| Administration |
| The Green Museums Initiative |
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| Things You Can Do Today |
| "We can take the lead in educating the board and staff about sustainability..." |
Why is it important to be green?
Much of the practical “greening of museums” goes on behind the scenes
through sustainable business practices, purchasing policies, and facilities
management. It is here where the green values of our museums are
developed, adopted, and maintained. Administrative staff, along with the
museum’s leadership and governance teams must support the overall goals
of creating an environmentally friendly institution.
How can we become greener?
Embracing green values means that every decision we make is done with
the environment in mind. We must rethink all of our business practices
from how we do things to who we do them with. This might mean
developing buying and vendor policies to insure that whatever products
and services we use are sustainable. Or seeking support from funders and
sponsors who show good environmental will. We want to make sure that
not only are we being wise consumers, but that our investment dollars
reflect our socially and environmentally responsible values as well.
Administrative staff can look at several areas of the museum’s operation –
purchasing, marketing, financing – and ask these fundamental questions.
Do our vendors share our green values? Do the products we buy have small
ecological footprints? Do we really need these things? Can we reduce what
we are using? Can we recycle or repurpose things? Can we use digital
medias rather than print? In general, can we set a good example for the rest
of the museum and for the museum field?
What should be our goal?
The support of the administrative staff is key to meeting all of the Green
Museums Accord goals. We can take the lead in educating the board and
staff about sustainability and help to spread the word among our colleagues
about our challenges, solutions, and best practices. By demanding green
values from our vendors and supporters we can also influence the larger
community. And we can share our green message with our stakeholders
and visitors.
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