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Showing posts from February, 2011

Standards from a Sustainable Desk

As you dive in to the vast world of sustainability, you must first recognize there are many applicable sustainability standards depending on the industry you choose to participate in.  As with any job interview, one of the main cards you can have in your back pocket is the element of industry standards knowledge.  Familiarizing yourself with sustainability standards for your target industry is essential to determining the health of an organization and whether that company compliments your level of environmental ethics. ASTM International , formerly known as the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) is an organization that develops standards that address environmental and economic concerns in buildings and construction.  These standards focus on measurements for sustainability action impact.  This organization offers a virtual classroom to new members which may be of interest to you. Have an eye for interior design?  Perhaps the sustainability standards applicable to fu

The Gofer and the Art of War

One of the biggest worries of entering a job site as the intern is the possibility of becoming the gofer (pronounced gopher). A properly designed internship program would take the desired job position and establish roles and responsibilities between both the intern and the supervisor, minimizing the possibilities of you performing menial errands for the sake of convenience. So what do you do if after all the agreements and words of reassurance that you will not have your availability misused, you still find yourself making a pizza run for your coworkers? My warrior intern, I would like to give you a quote from Sun Tzu’s Art of War: " Rapidity is the essence of war: take advantage of the enemy's unreadiness, make your way by unexpected routes, and attack unguarded spots" Before you take this literally, put away the samurai sword and understand the relevance. "Take advantage of the enemy's unreadiness" - In the office or at a job site, nothing keep