Step Four: Selecting & Planning a Program

Remember all the data you gathered in step one? Well, it’s time to take it out for a closer look. From this data, the Green Team will select a specific module. In creating this Toolkit, we list the modules in a suggested order; however, you should select a module based on priorities you identify during this step.

Selection

The first step in deciding which module to select is to identify your key operations and/or activities that impact the environment. For example, if you work in a law office, your key activity is likely to be paper use. If so, you will probably want to target this activity and choose the waste reduction module. Tenants have less control over some activities (such as energy and water use) and must take this into account when making their decision.

Prioritizing

After identifying the key activities, the team will need to decide which activity to target first. One way to prioritize your activities is to establish selection criteria and then allow the team to rank the various activities. The following are examples of selection criteria to consider:

• Are there possibilities for waste reduction?
• Are there potential cost savings to be realized?
• Could we achieve some early successes to raise enthusiasm about the program?
• Are there opportunities to address health and safety issues?
• Are there community concerns that might be addressed?
• Are there hazardous chemicals that could be eliminated? Could resources (water, energy, materials) be used more efficiently?
• Would employee or tenant morale/satisfaction be in creased?
• Do we need support from the property manager? Will multiple tenants see a benefit?

You will probably want to add criteria of your own that relate to your particular office or building.

Ranking

One way to rank the significance of your activities is to have team members place each activity on a scale from high to low. If several criteria are met, it is considered a “high” priority. Where an activity is placed can be determined by a simple majority vote of the members. Organize your information into a table to allow comparisons between and across criteria. Samples of criteria spreadsheets are provided online.

It is also a good idea to include practical criteria in your ranking process. This can be a way to decide “tie-breakers” (e.g., if you have ranked several as being high priority). Discuss the economic and technical feasibility of each one, as well as the time frame for implementation. However, it is often necessary to demonstrate the benefits of a new idea to management before they will lend it their full support. In this case, you might decide to implement projects that rank lower, but will show immediate results. These easier, lower ranking projects can also provide useful learning experiences, boost confidence as people see results, and create momentum for projects with longer time frames.

Planning

Once the team has chosen a module, go to the Toolkit’s Web site to view the appropriate module and related materials. These documents will provide more detail about planning, implementing, and monitoring your environmental program. When you have read and worked through the module, return to step five, Launching the Program, for general information about holding an effective kick-off event.