Jason Meyer Rochester MN Shares Tips About How To Make Your Office Green

Reposted By Jason Meyer Rochester MN

1. Make your office 'Climate Cool

You can offset the carbon dioxide emissions associated with your office's energy use and business travel by joining a "green tags" program. Green tags are energy credits created by renewable energy facilities that represent the environmental benefits of green power generation.

If your office holds conferences or other events, be sure to consider offsets for all the travel to the event.

Be sure to do an annual energy audit. Many utilities around the country offer them for free. If your office rents its space, encourage your landlord to do the audit and require it as a condition in your next lease negotiation.

2. Switch your office paper use to 100% recycled
Did you know that the average US worker uses 12,000 sheets of paper per year?

Jason Meyer Rochester MN Paper accounts for roughly 40% of all municipal solid waste in the United States. Whether you work in an office or telecommute from home, chances are you use a lot of paper. Green America committed to switching our paper for our publications and our member letters to 100% post consumer recycled paper.

3. Introduce Fair Trade Certified™ and organic coffee and tea into your workplace.
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4. Invest in reuseable plates, cups, and utensils
Ask people in your office to bring in some items from home. Or, check out a yard sale on the weekend to find second hand items for office use.

5. Make sure your office recycles paper, aluminum, glass, and plastic
If your building does not already offer the service, look for an independent recycling firm that can come and pick up your office recyclables on a weekly or biweekly basis. If this isn't an option in your area, work with individuals in your office to encourage people to take their recyclables home with them to put in their own residential curbside recycling.

6. Switch office light bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs
While the initial investment may cost more than conventional bulbs, CFLs last longer-- so over time your office will save money and save energy.

7. Start an office compost program
At Green America, we keep a sealed compost container in our office kitchen and individual staff members take turns taking the compost home to add to their own compost piles. You can also chip in to get a worm composter for your office kitchen.

8. Encourage use of green transportation to and from work
Offer incentives to encourage people to take public transportation, walk, bike, or car pool.

9. Buy green gifts
Whether you are buying a special gift for a client or a present for an office baby shower, make sure you buy green or Fair Trade items to show that you care about your customers and co-workers as well as people and the planet.

Make the Most of Office Equipment

According to the Department of Energy, office equipment accounts for 16 percent of an office's energy use. The use of computers, printers, copiers and fax machines adds up, but simply turning your computer's sleep mode on when you're not using it can save energy (screen savers are energy wasters, not savers).

Reposted By Jason Meyer Rochester MN