Eco Friendly Office Practices

Global warming, saving the worlds resources, we all need to do our bit reduce waste and save on energy. We have put together a list of environmentally friendly ideas to help you make your office that little bit greener.

• Think before you print. Do you really need to waste paper by printing out that document? If the answer is yes then go for it, if not you can save on paper and printer ink.
• Turn your computer, photocopier and other electrical equipment off at the end of the day.
• Photocopiers are the biggest energy guzzlers of all office equipment. You can cut back on energy usage and save on paper by making double sided copies whenever possible.
• Laptops use 90% less energy than a desktop computer, while also taking up less space.
• Use energy saving light bulbs, and remember to turn them off when you go home.
• Use flat screen monitors, they are more energy efficient.
• Ensure you have recycling bins for paper, plastic, glass and toner cartridges.
• Buy your office supplies and equipment from eco-friendly companies.
• Send Christmas eCards instead of printed ones
• UK offices produce more than twenty million tons of waste annually, 90% of which is not recycled, compared to offices in Switzerland that recycle nearly 80% of their waste.
• Taking public transport to work can really cut down on energy emissions. If this is not possible consider car sharing if you can.
• Air travel has a huge impact on the environment; wherever possible use video conference calls for meetings.
• Buy recycled paper and remanufactured or refillable toner cartridges.

The three cornerstones of an eco friendly office are Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. We can all do our bit to cut down on waste and save energy in the office by making a few changes to our workday practices.