Each of us works an average of 8 hours per day, 40 hours per week… that’s close to half our waking hours.
We go about our daily lives talking on cell phones, printing sales reports, driving to work, using more of the worlds resources as the population increases each year. As we feel the consequences in our pocketbook with rising oil/gas prices and even the cost of paper increasing, it is a wise idea to step back and observe how to utilize resources more responsibly.
Let’s leave future generations a more sustainable world.
We can take steps individually to lower our carbon footprint by evaluating our workspace and engaging new techniques and options available to us.
Many of us have grown accustom to recycling in our homes but find the work environment to be more of a struggle.
What can you do to leave a “lighter footprint” at work?
- Utilize Computer Energy Settings – optimized your computers energy settings to go on standby and shut down monitors after a selected amount of time. Be sure to shut down your computer entirely when you leave for the day.
- Find Ways To Use Less (Paper Especially) - With computer storage getting cheaper and cheaper and online tools aplenty, we have may options available to us to keep documents digital. Keep files on the computer instead of in file cabinets. If you are concerned they will be lost, try one of the many online backup services available for free. Change your bills and banking to online only and soon enough you will feel good about using less paper. Also, try to use both sides of a sheet of paper. I like to keep used paper to write notes on the backside.
- Rethink Your Commute – Take public transportation, carpool, bike or walk (you get exercise at the same time). Consider getting a hybrid or electric vehicle or just working from home.
- Use The Right Resources – When you use paper, consider using recycled paper with a high content of post-consumer recycled paper. Get refillable pens instead of disposable ones. Use cloth instead of paper towels. Choose biodegradable cleaners and soaps. Recycling printer cartridges is often free, and replacements are often cheaper than new ones.
- Green Your Workspace – Get recycled furniture or new furniture that is manufactured from recycled materials. Replace those incandescent bulbs with compact florescent and take a look into the growing market of efficient LED lights such as LED lamps. During the day, use natural lighting from windows and leave the lights off (if possible). Natural light is also said to improve worker productivity.
- Lunch Techniques – Bring your own reusable containers to work. I like to use glass Pyrex containers. They are microwavable and are heavy duty. Traditional takeout usually leaves a big pile of trash for a small amount of food. If you do go out for lunch, try biking or walking.
- Recycle Everything- Make it a habit to recycle everything. Just about any kind of paper can be recycled. Batteries can be recycled, old cell phones and even some computers can now be recycled.
- Share These Tips With Co-Workers – It is great that you are conscious of your footprint and are taking active steps to live a greener life. Make sure to spread the word when you can to your friends and co-workers.
An interesting number:
55 < The percent of water saved by producing recycled paper compared to virgin paper. Recycled paper also takes 60-70 percent less energy to produce than paper from virgin pulp.
Remember: Even when we think we are saving energy by putting our computers to sleep or even shutting them down, we are still using as much as 15 – 20 watts. A 2002 report found that “Lopomo [low power mode] energy use is responsible for about 10% of the total electricity use in California homes.” To make sure that monitors, printers, DVD players, microwaves and computers are all the way off, pull the plug! A good practice is to have them on a surge protector and shutdown the surge protector after shutting down the devices.
Resources For This Article and Further Reading:
- 10 Ways To Go Green At Work from The Sierra Club
- How To Go Green At Work by PlanetGreen.Com
- How To Go Green by Treehugger