9 Ways to Go Green at the Office

Posted on 27/05/2016

Green Tips for an Environmentally Friendly Office

1. Make printing efficient

Printing out documents often produces pages left with nothing but a single line containing a web address or something else not-so-important. Waste of print space is the cause for excess paper usage. Installing specialised software to detect and identify areas of potential wasted print space can save up to 17% of paper and over 50 pounds in expenses per user annually.

2. Go with recycled paper

Printable paper can be fully recycled. Go with options that are 100% recycled. They will not affect the quality of the print or be any less readable than other non-recycled paper. In comparison to creating paper from pulp, recycling takes up to 70% less energy.

3. Opt for remanufactured toner and ink cartridges

The impact of using remanufactured cartridges is huge. For one, they cost about 15% less than new ones. Apart from that, reused cartridges save roughly 2.5 pounds of plastic and metal, plus half a gallon of oil.

4. Utilise natural light

40% of electricity consumption of the average office building comes from artificial lighting. Often times natural light is available and does a better job than artificial. Designing the window features to allow more can save a big deal of electricity every year.

5. Switch to fluorescent bulbs

Compact fluorescent bulbs are much more efficient than incandescent bulbs. Fluorescent products use up to 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 times longer. Implementing this you will save on energy costs, reduce waste and this will lead to less bulb replacement expenses.

6. Portable air conditions save on cooling costs

Cooling costs for a 1200 square foot office may reach over 1000 pounds. Central cooling is not as effective, as it often cools empty rooms and unoccupied spaces. Portable air conditioners allow setting comfortable temperatures at areas that are used only.

7. Green commute to work

The average person in a big city spends roughly 45 hours every year commuting through heavy traffic during rush hours. Instead of wasting time in traffic, you can opt for a greener alternative to driving alone in your car and choose to walk, use public transport, bike or carpool with coworkers who are headed your direction.

8. Opt for smaller screens

Reducing the size of the screen by 4 cm can reduce energy consumption by up to 30%. It is a well-known fact that smaller screens drain less energy.

9. Set computers to sleep

Eliminating energy drain from computers and other hardware that is not in use can notably decrease the energy consumption. A computer that is set to sleep after a short period of non-usage will reduce consumption by up to 70%.