Yes, we know ... The title of our newest quiz is a hoky parody of the latest Star Wars movie. But we always think of the P2 angle. Why consume neural energy making up a new title when you can remanufacture an existing one?
OK, here’s the deal: Like last year’s edition, P2 Quiz ‘99 tests what you do and how much you know about pollution prevention in your daily living. But wait! Not only do we have questions about P2 stuff around the house, but we’ve added a section about P2 at your workplace (below). You can take either or both sections of the quiz. The format is the same: click on the button next to your answer for each question.
As for scoring, you better get it right the first time because the quiz will only tally your first answer for each question. If you decide to change your answer, the computer won't count it. To allow the computer to count all your answers, complete all the questions before exploring the outside links to related web sites. If you decide to start over, hit the refresh button on your browser and you'll get a clean slate. You get a full point for a great answer, half a point for an OK one, no points for a so-so answer, and a one-point deduction for answers with little or no redeeming environmental value. There might be a few trick questions scattered around the quiz. Above all, we hope the quiz is a fun way to learn about pollution prevention. Let’s go!
Prelude: The Giveaway Question
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Because we’re so Northwest nice, we’ll get you started with a cream puff question. You’ll have to go out of your way to blow this one.
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1. What Is
Pollution Prevention?Answer Key
Remember the old saying, “an ounce of
prevention is worth a pound of cure?” Pollution prevention, or “P2,” means
avoiding creation of pollution at the source. It’s a proactive way to
protect the environment. If you don’t create waste and pollution in the
first place, there is no waste and pollution to deal with afterwards, we
can live healthier lives, and take better care of natural resources.
Prevention has economic benefits too, because it gets at the
inefficiencies that are the root causes of waste and
pollution.
Source: PPRC
(that’s us)
http://www.pprc.org/pprc/about/whatisp2.html
Which answer did you select?
A. Add half a point. We don’t work the cultural pollution side of the street, but we can tell you that turning off the TV for one year will save $7-$17 worth of electricity (assuming Northwest rates).
B. No points. Controls deal with pollution after it’s been created. P2 means don’t create pollution in the first place. It’s an important distinction.
C. Add one point. The three R’s: rethink, reduce, reuse.
D. No points. Be wary of vague, feel-good labels that don’t say much. Eco-labels can provide useful information to help you make good purchasing decisions, but it’s important to be informed about who issues product labels and what standards they use to back up their labels.
If You Don't Know Where You're Going...
2. Does Your Workplace Have a 'Green Team'? |
Answer Key
A green team can give some focus to a
company’s waste reduction and efficiency efforts. The team can set goals,
obtain top management buy-in, market environmental initiatives, serve as a
communications link with co-workers, guide implementation, and report on
results.
Tips: Set some specific
goals to start with. Don’t be afraid to start small; running a small,
manageable project is an opportunity to chalk up an accomplishment and
build confidence for taking on bigger projects later. Communicate! Through
communication, the green team can allay employee concerns, troubleshoot
problems, serve as a forum for trading ideas, and share news about
successes.
Source: “50
Simple Things Your Business Can Do to Save the
Earth”
The Earthworks Group
A. No points. But the Green Team we’re talking about can play a role in orienting new employees on a company’s environmental policies.
B. No points.
C. Add one point. Make sure your Green Team represents all departments.
D. Subtract one point. Show managers the benefits, in waste reduced, efficiency gained and money saved.
What a Turnoff
 3. Do You Turn Off Computers, Copiers and Other Equipment Before Going Home? |
Answer Key
About 25 percent of office computers are
left running at night and on weekends. Leaving office equipment running
after hours is pure waste. Office equipment accounts for about 7 percent
of commercial electricity consumption. That doesn’t include the cost of
air conditioning to remove heat buildup caused by office
equipment.
Tips: Monitors are the
biggest energy draw on your computer system. If you don’t have an Energy
Star computer, turn your monitor off before inactive periods during
working hours. Use the “energy saver” button to power down copiers before
inactive periods during work hours. When it’s time to replace your office
equipment, look for Energy Star computers, monitors, printers, scanners,
copiers and fax machines, which automatically “go to sleep” if left unused
during work hours. Make sure the power management features are enabled
during equipment setup. Consider switching to notebook computers, which
are up to 10 times as efficient as desktop
computers.
Sources:
Energy Star Office Equipment
http://www.epa.gov/office
Pacific
Energy Center
http://www.pge.com/003_save_energy/003c_edu_train/pec/003c1_pac_energy.shtml
A. Add one point.
B. Add half a point.
C. No points.
D. Subtract one point. Screen savers do not reduce a computer’s energy consumption. But they may reduce your productivity if you stare at them long enough.
Don't Be a Lightweight
 4. Why is Efficient Lighting 'Cool'? |
Answer Key
Commercial and industrial lighting
accounts for about half of the U.S.’ $75 billion lighting bill. A lot of
the money spent on lighting is wasted because of inefficient equipment and
poor lighting design. Using high-efficiency lighting and optimizing design
could cut commercial and industrial lighting electricity demand by up to
half with equal or even greater lighting quality than before. Buildings
are systems, and there are spinoff effects of equipment choices.
Inefficient lighting throws off heat that must be removed by air
conditioning equipment. Efficient lighting can lead to lower cooling
bills. For example, a medical equipment manufacturer in Bothell, Wash.,
cut its cooling loads 2 percent as a result of a lighting retrofit. More
efficient use of energy reduces consumption of fossils fuels used to
generate electricity. In turn, that leads to reduced emissions of
greenhouse gases from power plants running on fossil fuels. That’s why
efficient lighting is “cool.”
Tip:
Northwest businesses can get advice on high quality, efficient lighting
and lighting design from the Lighting Design Lab, http://lightingdesignlab.com/index.html.
Source: Energy Efficient Lighting
Association
http://www.eela.com (link is
not working as of 4/23/02)
Which answer did you select?
A. No points.
B. No points.
C. Add one point. By choosing efficient lighting and windows, a building can be kept comfortable with reduced energy use for cooling.
D. No points. Fluorescent lights have a bad rap as sources of wan, flickery light. That’s old news. Electronic ballasts have fixed the flickering problem. New lamps with advanced coatings provide warm-hued, attractive light. By carefully specifying lighting equipment, you combine efficiency with pleasant illumination.
 5. Does Your Workplace Bring Daylight into its Building?
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Answer Key
Designing or remodeling buildings to make
optimal use of daylight can reduce the costs of lighting by more than
half. More significant from a bottom line perspective, however, is
intriguing evidence suggesting that employee productivity, retail sales,
and school test scores are higher in buildings lit with natural daylight.
A recent study of retail stores, for example, found a strong correlation
between skylights and higher sales volume. For a company paying $200 per
square foot for labor costs and $2 per square foot for energy, even a 1
percent increase in productivity will completely offset a company’s energy
bill.
Tip: In new and existing
buildings, dimming and switching controls can be used to adjust electric
light levels downward in response to daylight levels. If carefully
designed and operated, controls can reduce perimeter lighting costs and
provide for constant light levels throughout the
day.
Sources: U.S. Green
Building Council
http://www.usgbc.org/
Heschong-Mahone
Group
http://www.h-m-g.com/ (click on
Daylighting and Productivity Study link)
Which answer did you select?
A. No points. Caves are fun places to visit, but who wants to live or work in one?
B. No points. Hate to tell you this, but there are signs that La Nina is planning an encore.
C. Add one point. Studies show that people prefer natural light.
D. No points. There is evidence that bright light helps night shift workers adapt better to their odd schedules and improve job performance.
Put Your Building on Commission
 6. Has Your Building Been Commissioned?
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Answer Key
Building commissioning is a systematic
process for ensuring that a building’s lighting, heating, cooling and
ventilation systems are working together optimally to meet the building
operator’s needs. Doing so prevents energy waste that drives up utility
bills and premature equipment replacement costs. More importantly,
commissioning can reduce costly absenteeism and tenant turnover caused by
an unpleasant indoor environment, or even legal liability for indoor air
quality problems. Costs and savings associated with building commissioning
vary depending on the building and scope of the commissioning. Here’s one
example: An 18-year-old Portland office building was commissioned and
deficiencies corrected for $12,700. The work has returned $8,145 in annual
energy savings, plus improved indoor
comfort.
Tip: Tip: Get advice on
selecting a commissioning agent and deciding on the level of commissioning
your building needs. Download “Commissioning for Better Buildings in
Oregon,” at http://www.cbs.state.or.us/external/ooe/cons/comm2.pdf. The
Northwest Energy Efficiency Council offers periodic building operator
trainings. Check it out at http://www.neec.net/certific.htm.
Source: Oregon Office of
Energy
http://www.energy.state.or.us/bus/comm/bldgcx.htm
Which answer did you select?
A. Subtract one point.
B. No points. A building is a complex system for providing a comfortable, productive work environment. Commissioning protects the value of that investment.
C. Add one point. Happy employees are more productive.
D. Add one point. Why send money to the utility when you can re-invest it in your business?
Papering Over the Problem
 7. Does Your Office Print Double-Sided Copies?
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Answer Key
The typical office worker goes through
about 10,000 sheets of copy paper annually, enough to cover 6,500 square
feet. We don’t buy paper for the sake of having paper, but for the service
it provides: storing and conveying information. By using copy paper more
efficiently to provide that service, you can reduce your paper usage – and
the energy, water, chemicals, and trees consumed to produce paper. Plus,
you’ll reduce your office supply
costs.
Tips: Set copy machines to
automatically make double-sided copies of multi-page documents. To
minimize confusion, put reminder notes on the machines. Before printing
e-mail, ask yourself whether it’s really necessary to have a paper copy.
Reuse one-sided copies for drafts or notes. Set up a room where
departments can drop off unneeded paper and other office supplies that
other departments may be able to
use.
Sources: Lawrence
Berkeley Laboratory Cutting Paper Page
http://eetd.lbl.gov/paper
WoodWise
http://www.coopamerica.org/woodwise/
Which answer did you select?
A. Add one point. We can see you don’t have a one-sided view about paper usage.
B. Subtract one point. Waste not, want not.
C. Add one point. Putting information on-line is a significant opportunity to eliminate unnecessary paper consumption. Keep in mind, however, that paper will remain part of our culture for the foreseeable future. It’s ease of use, portability, and convenience are such that attempts to banish it completely from the office have dim prospects of succeeding. Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Minimize waste, but recognize that there will remain situations where paper is the right tool for the right job.
D. Add half a point. First, eliminate wasteful paper use, then recycle.
 8. Does Your Office Purchase Recycled Paper?
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Answer Key
Purchasing “green” paper products helps
close the recycling loop by supporting markets for recovered waste paper.
If you know what to look for, you should be able to find “green” paper
(we’re talking impact here, not color) that meets your needs. Look for a
high percentage of “post-consumer” content, which is the percentage of the
paper that comes from materials consumers have recycled. Don’t stop at
recycled content, however. Think about buying paper products with reduced
impacts throughout the product life cycle. Consider using unbleached
paper. Or, if you need bleached paper, look for products that were
bleached with minimal or no use of chlorine. Ask suppliers about forest
and production practices used to produce the paper they sell. Consider
“tree-free” paper made from crop residues or alternative materials such as
kenaf, a relative of the hibiscus
plant.
Tip: You don’t have to
reinvent the research wheel. Look for handy guides and vendor directories
to help you shop for “green” paper. Examples
include
· Co-op America’s Green Pages (http://www.greenpages.org/)
·
WoodWise Directory (http://www.coopamerica.org/woodwise/directory.htm)
·
ReThink Paper Selector (http://www.rethinkpaper.org/)
Which answer did you select?
A. Add half a point. Try setting up a “buy recycled” program at your workplace. Learn more about what’s in the market, try a few products, and write a strategy with measurable goals.
B. Add one point.
C. Subtract one point. Don’t base purchasing decisions on outdated information. Get the facts. For example, a recent study by the U.S. Conference of Mayors showed that paper with 30 percent post-consumer content performs in copying machines just as well as paper with less post-consumer content.
D. Add one point. You’d be surprised at the alternative materials that are used in paper manufacturing. Examples include sugar cane residue, industrial hemp and cotton rags. Even discarded currency is used, which is one way to keep your money in circulation.
Fuel Lines
 9. Is Your Workplace Considering Purchase of Alternative Fuel Fleet Vehicles?
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Answer Key
Why bother with alternatives to gasoline,
which is cheap, convenient and widely available? Because gasoline has a
dark side. Gasoline is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons that, when
burned, emits a noxious brew of pollutants: gases that form unhealthy smog
and unsightly hazes, toxins that are known to cause cancer, and carbon
dioxide, the leading greenhouse gas. Alternative fuels, some new, some not
so new, reduce or prevent many of these harmful emissions. There may be
side benefits as well. A Portland bakery, for example, reduced its
maintenance costs by switching most of its delivery fleet to propane.
Technology is continuing to improve, and in the next few years, many of
the world’s leading automakers plan to mass market vehicles powered by
fuel cells, gasoline-electric hybrids, and other alternatives to
gasoline-fueled internal combustion
engines.
Tip: Federal tax
deductions are available for clean fuel vehicles and a tax credit can be
taken for electric vehicle purchases. Northwest states also offer tax
incentives. Fuel taxes for natural gas and propane are reduced in
Washington. Oregon offers a 35 percent income tax credit for alternative
fuel vehicles. Idaho exempts biodiesel and ethanol from excise
taxes.
Sources:
Alternative Fuels for Fleet Vehicles, PPRC Topical
Report
http://www.pprc.org/pprc/pubs/topics/altfuels.html
U.S.
Department of Energy Clean Cities
http://www.ccities.doe.gov/
Which answer did you select?
A. No points. Many urban areas have refueling stations for propane and compressed natural gas. Refueling sites for alcohols and liquefied natural gas are more difficult to find and not available in some areas. One option is bi-fueled vehicles that run on both gasoline and an alternative. Another is a gasoline-electric hybrid. To find refueling sites, visit the Alternative Fuels Data Center (http://www.afdc.nrel.gov/refueling.html).
B. No points. Take a look underneath your car. There’s a tank filled with a highly flammable and volatile fuel. Yes, some alternative fuels need careful handling, but so does gasoline, whose safety hazards we’ve learned to deal with.
C. No points. Not likely, friend. The scientist who wrote The Physics of Star Trek calculates that “beaming” you from your office to, say, a sales call at a customer’s business would require heating your body to between 100 billion and 1 trillion degrees C. The finance people would probably grumble about negative cost-benefit ratios, so better drop this idea.
D. Add one point. As technology develops, chances of finding alternative fuel vehicles that meet your needs will continue to improve.
Your Work Away From Work
 10. If You Were Given the Opportunity to Telecommute, How Often Would You Like to Work from Home?
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Answer Key
For people who work at desk jobs,
telecommuting (also known as telework) can be a practical alternative to
the daily commuting grind. Today, about 16 million Americans work at least
some of the time at home or in a telework center. Telework can result in
improved morale, increased productivity, and greater flexibility for
managing family affairs, in addition to reducing fuel costs, parking fees,
congestion, air pollution and greenhouse gas
emissions.
Tip: Interested in
starting a telework program at your company? It’s important to get support
from top managers by showing them how telecommuting would benefit the
company. See technical assistance for implementing telework at http://www.energy.wsu.edu/telework/tech.htm.
Sources: Washington State University Cooperative Extension Energy
Program
http://www.energy.wsu.edu/telework
International
Telework Association and Council
http://www.telecommute.org/
Which answer did you select?
A. Add one point. Compressed work weeks are another alternative to standard work weeks that can help improve productivity and reduce traffic congestion.
B. Add one point.
C. Add one point. Employees, establish a routine so that you’re organized and complete your projects on time when working from home. Employers, trust your telecommuter, manage by measuring results, and give your employee regular feedback.
D. Add one point. Feelings of social isolation is one reason why telecommuting is not for everyone. An employee needs the right work content, work habits and work environment to make telecommuting succeed.
Once Is Not Enough
 11. Does Your Office Use Remanufactured Toner Cartridges?
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Answer Key
Buying remanufactured toner cartridges is
a significant opportunity for businesses and agencies to save money on
office supply purchases. For example, King County saved $300,000 last year
by buying remanufactured units. Remanufacturing toner cartridges keeps
plastic and metal out of waste streams, and gets more work out of the
energy that went into manufacturing the cartridges in the first
place.
Tip: When shopping for
remanufactured toner cartridges, look for vendors that thoroughly inspect
and clean cartridges, replace worn parts, and guarantee that their product
that will meet or exceed original equipment performance standards.
Source: King County
Environmental Purchasing Program
http://www.metrokc.gov/procure/green/tonecart.htm
Which answer did you select?
A. Add one point.
B. Add half a point.
C. No points.
D. Subtract one point. Since 1960, U.S. generation of solid waste has nearly doubled, even after taking into account recycling. Per-capita, Americans throw out more materials than any of the six other G-7 industrialized economies. Remanufacturing and reuse helps keep useful materials out of landfills.
 12. Does Your Workplace Throw Away Old Office Furniture?
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Answer Key
U.S. businesses spend about $100 million
every year discarding 3 million tons of furniture. A lot of furniture is
discarded because of appearances—the fabric has faded, the finish looks
old, or the color has gone out of style—not because it’s structurally
unsound. Furniture can be refurbished or remanufactured to clean it up,
update its appearance, and replace worn parts. Recycled furniture can be
acquired at a third to half the cost of buying new, especially if the
customer supplies the furniture to be refurbished or remanufactured. Reuse
of furniture conserves the energy, wood, metals, plastics, textiles, and
other resources used to manufacture the products in the first
place.
Tips: Shopping for recycled
furniture is like shopping for any product. Find vendors that will stand
behind their product. Check with other customers to see whether they were
satisfied with the product and service. Get prices, warranties,
specifications and delivery schedules in
writing.
Source:
Recycled Office Furniture
(original link
no longer active: http://www.bpia.org/advocacy/recycle.pdf) Some
information about the viability and economic incentives of reusing office
furniture available at http://www.office48.com/Recycled/recycled.html.
Which answer did you select?
A. Subtract one point. Old furniture can be refurbished. Someone may even want it as-is. Remember, there’s no accounting for taste. To find dealers, visit the Recycled Furniture Directory at http://www.resources.com/recycle/index.htm.
B. Add half a point. That’s better than the dump, but why pay for storage when old furniture can be put back to work for you or someone else?
C. Add one point. There are plenty of social service organizations, theater troupes, and advocacy groups that can use your old furniture, either for themselves or for resale to support their missions. Check the Yellow Pages under community or social service organizations, theaters, or environmental/conservation organizations.
D. Add one point. You’re helping to close the loop and making better use of company assets.
A Clean Break
 13. How Does Your Workplace Choose Cleaning Products?
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Answer Key
There are cleaning products and there are
cleaning products. Products with different formulations may cause
different health effects, such as respiratory irritation, allergic
reactions, and skin or eye burns. Others may off-gas volatile compounds
that are ingredients in urban smog. Still others may contain ingredients
that are harmful to aquatic life. It sounds complicated, but with a little
thought and planning, your company or agency can identify economical
cleaning products that will get the job done with reduced risk to health
and the environment.
Tips: So,
how do you go about it? First, think about your cleaning needs. Maybe
there are some cleaning chores that can be carried out with one
all-purpose cleaner instead of a multitude of specialty cleaners. Next,
identify product characteristics you want to consider in envaluating
cleaning products. For example, you may want to avoid cleaners with very
high or very low pH ratings, because of the heightened danger of skin or
eye burns. One accident with a hazardous cleaning product can cost a
company hundreds of dollars in medical treatment and lost
time.
Sources: Minnesota
Office of Environmental Assistance
http://www.moea.state.mn.us/lc/cleaning.cfm
EPA
Cleaning Products Pilot Project
http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/epp/cleaners/select
Janitorial Products Pollution Prevention
Project
http://www.westp2net.org/Janitorial/jp4.htm
Which answer did you select?
A. No points. Don’t forget the hidden costs of using hazardous cleaners, such as occupational hazards and indoor air pollution.
B. No points. Don’t get "greenscammed." Know what you’re buying.
C. Subtract one point. You can have a clean workplace that doesn’t smell like a chemical factory.
D. Add one point. Keep it up and you’ll clean up on this quiz.
If You Can't Stand The Heat...
 14. Which of the Following Is Found in Your Office Kitchen?
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Answer Key
The office kitchen is a hot place to
showcase office efficiency and waste reduction. Reusable plates, cups,
mugs and utensils keep paper and plastic out of landfills and get more
work out of energy and materials used to make the products. Plus, you
avoid the continuing costs of replacing disposable food service products.
Aerators are simple, cheap devices that conserve hot water without any
loss of faucet utility. Energy-efficient dishwashers help keep electric
and water bills under
control.
Tip: Copy this quiz
(double-sided on chlorine-free paper with high post-consumer content), put
copies into reusable coffee mugs, and hand them out to your employees.
Have a fun contest to build awareness. Give high scorers on this quiz a
T-shirt made of organic cotton. Give low scorers the opportunity to clean
the kitchen with non-toxic cleaning products.
Source: Co-op America,
Greening Your Purchasing
http://www.coopamerica.org/Business/Bgreenng.HTM
Which answer did you select?
A. Subtract one point. For oven cleaning, place a metal drip tray beneath the racks and clean regularly with dishwashing soap and water. That’s easier and safer than attacking baked-on crud with harsh chemicals.
B. Add one point. If your office kitchen needs a dishwasher, check out Energy Star models at http://www.energystar.gov/products/dishwashers.
C. Add one point.
D. No points.
TOTALS
10-14 points — You’re a Lean Green P2 Machine! |