By Bob Akers

      Many of us do what we can to be environmentally responsible in our day-to-day lives. We all know what we need to do, and we seem to receive “living green” tips on a daily basis.

      Last week my wife posed a difficult but good question: What difference will our small efforts make if corporations and government continue to operate in a fashion that is not environmentally sound?

      As we travel our beautiful “City of Fountains” with its tree-lined boulevards, we see hundreds of fountains running day and night. We see miles and miles of streetlights. We see brilliantly green weed-free corporate lawns. At night, we see large office buildings everywhere brightly lit. In other words, we see energy being burned at outrageous levels and gallons and gallons of water and chemicals being used to keep things looking perfect.

      So, does the fact that our family keeps its air conditioner set on 78 really make a difference?
     
Sharing the Responsibility
      It's time for government and the business sector to step up to the plate in the same way private citizens have. Here are some thoughts for them to ponder:

• How much could downtown Kansas City reduce its power use by lighting up its buildings only for special events? Could parking lot lights and streetlights be solar powered? – Or, could every other one be turned off after midnight?
• We are the “City of Fountains,” but do those beauties really need to be running 24 hours a day? Could they be shut down after midnight? Do they need to be lit after business hours?
• How many gallons of chemical lawn treatment do corporations and government offices spray to make green, weed-free lawns. Is it really necessary?

Tame the Paper Lion
      This discussion wouldn't be complete without mentioning paper use. Every day we all receive unwanted, mail that goes directly into our recycling bins? or worse, our trashcans. We can do the right thing by recycling it, but the best thing would be to stop receiving it.

      Unfortunately, businesses aren't limited to sending information just to people requesting it. Most organizations will respect your wishes if you ask to be removed from their mailing list.
     
     
Mixed Efforts
      I want to point out that there is some great green effort being put out by Kansas City and the business community. The city's Rain Gardens project is one example. I recently worked on a project with KMBC-TV9 and was impressed by its efforts Employees at Commerce Bank have led the way to that organization becoming greener.

      But, for every good story there are examples of organizations falling short.

      A new “green” building was recently built in south Kansas City. Yet sadly, when I walked around the building during a visit, I saw a trash dumpster filled with about 150 computer monitors. That would represent about 1,200 pounds of lead going to a landfill. You are not a green organization if you dump toxic waste.

      Let's demand the best practices from government and businesses in our community. Call or send an e-mail to elected officials or corporate officers to let them know you care about what this generation is leaving behind. It won't change if we don't demand it.

Bob Akers is marketing director at The Surplus Exchange, an environmental non-profit organization whose mission includes the recycling of electronics. Visit www.SurplusExchange.org. You can reach Bob at (816) 472-0444 or .