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Go Green at the Office: It Feels Good to Do Good
Eco-friendly options and alternatives are often simpler and less expensive than what we're already doing or planning to do-and sometimes healthier too. When it comes to contemplating greener living, apply these three easy practices wherever possible: reduce, reuse, and recycle. Once you take the first few steps toward greener living and working, the ideas for reducing, reusing, and recycling will keep coming. To get you started, here are some easy tips for creating a greener office environment right now.
A Green Lunch Hour Packing List:
- Bring a mug for your coffee or tea
- Bring a cup for water (those tiny paper ones were trees once)
- Bring silverware and dishware
- No more sandwich baggies; make the switch to reusable containers
- Don't forget your cloth napkin!
Your Eco-Friendly Coffee Break
Invest in a good coffee machine and some great beans for the office. You'll save time, gas, and money on Starbuck's runs-not to mention a paper cup a day. Enjoy coffee whenever you want it, and use your "coffee break" for a nice mind-clearing walk outside instead.
Reduce Energy
Look around your office for ways you can reduce energy output:
- Turn off unused computers, printers, office equipment and lighting whenever possible.
- If you're lucky enough to have windows in your office, take advantage of the natural light.
- Switch off your monitor when you'll be away from your computer more than 20 minutes, and shut down everything when you go home at night.
- Unplug mobile phone and PDA chargers when you're not using them because as long as they're plugged in, they continue to use energy even when your device isn't charging.
- Nudge the office thermostat a few degrees down in the winter and up a few in the summer and replace air conditioning and furnace filters regularly.
- And, of course, when it's time to replace items, make energy-efficient choices on monitors, printers, light bulbs, power strips (for easy one-button shut off), etc.
By all means, please print responsibly. Someone once told me that we thought computers were going to help us drastically reduce paper consumption. Wrong! We use even more paper now than ever. Going forward, think before you hit the "Print" button:
- Print only the specific pages or full documents that you MUST.
- When printing off the web, use the graphic-light "Printer-Friendly" mode when available.
- Keep digital backups over paper ones whenever you can.
- Print on both sides of the page and try to use old documents for future draft printing.
- Post employee manuals and information online.
- Use the "Draft" printing option (and black only) to save on ink cartridges.
- And before you print another set of directions off of Google Maps, choose the option that emails them to your mobile device.
We are deeply immersed in the digital age, and there are so many wonderful online tools that can simplify your work life. So before you jump in the car with that proof or jump on a train or plane for a face-to-face meeting, consider if there's a more energy-efficient way to get the job done. Most likely, a digital alternative will save time, money and your energy, another very important commodity.
Read more about several efficient and effective (and much greener for the planet) online tools here at Cybertary.com:
- Postage Over the Internet
- The Basics About RSS Feeds
- Online Banking
- Web Conferencing
- 50 Ways You Can Use a USB Thumb Drive
- 10 New Exciting Online Tools
And, of course, always keep your commute in mind. If you work from home, you're already giving a wonderful gift to the planet. If you commute, consider carpooling, bike riding, using public transportation and telecommuting whenever possible.
Reuse
When making purchases for your office, consider used or refurbished equipment and furniture whenever possible. Sometimes you really do need the new item; however, you can find great deals on gently used or never-used equipment and furniture on eBay, your local Craigslist or even Freecycle. Check these out before you purchase new.
Additionally, when you're parting with equipment or furniture, consider donating or selling items that are fixable or in good condition rather than throwing them in the trash. We recently gifted our old computer to the neighbor, a 7th grade computer whiz. He has taken it apart and put it back together three times. Who knows? Maybe we're investing in the education of the next Bill Gates. If you donate working items to a non-profit that can use them or a company that refurbishes them for future use, get a receipt and say hello to a tax deduction.
Once you reprogram your thinking, the ideas for reuse are endless. Go ahead and give your inner cheapskate a nudge. After all it's not just about the cost of a paperclip. It's also about the fuel it takes to make that paperclip and to ship that paperclip to your office.
Recycle
Just like at home, you should recycle your cans, bottles, plastics and paper waste at the office whenever you can. Check your local waste management resource for detailed specifics about recyclables in your area. Even old computer equipment, monitors, PDAs, cell phones and toner and ink cartridges can be recycled these days. I just recycled a very old printer through Epson's Recycle Program. I signed up online, paid $10 for the shipping, and they sent me a shipping label. Sure, it cost me a little money, but I was happy I didn't have to think about how long that printer would sit in a landfill.
Along the same lines, make a practice of purchasing recycled products whenever possible. Buy recycled paper products and purchase office supplies and furniture made from recycled materials.
If every one of us-as small business owners, employees, homeowners and plain old earth-respecting individuals-take small steps to go green where we can, when we can, we'll be actively doing our part to keep the planet intact. Many aspects of greener living are simple and can save you and your business a little of that hard-earned money and make the planet a better place to live for years to come. Hit the Power button off. Buy that adorable mug and use it every day. Seriously take a look at your printing habits. Take a few small steps in your office today. It will feel good to do good. We promise.
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