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Tips for turning your office into a ‘green’ oasis

02/26/09

Many of us are already doing small things at home to help the environment - carrying groceries in reusable shopping bags, switching to energy-efficient light bulbs, and buying produce from local markets. But how many of those ‘green’ habits are carrying over into the office?

Going green at work involves taking small steps, similar to those you’ve been taking at home, only on a slightly larger scale. It may sound overwhelming, but its easier than you think. As more businesses adopt green practices in the office, new products and resources become available daily to help you get there.

Here are eight tips to help turn your office into a ‘green’ oasis:

  • Buy plants. Plants improve the quality of indoor air by absorbing potentially harmful gasses found inside many buildings. While cleaning the air, they also act as a quick decorating tool that will brighten up the office in no time. Ask your local nursery about plants that will work the best in your office.
  • Print less. A simple way to start printing less is by telling yourself that the printer is broken or that you don’t have access to a printer. Think twice when you go to select the print button and ask yourself if you really need a hard copy of what’s on the screen.
  • Print with soy-based ink. Soy-based toners offer an environmentally friendly alternative to the petroleum-based options. Using soy-based ink also increases the recyclability of paper, so that when you have to print, you know you’re doing it in a ‘green’ way.
  • Buy recycled products. From the paper that goes in your printer to the labor law posters in the break room, do your research and find the best recycled products on the market.
  • Turn off the lights. When you leave your office or finish a meeting in the conference room, remember to turn off the lights. Shutting off the lights when you’re not using them is one of the simplest ways to reduce the amount of wasted energy in the office each day.
  • Turn off your computer. Instead of putting your computer in sleep mode at the end of the day, start turning it off completely. While your computer is shutting down, turn off all of the other appliances in your office.
  • Use real silverware. Depending on how large your office is, the amount of plastic silverware you go through can be astounding. Switching to the real thing will not only create less waste, but will also save you money.
  • Skip the bottled water. Instead of having employees buy a new bottle of water from the vending machine every time they get thirsty, why not hand out reusable water bottles that they can keep on their desks everyday. You can use it over and over again, without creating any waste.

With more organizations and manufacturers jumping on the ‘green’ bandwagon, creating a more environmentally friendly workplace is easier than ever before. With a little bit of creativity, going green in the office can be easy and fun.