As time churns on the need to take action for a more environmentally friendly world becomes even more essential. Even so, taking action by going green at work and in the office is often easier said than done. There are numerous ways to take action though, and once you start you’ll find yourself getting into the proper habits of going green.
Simple Habits of Going Green
Here are some obvious, but often overlooked examples to help you get into the habit of going green:
- Choose products that can result in less material going to waste and even less chemicals being used. For example, consider selecting a water delivery service, instead of purchasing cases of bottled water.
- Purchase ink cartridges that are recycled/remanufactured, which in turn saves money, materials, and resources.
- Use recycled paper to conserve energy and resources. Tons of paper are discarded, whereas often times the quality of recycled paper is comparable to higher quality, non-recycled options.
- Shed the fax machine. There are plenty of inexpensive and even some free options that provide email fax services, where faxes arrive and are sent via email.
- Print to file. Sometimes it is nice to have documents at hand. Instead of printing out on paper though, why not print as PDF files, and save them to your PC desktop for easy access?
- Use power strips to prevent unnecessary use of electricity. Electricity is often wasted when a source isn’t being used, but still draws current. For example, unplug your phone charger from the wall while not in use, or use a power strip with an on/off button.
- Turn off the lights when you leave for the day.
Green Company Policy?
Some companies make it a point to have a “green policy,” but we don’t necessarily think a policy is mandatory. As long as you are trying to take some steps to improve how economically/environmentally friendly your business is, then a written policy isn’t always necessary.
Although the “going green” examples above seem like small acts, when added up your business will benefit in positive ways. Not only will you be saving money and resources for your company, but you’ll also be doing your part to help and preserve our environment.
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