastic shopping bags are made with non-renewable crude oil that disintegrates into toxic particles in the environment. Cloth and other reusable shopping bags are readily available to all consumers. Take the pledge to use only reusable shopping bags.

Reduce the use of plastic bottles

Use a water fountain, water cooler, or filtered water from home and a reusable cup or container rather than individual bottles of water.

Save energy

Close blinds to reduce interior warming from the sun. Use fans instead of lowering the temperature of the air conditioning. (Always turn off fans at the end of the day.)

Use earth-friendly cleaning products

Use environmentally-friendly cleaning products.

Spread the word

Encourage friends and family to follow environmentally sustainable practices.

Share new ideas

When you find out about new earth-friendly practices, tell your co-workers and supervisor.