Go Green

The Green Office program is best utilized at the department level, but is also open to individual employees. Departments that wish to participate should designate an individual to oversee the application process. An administrator who is familiar with and runs day-to-day operations (i.e., handles facility needs, makes supply purchases and catering orders, etc.) for the department will mostly likely need to be involved.

All participants must complete their submissions via the online surveys. However, the Office of Sustainability has created PDF versions of the surveys for your review and to help you prepare your submission. Participating departments must complete the departmental survey and distribute the Green Office Employee Checklist to all employees who wish to participate in the program with their department.

Any individual employee whose department does not wish to participate in the program may complete the Green Office Employee Checklist, which solely focuses on individual behaviors and not day-to-day operations.

Certified Departments: Library Access Services; Facilities Design & Construction; Global Engagement Office

For questions and support with either the Green Room or Green Office programs, please email or call the UNCG Office of Sustainability: uncgsus@uncg.edu / 336.334.3664.

Myriad products are consumed by the UNCG campus community on a daily basis. The purchase, use, and disposal of these materials has financial, social, and environmental costs. Greenhouse gases, other pollutants, and waste are generated during every phase of an object’s lifespan, from the energy expended to extract resources, to their manufacture and transport, and eventually to their disposal. The Office of Sustainability and Procurement Services have partnered to provide resources to help you make more conscientious choices for your office operations.

Monterey Bay Seafood Watch
Not all fishing is sustainable, but the Seafood Watch app makes decision making easy when you are shopping for dinner. Seafood Watch rates seafood choices on a best choice, certified, good alternative and avoids scale.

Utensils & Cleaning Products
Swedish dish towels (ditch those paper towels); Beeswax food wrappers (ditch the plastic wrap); Silicone baking liners (ditch aluminum foil and parchment paper); Mason jars (ditch the Tupperware); look for cleaning products that are free of parabens and sulfates; purchase concentrates to reduce packaging waste.

Landscaping for Wildlife & Native Plants
Traditional lawn turfs are considered a monoculture and require high inputs. In other words, they are an ecological desert and can use water, pesticides, and fertilizers at a high rate. Native plants on the other hand, create dense ecological benefits and thrive in the local soil and water conditions. Create a low maintenance garden that will attract pollinators to your property by following this guide to choose the right native trees, shrubs, vines, ferns, herbs, wildflowers, and grasses for your soil and light conditions.

Recommended Native Plants
The North Carolina Wildlife Federation’s list of recommended plants native to the Atlantic southeast. The website includes additional educational resources for native plants in North Carolina.

Native Plant Nurseries
The NC Native Plant Society maintains a list of nurseries that make finding native plants easy. They have a Triad Chapter if you are interested in learning from like-minded individuals about the radical good of gardening.

Backyard Composting
25% of household waste is compostable. Composting is a fantastic way to significantly reduce the amount of waste you send to the landfill, which is key because when organic matter decomposes in an anaerobic environment (a landfill), it produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Furthermore, composting creates a closed circle loop for your garden – the nutrients from your compost go back into your garden, which can eliminate the need for fertilizer. If you want to compost but haven’t had success in the past, or simply don’t have the time, space or energy, consider dropping your compost off locally at Sun and Soil Farms at the Corner Farmers Market or subscribe to Gallins Family Farm’s residential compost service.

Waste Wizard
Download the City of Greensboro’s GSO Collects app. Within it is the City’s Waste Wizard where you can type in exactly what you need to dispose of, and it will tell you the proper waste stream to put it in.

GSO Recycling Standards
Linked is the current recycling standard outlined by the City of Greensboro. Use this handy guide for general rules or use the Waste Wizard for specific items. Remember, recycling does not get bagged!

Glass Collection Spots
Greensboro does not collect glass in your brown curbside bins, but there are collection spots around the city where you can drop off your glass.

Styrofoam Collection Spots
The City of Greensboro has partnered with the Triad Foam Recycling Coalition to offer a recycling option for foam (Plastic #6). Drop off locations and more information are linked.

Plastic Resin Numbers
When recycling, the “plastic resin number” is often cited as what is accepted and what isn’t. This number is within the little recycle triangle on virtually all plastic products. See the linked guide to help understand those numbers. In general, 1’s, 2’s, and 5’s are a safe bet for being recyclable in Greensboro.

Plastic Bag / Plastic Film Recycling
You can recycle your plastic bags at Harris Teeters and Targets around the city. Use this recycling guide from Trex, which turns our plastic film waste into a durable composite decking material.

NC Green Businesses
Find green parks, attractions, restaurants, and more around that state that have robust sustainable practices incorporated into their operations.

Google Flights
To help you make more sustainable travel choices, you can find carbon emission estimates on your flight search results and booking pages.

EPA WaterSense
Take steps each day to save water and protect the environment by choosing Watersense labeled products in your home, yard, and business. Install water-saving showerheads and faucets, dual-flush toilets, and rain collection barrels.