Now is the time to put your eco-friendly plans into action. Make decisions and implement practices that improve the environment – for your community and the planet.
At this stage, project managers and team leaders decide which materials will be used, how much is needed, and who will obtain the materials. It is important to remember that, as consumers, we vote with our wallets by purchasing “green” products to reduce environmental impacts and increase socially beneficial programs.
Reducing the amount of volunteer supplies purchased is another opportunity to lessen the project’s environmental impact. In addition, ensuring volunteers are safe, well fed, and hydrated is critically important to the success of the project.
This is also the time for project managers to work with the community to determine how to reuse or recycle the materials left over at the end of the project. Reusing materials left over at the end of the project also keeps waste out of landfills and allows volunteers to participate in the process of limiting the waste of resources.
Energy footprint for the entire lifecycle of a project can be so far reaching that it becomes very important to set clear priorities and boundaries. Some benefits of energy efficiency can be realized immediately, where others may take years to achieve a return on the initial investment.
