How CJ'ers are Going Green for Earth Day—and Every Day

With our New York office holding an Earth Day Challenge (25 points to anyone who can go 15 days without ordering from Amazon; 35 points if you participate in a community garden!) we were inspired to interview employees across CJ Affiliate's global offices to learn about the actions—big or small—that they've taken in their personal lives, at the office, and in their communities to be more green. 

"I live in an apartment in a city because I believe that it is a more sustainable way of life and supports the environment by minimizing my carbon footprint. In addition, I do not own a car but am able to utilize public transportation/walking (when possible) to get around town and commute to work. I recognize that this is an option because I do live in a city that has public transportation, and is another reason why I choose to be a city-dweller! Because San Francisco is legally required to compost, our office has compost friendly cups/silverware."

- Lyndsey Lara, Account Manager, San Francisco, CA

"I opt for no straws, and have asked for my receipts to be emailed to me, as opposed to printed. I have a little herb garden with little cucumbers, parsley, and chilies (to name a few). I chose to drive a car with low fuel consumption and low CO2 emissions (it's a tiny 1l Kia). I would love to have an electric car, but there aren't enough charge stations available in South Africa."

-Charanee Marimuthu, Account Executive, Durban, South Africa

"I don't own a car, my transport is entirely public or via bicycle. I only shower when it is necessary, not when it pleases me to do so. The house I live in recycles water for non-potable use. Environmentalism done right is not sexy. Sustainability does not always feel good—it requires ardent dedication to a lifestyle that rejects many pleasantries others take for granted."

-Account Representative, Santa Barbara, CA

"I became vegan to reduce my carbon footprint and help save forests & plant life! FUN FACT: Livestock grazing is the #1 cause of plant species becoming threatened or going extinct in the U.S."

-Heather Correa, Marketing Automation Specialist, Westwood, CA

"I make sure I have a re-usable bag with me at all times. It's easy to do and a great habit to create. I also try to walk instead of drive whenever I can to take advantage of beautiful Santa Barbara on foot! I'm lucky to live in a city that is green-centric. I truly believe that the little things do add up."

-Marissa Moorehead, Sr. Product Marketing Manager, Santa Barbara, CA

"I am trying to act at various levels, trying wherever and whenever I can. When I go to the beach, I always pick up the trash that's on my way, golden rule. I have stopped eating fish both from an ethical and health point of view. I (try to) refrain from buying too many clothes and avoid what's synthetic fabrics, since it is made of tons of little particles of plastic that end up washing off in the waters. I am progressively switching to solid shampoos, toothpaste, etc. (and finding it easy to adopt) to reduce my plastic consumption. I am now planning on starting making my own natural washing powder since a friend gave me a recipe that's very economical on top of it. Plastic straws are a nightmare in Paris as they are still used in most of the bars and restaurants, thus I look forward to the implementation of the single use plastic ban."

-Laurie-Anne Delannoy, Sales Manager, Paris, France

"Composting and recycling every day, whether I'm at home or at work, it's part of life; drinking filtered tap water instead of bottled water; using house cleaning products that are green; and limiting my use of paper cups, plates and towels. I'll also pickup someone else's trash if I need to! Our office takes part by ensuring we have compost and recycling bins on all floors, and reducing our use of disposable coffee cups by providing reusable tumblers and bottles."

-Camelia Gehrke, Director, Advertiser Development, San Francisco, CA

"I purchased a Tesla last year and we also installed solar in our home."

-Ashley Hardy, Sr. Account Manager, Santa Barbara, CA

"I've been using reusable straws at home, at work and while traveling! Next, I'm going to make an effort to create and throw away less trash."

-Ali Davis, Marketing Manager, Events, Chicago, IL

"LA is full of traffic, cars, and smog. I do my part by riding e-scooters and bikes to get to and from work. I also have a weekly subscription to Imperfect Produce, which aims to reduce billions of pounds of wasted produce every year."

-Ryan Burkley, Growth Manager, Publisher Development, Westwood, Los Angeles

"The biggest thing I've done is given up red meat. I have also been making an effort to reduce plastic by making simple swaps to alternatives. Things like: bamboo toothbrushes instead of plastic (plastic toothbrushes are as bad as straws), taking my reusable bag and water bottle everywhere I go (no bottled water or a "cup for water" when out), bringing my own reusable to-go containers and collapsible coffee cup (love this thing) with me to restaurants, and trading out the plastic sponges I had been using for a sustainable brush. I've also been relying heavily on the farmer's market, bulk bins, and my own produce bags to cut down on plastic food waste (the hardest part)."

-Zoe Pedziwiatr, Assoc. Content Marketing Manager, Santa Barbara, CA

"A few years back I made switch to bringing my own bags. Not just to the grocery store, but when shopping at any store I try to avoid leaving the store with their bags and instead use (and reuse) my own."

-Heather Pilat, VP Finance, Westborough, MA

"As a family, we choose to eat at restaurants that have an active recycling program and which offer compostable or recyclable take-out containers. We thank them for making the choice to 'go green' by supporting them with our business. When we encounter a business that still uses Styrofoam we always ask them to consider alternative packaging. Speaking up at your local restaurants and shops about their packaging decisions makes a difference! "

-Sandrine Thompson, Strategic Insights Director, Santa Barbara, CA

"We added solar panels to the roof of our house and drive an all electric car. We generate more power back to the grid than we use at home. Don't forget the new "R" word: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle! Especially when it comes to plastic."

-Hayley Silver, VP, Corp Dev, Los Angeles CA

"I think as much as it is an inconvenience for South Africans, load shedding has taught us how to save on electricity usage. Many are now looking to invest in solar energy (myself included). In addition, the various droughts--especially the major Cape Town drought--has brought about a domino effect with companies as they now store JoJo water tanks and have procedures for 'water and powerless' scenarios."

-Charanee Marimuthu, Account Executive, Durban, South Africa

"We recently donated 14 bags of textiles to be recycled through our local school system. As a community, we kept over 9 tons out of landfills!"

-Audra Murray, Associate Account Manager, Westborough, MA