Ways to Go Green at Work

There are lots of ways to go green even at work. It is simple to make any environment a little bit more green. If you can make your home more eco-friendly, then it is just as easy to make your work space eco-friendly. Here are some helpful tips to become more green and eco-friendly at work:

• Conserve computer energy-  At work we tend to use our computers for hours at a time. For most of us, it is the central tool at work! It is important to remember to save as much energy by optimizing the energy settings on your computer. You can also set the display to sleep or turn off after 15 minutes or less when not in use.  And always shut the computer down when you leave for the day ("standby" settings will continue to draw power even when not in use). Also remember to unplug anything not in use, such as power adapters and battery chargers.
• Printers- Printers and scanners should always be unplugged until they need to be used. And try not to use color ink if possible. When buying printer paper, look for recycled paper with a high percentage of post-consumer content and the minimum of chlorine bleaching. When printing, try to use both sides of the page to minimize the use of paper. And don't just throw away your empty ink cartridges. Recycling printer cartridges is often free, and recycled replacements are cheaper than new ones.
• Use Green Materials-  Some paper use can't be avoided, so use recycled paper and envelopes that have been processed and colored using eco-friendly methods.  Pens and pencils can also be made of recycled materials, and refillable pens and markers are preferable to disposable ones. One website that I like is Remarkable.

Soph