Posts Tagged ‘environment’

Make Your Office Green

Thursday, July 16th, 2009

A message from Crane ‘the office supplies people’

On average offices waste £6,000 each year by leaving equipment on over weekends and bank holidays. Simply turning off your monitor when you go home – and reminding your colleagues to do the same – can make a big difference.

You need to lead by example, but it’s also important to make it a team effort. Ask your colleagues and friends where they think energy is being wasted, and encourage them to think about how they can all use less.

It’s so simple to make your office Green. You’ll be amazed how by taking just a few small actions you, and your colleagues, can start doing your bit for the environment.

By switching off lights, turning down the heating, making sure your PC and photocopier are not left on standby and purchasing re-cycled products you can do your bit immediately.

Why not start with the following? It may not seem like much but imagine the difference it would make if workers in every office got into similar habits.

Here are some small things you can do, that will make a big difference:

Turn down the Thermostat (Remember to ask your office manager for permission first)

If the temperature in your office increases by only 2°C you will create enough CO2 in a year to fill a hot air balloon.

Remind your colleagues to turn their computers every night

If you forget to switch your computer off when you leave at night then after a year you will have created enough C02 to fill a double-decker bus.

Appoint someone with responsibility for ensuring the photocopier is not left on stand-by all night.

Leave your photocopier on standby overnight and you will be wasting enough energy to make 30 cups of tea.

Put a sign on the door reminding the person who is last to leave to turn off the lights.

Talking of Tea – leave your office lights on overnight and you could be wasting enough energy to make a 1,000 cups of tea

Leave the lights on overnight in your office for a year then you will have wasted enough energy to heat a home for almost 5 months

Try turning down the air conditioning (once again, best to arrange this with your office manager)

Turn off the air conditioning for one hour a day and after a month you will be able to power a TV for over a year

Look to replace your current office products with Greener, environmentally friendly alternatives.
It’s not just paper and envelopes that can be re-cycled. You can now obtain environmentally friendly staplers, hole-punches, marker pens and almost every other product you use regularly?

Green Office Tips

Wednesday, July 15th, 2009

With ever increasing environmental awareness concentrated around climate change, carbon footprints, pollution, recycling, and even the imminent demise of the high street carrier bag, it is little wonder that office supplies and in particular, green office products, may not be the first thing people think about when considering what they can best do to help the environment.

However, every little bit helps and you’ll be amazed when you discover just how much you can do – and how easy it is to do it! Read on for some great Green office tips.

Everyone has heard of re-cycled paper and envelopes but did you know there are ‘Greener’ alternatives to almost every product you regularly use in your office? In fact there is a complete range of Green office supplies available today.

If you are considering Green Office Products for the first time you may be surprised to learn that  you can obtain part-recycled staplers,  hole-punches and part-recycled marker pens!

You’ll probably also be surprised at just how much energy you can save by making small changes to your behavior at work. Take a look at the following green office tips.
Remember to share them with your friends and colleagues.

  • If the temperature in your office increases by only 2°C you will create enough CO2 in a year to fill a hot air balloon.
    TURN IT DOWN
  • If you forget to switch your computer off when you leave at night then after a year you will have created enough C02 to fill a double-decker bus.
    SWITCH IT OFF
  • Leave your photocopier on standby overnight and you will be wasting enough energy to make 30 cups of tea.
    TURN IT OFF
  • Talking of Tea – leave your office lights on overnight and you could be wasting enough energy to make 1,000 cups of tea.
  • Leave the lights on overnight in your office for a year then you will have wasted enough energy to heat a home for almost 5 months
    TURN THEM OFF
  • Have you got air conditioning? Turn it off for one hour a day and after a month you will be able to power a TV for over a year
    GET SOME BLINDS OR HAVE A COOL DRINK – BUT REMEMBER
  • Leave the fridge door open for 30 minutes a day and you will waste enough energy in a year to power a lighthouse for nearly 4 days!
    CLOSE THE DOOR

When your current office supplies expire look to replace them with recycled and environmentally friendly green office products.

On average offices waste £6,000 each year by leaving equipment on over weekends and bank holidays. Simply turning off your monitor when you go home – and reminding your colleagues to do the same –  can make a big difference.

To Go Green in the office you need to lead by example, but it’s also important to make it a team effort. Ask your colleagues and friends where they think energy is being wasted, and encourage them to think about how they can all use less.

Don’t forget to share these Green Office Tips with all your friends and colleagues.

5 Tips for a Greener Office

Wednesday, March 18th, 2009

With the environment at the forefront of many peoples’ minds and the economic situation worsening, greenifying an office can help make an office more sustainable and economical in the process. By making a few changes around the workplace, a green office is an easy goal to achieve. Read on for five tips to make your office greener.

Use Recycled Office Products

Recycled paper may cost a tiny bit more, but in the long run the benefits will outweigh the costs. Pens made from recycled goods and many other office products are available. Work on implementing changes one product at a time to make sure that the quality is something you are comfortable with.

Reuse and Recycle

Every office should have a recycling bin right next to the copy machine when mistakes are made. There is no need to throw much of this paper away, and it could actually be used as scratch paper around the office. If one side is used, use the other side for note taking and see how much paper you end up saving down the line. Recycle when the paper has been used to its fullest extent.

Set Office Machines to Stand By

Computers can cause a serious drain on electricity over time. If your machine isn’t being used, it should be set to go on stand by after a reasonable amount of time. Screen savers are great, but they still use up a tremendous amount of power. Setting machines to stand by will save electricity and money as a result.

Shut Down When You Close Up Shop

At the end of the day, all office machines should be fully shut down and turned off in order to prevent even further waste. As an added measure, unplugging machines will ensure that no electricity is wasted throughout the night. Data also cannot be retrieved from computers that are turned off, which could improve security as well.

Refill and Recycle Toners and Cartridges

Many offices go through copious amounts of ink each and every week. For desktop printers that use cartridges, refill the containers on site and make sure to recycle large toner cartridges as well. Many office supply companies offer rebates if you turn in your old cartridges and toners when you purchase new ones. Look into an office supply company that participates in an exchange program such as this.

This post was contributed by Holly McCarthy, who writes on the subject of the online college. She invites your feedback at hollymccarthy12 at gmail dot com