Whether you work from home or travel to your office, you can reduce your carbon footprint throughout your daily work routine. Here are some simple ways to trying going green at your office, no matter what color it is.
Print Front and Back
Avoid excessive paper use by setting your printer to print on the front and the back of the sheets when printing multi-page documents. Old memos and copies can become scratch paper for notes.
Go Paperless
Bills, invoices and all communication can happen electronically. By eliminating unnecessary paper use, you avoid clutter and save lots of trees.
Replace Incandescent Bulbs
LED bulbs provide the same amount of light as incandescent bulbs, but they use up to 80% less energy. Switching to LED bulbs can have a huge impact on the office energy bill, especially for large offices.
Change Your Plumbing Fixtures
Consider replacing faucets in bathrooms and kitchens with low-flow options. By choosing an EPA-approved WaterSense option for sinks and toilets, you can reduce water usage and waste significantly.
Add Plants
In addition to adding personal warmth to your office space, try literally going green with plants that are reliable and natural air purifiers. They remove carbon dioxide and add oxygen to the air into your office space. Plants also cleanse the air from traces of harmful chemicals found in synthetic upholstery and furnishings.
Opt for Repeat Use
Whether you are choosing office supplies or outfitting the office kitchen, select items that have long-term usability. Consider, pens with replaceable ink cartridges, stainless steel utensils, and rechargeable batteries to replace unrecyclable items.
Power Down
Many people do not shut off their office computers when they walk away from them at night. Keeping electronic objects plugged into live outlets when they are not in use is a huge waste of energy. Instead, power down until you are ready to use them.
Reuse Packing Supplies
Carefully open boxes you receive in the mail so that you have packaging that is intact handy the next time you need to ship something. Reusing shipping packaging not only cuts down on paper use but also saves time and effort.
Raise the Temperature
During the summer, many office air conditioners produce low temperatures that are uncomfortable for employees unless they are wearing jackets or sweaters. Raising the temperature by even one degree can lower energy use and power bills significantly during the hottest summer months.
Going green is achievable for any individual or company. All it takes is some mindfulness.