Everyone is concerned about the planet getting warmer, except of course some people who are worried about losing money. But the bottom line is that if we do not do our part, our weather is going to change and not for the better. We all need to do our part in reducing green house gases. There are many green ideas for greening your office that employees may consider.
- Go electric
- Paper
- Lights
- furniture
- Commute
- Dress Right
- recycle bins
- switch off
Greening Your Office – Go electric
Technology is here for a reason — digitalize and dematerialized as much as possible. e-mails, invites, calendars and files can all be saved onto your computer rather than on paper. Back up all information on an external hard drive — as much as we love technology, computers do tend to crash and burn when loaded with too much information.
Paper
Print only if you must as most of the time you can make changes directly on the screen without printing. When you do print, choose a double-sided setting, which will print on both sides instead of just one. When restocking, use recycled paper. Encourage people to use email etc and avoid delivering paper reports.
Lights
Switch off all lights when you leave the office, especially desk lights that are smaller yet easily forgettable, but still powerful. Switch to LED (light emitting diode) bulbs which are more efficient than traditional ones and will last much longer than all other types of light bulbs.
Furniture
Choose office furniture — desks, chairs, filing cabinets, made from sustainable wood, recycled metal and non-toxic waste. If you need to change furniture, donate it so that it can be reused again and again.
Commute
Public transport such as bus, subway, train, car is overcrowded and stressful. It also contributes to your carbon footprint and to the toxic fumes emitted as complete your journey. If the work is not long-distance and weather supports, either cycle or walk to work. It’s healthier and a cheaper option with minimal impact on the environment.
Dress Right
Summers are warm and winter’s cold –. Dressed appropriately in order to not turn the heater or air conditioning on full blast, as you step foot in the office. Bring an extra jumper or pair of tights to cozy up in the cold and if it’s too hot, buy water spray or small fan.
Recycle bins
Have one main recycling bin where everyone can throw in paper, cardboard and plastic waste. Place it somewhere obvious with easy access. Although you may not save money at least you will be helping to protect the environment.
Switch off
Leaving your computer on overnight will eventually burn out its battery, and it is simply not necessary. Set up your system so that hard drives switch off after so many minutes and your screen protector activates and shuts down the screen as well when not in use. This will extend the life of your computer significantly.
For more life style ideas, click here.