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46 PCB007 MAGAZINE I APRIL 2020 "It's not easy being green," are well-spoken words from our amphibian friend, Kermit the Frog. Now, more than ever, there is a focus on being green. Whether the topic is climate change, greenhouse gasses, recycling, or just plain conserving, the topic surfaces in head- lines as we move around in our daily lives. It all comes down to how we impact our envi- ronment and what we can do to help Mother Earth maintain her beauty and sustainability for millennia to come. For some, this is a big leap of faith. Conser- vation is one thing, but letting go of some of the axioms we or others have used for years isn't easy. For consumers, the "green" mindset may be about recycling, followed by perhaps composting. It could also incorporate lighting changes to efficient LED bulbs, driving less, or finding a more economical vehicle to drive. All of these actions impact our environment. For manufacturing, the same applies to some extent. Better means for chemical reclaim, bet- ter monitoring of down spaces to conserve lighting and HVAC, use of more environmen- tally friendly materials—such as lead-free sol- der—and streamlining processes to reduce waste and scrap (click here to read my recent column on waste.) All of these combined have a significant im- pact, but it doesn't stop there. One of the larg- est—if not the largest—contributor to waste is paper. As a consumer, we are bombarded by paper waste every day. One just has to open their mailbox at home, and you are spammed by every imaginable form of advertising. There are days where I don't even receive anything to our home mailbox but a bunch of advertising papers that all have the basic theme—1-800 or "www.buymystuff"—which, most times, go straight into the recycling bin. I'm definitely not supporting those adver- tisers' marketing budgets. How many of you are with me? You know who you are. Some of these advertisers have evolved and taken it to It's Not Easy Being Green (or Is It?) Testing Todd by Todd Kolmodin, GARDIEN SERVICES USA