Tips & Resources
In The Office:
- Conserve energy.
Turn off equipment
when it’s not being used. Turning off equipment
after hours can save up to 66% of normal power consumption.
- Double-up.
Produce double-sided documents whenever possible.
- Ditch the fax machine.
Send and receive digital images to reduce the paper waste. It's easy to scan and send images that can then be stored on a computer rather than printed out. It saves on clutter in the office and home, too.
- Recycle.
Choose suppliers who take back packaging, supplies and hardware for reuse.
- Detoxify.
Many offices have toxic substances, such as used batteries and copier toner, on hand. Talk to suppliers about alternatives to toxics, and make sure you properly dispose of the ones you can’t avoid using.
- Utilize energy efficient products.
Choosing the right product for the environment can help reduce your overall total cost of ownership.
- Buy green.
Buy sustainable products and set specific goals for buying recycled, refurbished, or used. Make the environment, and not just price, a factor when purchasing. It will pay off in the long run.
- Share that equipment.
Utilizing a shared space will reduce your overall power consumption and cost of supplies. It's less expensive to maintain one shared printer than to maintain one on everyone's desk.
- Get employees involved.
Going green is something each and every person in the organization is responsible for. Try setting specific programs, owners, and metrics and periodically review your progress.
- Communicate.
Inform suppliers and customers about your efforts. And get in touch with local regulatory agencies, many of which offer financial incentives to businesses that make progress on local, state, or municipal green initiatives.
