By Heather Soldonia

Heather Soldonia

The San Francisco Bay area is known for being progressive. In San Francisco we have more than 40 LEED-registered municipal projects in the pipeline, real estate agencies who promote themselves exclusively as “green” and (did I forget to mention…) Berzerkeley.

As real estate agents we use a lot of paper, electric, and energy resources. The following are things you can do to be more environmentally conscious and promote yourself as an Ecopreneur:

• Print Less, Recycle More
  • Go Paperless
    • Primarily use email and phone for correspondence.
    • Use PDF, DocuSign or E-signature for documents.
    • Use electronic fax services (i.e. eFax or MetroFax).
    • Use PowerPoint presentations instead of handouts.
    • Subscribe to online publications instead of hard copy.
  • Recycle More
    • Use recycled-content paper when you do need to print.
    • Print double-sided whenever possible.
    • Recycle what you print and/or receive.
    • Print your business cards on recycled-content paper.
    • Offer clients water in a glass instead of bottled water.
• Pull the Plug on Electronics
  • Unplug charging devices when not in use.
  • Turn off your lights in office and open houses if possible.
  • Shut down copy machine and other items in office.
  • Eliminate the fax machine by using electronic fax services.
  • Recycle ink cartridges from copiers and printers.
• Drive Eco-Friendly
  • Telecommute
  • Plan and Combine Trips – Plan errands in advance for an efficient trip.
  • Drive Responsibly – Speeding, quick acceleration, and hard stops increase fuel consumption up to 39 percent.
  • Check your Tire Pressure Monthly – The U.S. Department of Energy estimates a 3.3 percent  improvement to gas mileage with proper tire pressure.
  • Carpool with Clients
  • Consider a Hybrid Vehicle
• Count Down Your Carbon
  • Calculate your Carbon Footprint.
  • Offset Your Emissions by purchasing carbon credits or plant a few trees =)

Heather Soldonia is a Broker/REALTOR® in the San Francisco Bay area with Windermere Welcome Home. She can be found at www.heathersoldonia.mywindermere.com.