The Green Parent

Not long ago, the environment and business were seen as opposing forces. But today, companies both large and small are beginning to see the environmental and economic benefits of adding green to their bottom line. Whether you have a home office, run your own company, or work for a corporation, incorporating green practices into your workplace can save money, boost employee morale, attract customers, and protect the environment. As a parent, running an eco-savvy office also teaches your children that green means business.

1. Install CFLs: Replace traditional light bulbs with cost-effective and energy saving compact fluorescents. CFL’s use 75% less energy and last ten times as long as traditional incandescents. They’re also cooler, meaning you’ll save money on office energy costs.
2. Dive Into A Carpool: If you work from home, pat yourself on the back for protecting the environment by not driving to work. If you do need to commute, organize a carpool with a friend who works in the same company or nearby.
3. Ban The Water Cooler: Eliminate the waste production and energy consumption of traditional water coolers and fountains. Instead, install an inexpensive water filter on the kitchen tap and keep a pitcher of filtered tap water in the refrigerator so that employees have access to cold, fresh water.
4. Go Paperless: Save paper, storage, and postage costs by reducing paper use whenever possible. Encourage all employees to think twice before hitting the PRINT button. Use email to distribute internal memos or customer newsletters. Share and edit documents using a wiki program. Reuse envelopes to circulate internal documents. Develop an excellent website that makes catalogs obsolete.
5. Recruit The Stars: It’s difficult to operate an office these days without the requisite supply of electronics such as fax machines, copiers, computers, and coffee machines. Reduce your energy bill by purchasing energy-efficient models that carry the ENERGY STAR® label. Many ENERGY STAR® machines, such as laser printers, copiers, and faxes, also have an automatic standby mode that saves energy when the machine is not actively in use.

Similar Posts:

• Skip The Water Cooler
• Go Paperless
• Dive Into A Carpool
• Top 10 Ways To Save Money By Going Green
• Go Low-Flow