3 Feb 2014
Ways to be Green in the Office
There are loads of simple and easy ways of being green in the office.
A good place to start is with paper.
According to www.thepaperlessproject.com, the average office still uses 10,000 sheets of paper a year, cutting this down would drastically improve the carbon footprint of the office.
If you have to print, follow these simple rules:
- Always print double sided
- Set your printer to eco-mode if it has it, to reduce ink usage
- If you have to print scripts, print them in A5
- Source your paper from a local business and use recycled paper
- If your fax/printer spits out printed error messages or spam faxes, keep these in a designated area and use them for scrap paper/notes
- Recycle your used paper appropriately
You can make a big difference to reducing your carbon footprint by looking at your office layout and being careful to turn off your appliances when they are not in use.
Follow these tips to reduce your footprint:
- Site your desk away from windows to avoid drafts
- Open the office blinds to let natural light in and situate your computer screen so that you won’t be affected by glare
- Use energy bulbs for lights that you have to have switched on
- Take waste bins out of offices and just have a paper recycling bin
- Choose eco-friendly appliances that will be energy efficient
- Make sure that you switch off all appliances that don’t need to be on overnight. Put stickers on appliances so that everyone knows what can be switched off and there is no excuse! Visit the Resource Efficient Scotland website for free downloadable stickers
Travelling to and from work can be a big factor in your energy consumption. Why not try these suggestions for a healthier and more carbon friendly journey to work.
You could try:
- Investigating public transport
- Suggest car sharing for those that have to travel by car
- Suggesting a cycle to work scheme and encourage your colleagues to use a bicycle
- If you can walk...then walk!
Making these small changes and encouraging others to do likewise will mean that your office's carbon footprint will be reduced, and you will save money too!
