Nine Steps to Making Your Office Green

The environment and its protection is a hot topic at the present time, and you can do your bit by making your office that little bit more environmentally friendly. Oh and did I mention you can save money while you do it? Read on...

1. Recycle

Recycling everything that can be recycled is important. Paper and plastic cups for the water machine are obvious examples and shouldn’t really be wasted. In the long run the company will save money as replacements won’t be needed as regularly.

2. Monitor equipment usage

Is that computer being used? If not switch it off. Equipment being left on for no reason wastes power and adds to energy costs. It will also increase the heat in the office and probably make people more agitated.

3. Use Email as your main communicator

Encouraging others to contact you by email will ensure that you save loads of paper communications from being sent in and clogging up the office. An organised office is a happy office. It is also often easier and faster to contact people this way.

4. Keep the air clean

The office should have air flowing all around it in order to have a clean environment. Open windows when possible and try and use an air purifier to remove unwanted smells from the air. Smoking in the office should not be allowed at all.

5. Plants are great companions

Having a plant at your desk will not only make it look more attractive but will also make it much easier to breathe. They will soak up all the air pollution and convert it into oxygen making the air even cleaner. The more the merrier so encourage your colleagues to follow your example and you’ll all reap the benefits!

It's not easy being green

6. Consider your travel

Have you considered riding a bike to work instead of driving? You’ll safe a ton of money on petrol costs and it will help you bring a more green state of mind into the workplace.

7. Maximise paper use

Try and buy recycled paper if you can and always think of other things that piece of paper can be used for instead of just throwing it away. Print on both sides of the paper whenever possible, and create packing material from shredded old paper that you don’t need any more.

8. Conserve computer power

Whenever you are on your computer always try to make sure that it is in energy saving mode. Set it so that the monitor goes into sleep mode if unused for fifteen minutes and the computer system itself after about thirty minutes. Never use a screensaver as this needlessly uses more power than you might think. Investing in a laptop is another good idea as they use up less energy than desktop computers.

9. Monitor utilities

Leaving taps on in the bathroom is another energy waster. Per second a wasted drop of water adds up to 10,000 litres per year; wasted water cannot be underestimated. Also make sure that you turn off lights in unused rooms and corridors and ensure that they are not left on overnight.