Imagine you’re at work. (I know, you probably don’t want to think about work when you’re at home, but just work with me here.) Look around your office, and tell me what you see. If it’s like most workplaces you likely see a computer, stacks of paper, and take out containers from your lunch. Do you think these things are working to improve our planet?
Believe it or not, there are several things that each and every one of us can do at work to reduce our ecological footprint.
Check out these 5 painless ways to help save our planet without leaving your desk!
- 1. Be Powerful, and (Use) Power Less: Most of us depend on our computer to complete most of our tasks at work, but you can likely adjust your computer settings so it uses less energy. Completely shut down your computer and turn off its surge protector each day before you leave. If there are printers or other peripherals that aren’t used on a daily basis, it’s a good idea to unplug these items as well.
- 2.Go Paperless: Reduce the amount of paper that you use by keeping your files on your computer instead of printing them out. The best part about keeping digital files is everything is right there at your fingertips. Imagine typing the first few letters of a document name to pull it up instead of searching through an archaic filing cabinet.
- 3.Proper Paper Usage: When you do have to use paper, make sure that you use recycled paper, which is processed and colored using eco-friendly methods. It’s also equally important to use your paper wisely. Always print double-sided, and reduce your margins so that you use as much of the paper’s surface as possible.
- 4.Use Green Lighting: The best lighting is always going to be to maximize any natural light that’s available. If you haven’t quite made it to that corner office with a view, there are plenty of high-end LED desk lamps that will shed some light on your work and use minimal energy in the process.
- 5.Ditch the Drive Thru: Bringing your lunch to work is not only green; it also is healthier and cheaper! (That’s a triple whammy!) If you do need to have your lunch delivered, make sure that you ask around the office to see if anyone else would like anything so that you can place one order instead of several. (Plus, it’s just more polite!)
No matter what green tactics you add to your daily work routine, just know that every little bit counts.
What’s your favorite way to have a greener workplace? Leave us a comment to let us know!