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Going Green – Ideas To Make The Office More Eco-Friendly

Not only is it important for the earth and the preservation and conservation of our natural resources to make conscious efforts to be more ecologically responsible. The green initiative is becoming more relevant and important in today’s competitive marketplace. Efficiency and resourcefulness can not only improve on waste reduction, but also have a direct effect on a company’s bottom line due to cost savings.

Energy
We are constantly wasting energy, and unless you are the one paying the utility bills every month, we don’t even give it a second thought. Some ways we can cut down on wasted energy are as follows; optimize the use of natural light as well as ventilation (weather permitting) when possible. Monitoring the temperature of the office can help make sure the heating and cooling system is only running as needed. Replace high energy light bulbs with lower wattage energy saving lights. Utilize energy conservation settings on computers and other devices and shutting them down when they are not in use, especially overnights and weekends when the office is closed. Power strips and surge protectors can be a great tool as well.

Wasting Resources
Disposing of unwanted trash and garbage is another huge factor in going green. Recycling may be one of the biggest keys to combat this issue. About 90% of office waste can be recycled because the majority of it is made up of paper. Removing individuals trash receptacles and creating a more centralized disposal system can cut down on waste and promote recycling. Another way to cut down on wasted paper is taking advantage of printing features such as double sided printing. Avoid printing at all costs. File sharing and digitizing is faster, easier, more convenient, and much less wasteful in terms of physical, natural resources. Inevitably printing is a necessity in some cases and there is no way around it, so purchasing and using recycled paper can help companies be more green as well as avoiding color printing. Recycling empty ink cartridges is responsible and companies even offer cash incentives programs for them as well.

A few other ways to reduce waste are:

  • Stop drinking as much bottled water.
  • Refill the bottles or cups and  reuse them as much as possible and recycle them when you are done.
  • Save and reuse packaging materials and use shredded recycled paper instead of packaging peanuts.
  • Utilize video and web conferencing to cut down on traveling.
  • Send emails and e-cards instead of the postal service.
  • Opt for online media rather than more traditional forms.

Implementing these ideas and making them common daily practices can significantly reduce waste and save money for any business. For more great information like this check us out on Facebook or Twitter!