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The “go green” movement is going strong, and it’s not limited to people’s homes. Many people are questioning how they can make their workspaces more eco-friendly as well. Fortunately, there are countless ways to make this happen. Start by following these 7 tips:
Block the Heat From Outside
It’s nice to work next to a window so you can gaze outside whenever you need to clear your mind or take a break from work. But, if there are a lot of windows in your workspace, you may notice that the room tends to heat up fairly quickly when it’s sunny outside. Reduce the amount of heat that gets in the room by applying a reflective coating or film on the outside of the window. This will keep the room at a comfortable temperature so you don’t have to crank down the air conditioner during the summer.
Use Less Paper
Reduce the amount of paper that you use while you work by reviewing documents on the computer instead of printing them out.
Before you print something, ask yourself if it is really necessary and try to find an alternative to printing it. For example, instead of printing copies of an agenda for everyone invited to the meeting, write the agenda on a whiteboard in the conference room. If something absolutely needs to be printed, adjust the settings on the printer so the document prints on both sides of the paper.
Shut Down Computers
Many people leave their computers in hibernation mode overnight, but this is a huge waste of energy. To conserve energy, shut the computer down when you are done working for the day. The best way to do this is to plug the computer (and other devices in your workspace) into a power strip. At the end of the day, turn the entire power strip off instead of shutting down each device. Turning the power strip off will cut off the energy supply so these devices don’t continue to consume energy even when they are turned off.
Switch the Light Bulbs
Make your workspace more eco-friendly by replacing traditional light bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) or LED light bulbs. CFL and LED bulbs use about 75% less energy than traditional bulbs, so this is a great way to make your workspace more energy efficient. These bulbs are more expensive than traditional bulbs, but they also last up to 25 times as longer, so they’re worth the price.
Buy Recycled Office Supplies
Look for office supplies that are made out of recycled materials. Everything from printer paper and envelopes to pens and pencils can be made out of recycled material, so stock your workspace with these eco-friendly supplies.
Use Green Cleaning Products
Purchase eco-friendly cleaning supplies to keep in the office instead of buying cleaners with toxic chemicals. Look for cleaning supplies that are labeled as “all natural” or “non-toxic,” which indicates the product does not contain any irritants or harmful chemicals. Using these green cleaning products will create a healthier environment for everyone who works in or visits your workspace.
Decorate With Plants
Another way to make your workspace more eco-friendly is to decorate with plants. The plants will absorb pollutants that are floating in the air and then release oxygen and healthy negative ions. But, this isn’t the only benefit to having plants around. Studies have shown that having plants in an office can make workers feel more relaxed and less fatigued.
These are just a handful of the many ways that you can make your workspace more eco-friendly. If you want to tackle additional eco-friendly projects, get other co-workers involved by helping them understand how important it is to live a green lifestyle. There is power in numbers, so the more people that are willing to help, the more you will be able to do to transform your workspace.
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