This past Saturday, over 100 organizers got together for the 2009 Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference for Professional Organizers (MARCPO), hosted by NAPO-WDC, in Bethesda, MD.  The educational content of the program was fantastic and included the presentation, Putting Some Green in Your Organizing Business, by the “Queen of Green,” Candita Clayton.  Now, I’m a fan of living green and I encourage my clients to do the same with my “Reduce, Reuse, Recylce” mantra…but I discovered that I was only “light green.”  Before I get into that little eyeopener, here’s how Candita defined “being green”:

“Being ‘green’ means making healthier, more sustainable choices for you, your family, your business, and the planet.”

So, it’s those types of choices that determine whether you’re light, medium, or dark green. Here’s an easy to read chart I found at BeGreenMinded.com that explains what each shade means.  I added a few tidbits that I picked up portions of that site and from Candita’s presentation as well.

You want to be green but not sure where to start. Candita said that you can also be in this category if you’re just starting, e.g., replacing your usual lightbulbs with CFL’s, recycling newspapers and plastics, etc.

You do more than most, but nothing radical. So, you’re in the swing of things.  You’re using CFL’s, green cleaning products, aluminum water bottles, and replaced your flooring with environmentally friendly carpet tiles or wood flooring.

You are passionate about lowering your carbon footprint no matter what. Now, you’re really rockin’ n rollin’!  In fact, you’ve morphed into Ed Begley, Jr. =)  You’ve made environmentally friendly renovations/updates to your home by replacing your roof,  HVAC unit, windows, doors, insulation, and water heater.  You’ve also switched to Energy Star rated appliances, installed rain barrels, ride around in an efficient or hybrid car, and when you have to take a cab, you share your ride with others.

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So, it seems I have a little more work to do on the home front to get from light to medium green.  In the meantime, I’ll keep up with my light green practices and definitely encourage you to do whatever you can to make healthier choices.  It might seem like it’s a lot – and it is – IF you’re trying to be dark green right off the bat.  Candita suggested starting small (e.g., finish up your current cleaning products and then switch over to green ones).  You can definitely recycle your newspapers (if you still get your news that way) and reduce your consumption in other ways.  You’ll have less clutter and will be doing something good for your planet.  Baby steps, yes?