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BusinessLink, Wednesday, January 16, 2008 9 Making your business a green businessis fast becoming good business senseif not a necessity driven by pressure to act responsibly. Environmental performance and sustainability are new buzzwords that represent the growing green trend. Even web hosting companies tell their going green story, so the trend is certainly not just for traditional industrial or large-scale manufacturing. A green business is far more than a few feel-good initiatives. Significant benefits and opportunities arise for businesses that recognize their relationship with the environment and choose to go greener. Amy Townsends Green Business: A Five-Part Model for Creating an Environmentally Responsible Company clearly outlines why and how business can make real changes that will benefit the bottom line. Not all companies go green for environmen- tal reasons, so Townsend spends the first part of the book discussing the five reasons why most companies turn green: Environmental Impacts and Values, Government Regulations, Economic Opportunities/Disincentives, Organizational Crises, and Stakeholder Pressure. Townsend also offers reasons why some businesses dont go green including lack of training in business education and the lack of a standardized approach to greening. How can business go green and achieve ecological sustainability? Using specific examples throughout five chapters, Townsend instructs that business must green their mission, employees, operations, facilities and sites, and products and/or services. One example highlights how Patagonia encourages their employees to volunteer in non-profit organizations on company time. Not only does this help the corporate image, but it also creates community awareness in its employees. Townsend includes plenty of examples, ideas, and great photos throughout the book. Townsends five-part model will give you a solid overview of greening a business; however, if youd like to expand your green business reading list, Id recommend Green to Gold: How Smart Companies use Environmental Strategy to Innovate, Create Value, and Build Competitive Advantage. The authors Daniel Esty and Andrew Winston provide detailed case studies and systematic strategies for going green. Alternatively Laury Hammels and Gun Denharts Growing Local Value: How to Build Business Partnerships that Strengthen your Community provides a compelling argument to put your customer and community first. Through case studies, they offer ways to leverage your business including product creation, employee recruitment, vendor selec- tion, and financing to benefit both the communi- ty and the bottom line. Green Business: A Five-Part Model for Creating an Environmentally Responsible Company by Amy K Townsend, Ph.D ISBN0764325035 Schiffer 2006 Book Review Courtesy of Halton Hills Library By Cory Soal R.H.A.D. . . . Lend Me Your Ears We care about your hearing! Professional Arts Building 99 Sinclair Ave., Suite 210 Georgetown (905) 873-6642 A diminished social life is one of the most diff icult aspects of age related hearing loss. Many people avoid drawing attention to their hearing loss by having fewer social contracts when it becomes difficult understanding what is being said. The result is an altered and lonely existence that family and friends may mistake for dementia. Learning new strategies to cope with hearing loss could go a long way to restoring confidence and improving communication. The Hearing Clinic recommends the following: Inform people of the hearing loss so they may modify their speech; eliminate background noise; watch the speaker carefully and sharpen natural l ip-reading abil i t ies; ask the speaker to repeat what was said if necessary, and above all else; have your hearing thoroughly tested and properly fit with one of todays modern hearing instruments. Contact The Hearing Clinic if you or someone you know needs assistance. The Georgetown GET INSPIRED BY HUNDREDS OF TORONTOS FINEST WEDDING EXPERTS SPRING 2008 SHOW January 25-27, 2008 Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place BRIDES TO BE ARE FREE! Visit: www.nationalbridalshow.com to register for your FREE admission THE BAY & HOME OUTFITTERS 00 rs e BRIDAL GOWN SALE FIRST DIAMOND 500 how! DAILY FASHION SHOW st trends ding party ar fashions SHOW HOURS: 10 am - 9 pm, y 10 am - 6 pm sintoronto.com WWW.THEBAY.COM PART OF THE HBC FAMILY OF STORES WWW.HOMEOUTFITTERS.COM THE NATIONAL GIFT REGISTRY Do you have Medical Emergency coverage for Dependents at School? Many group benefit plans provideemergency health insurance fortravelers. But what if the traveler is your dependent child, whose destination is a post-secondary school outside your home province? With the Chambers Plan, dependent students are covered. To qualify, your firm must include one of the Chamber Plans health benefits in its group benefit plan and the employee has to be insured for family, rather than individual, benefits. This extends coverage to a spouse and dependent children. Under the Chambers Plan, family benefits include all dependent children up to age 21. Over that age, dependents whom are full time students are covered up to age 25 (age 26 in Quebec). When an eligible dependent is at school outside the employees normal province of residence, the Chambers Plan can provide emergency medical benefits. An emergency would include an accident or an acute illness, but not routine medical services. Regular check-ups and predictable appointments must still be scheduled at home! The plan will cover many expenses arising from an emergency, if the student contacts the out-of-country coordinator at the outset. The experts at the emergency centre will help the student find appropriate treatment and will work with the students medical practitioners to consider repatriating the student as quickly as possible. Benefits also include help with travel arrangements, a bedside visit by a parent, and return of vehicle services. However an emergency unfolds, the Chambers Plans emergency medical benefits provide a safety net for students enrolled outside their home territory. If you have a family member planning on studying abroad, be sure you send them off to school with details of this coverage. Include your firm number, your employee certificate number, and the toll-free contact information for the emergency help line. Once youve done your homework, your child can concentrate on school confident that they know what to do, even in a medical emergency far from home. Benefit Facts presents information to help you manage your employee benefits. Brought to you by your Chambers of Commerce Group Insurance Plan agent, representing Canada's premier group plan for small and medium sized business. 1-800-665-3365 www.chambers.ca At work for small business since 1970 by ALEX TRENTON DENTURIST Creating confident smiles since 1982. Alexander Trenton, DD, F.C.A.D. (A) Denturist Georgetown Denture Clinic, 18 Church Street, Georgetown, Ontario (905) 877-2359 (Across from the Library and Cultural Centre) Tooth Chatter THE DENTURIST ASSOCIATION OF ONTARIO The Denturist Association of Ontario is a professional association incorporated under the law of Ontario. Most Denturist belong to this association. The members of the association are bound by a strict code of ethics to maintain the highest standards of service to the public. Through this association its members are kept informed of new techniques, any new developments, and the latest materials in denture construction. There are many clinics, lectures, seminars, as well as a magazine that is put out 4 times a year. This magazine, "The Denturist," is the organized voice of full-time practitioners in dealing with the licensing board, the government, as well as other professional organizations. This association is a member of the Denturist Association of Canada and the international Federation of Dental Prosthesists. All activities of a licensed Denturist are monitored by the provincially appointed nine- person Governing Board of Denture Therapists. All denture therapy licenses must be renewed annually. You do not need a referral; simply call our office direct. www.georgetowndentureclinic.com