Give your printer a break: share files digitally, view files digitally, and swap some filing cabinets for an external hard drive.
When you do buy printer paper, look for the recycled stuff and know your highs and lows: high percentage of post-consumer content and low chlorine bleaching.
Paying the bills online is a great way to cut back on your paper waste. You’ll save trees and reduce the fuel consumption of all those planes, trains, and automobiles that help deliver the paper to your door.
Spend some green on greener office supplies. From envelopes to printer cartridges, put your pulp where your mouth is.
Forget about packaging peanuts. Save any refuse from your paper shredder for use as packaging material. And you can always reuse anything that comes to your door, like boxes.
A screen saver may save screens, but not energy. Turn that monitor off. Running a lively screen saver can cause your monitor to consume as much energy as it does on active duty.
Even computers need to nap from time to time. Put that bad boy to bed whenever possible. Sleep mode can reduce energy consumption by as much as 60 to 70 percent. And when it’s time to hit the sack – turn it off, tuck it in, and boot it back up in the morning.
Hit the Lights – duh.
Telecommute – The greenest commute is no commute at all. Now’s the time to shack up at the home office. Working from home gives you less time on the road and more time at the desk – just imagine no more rush-hour traffic.
The Greener Mile – Okay, so not everyone can sit at home and work in their underpants. But we all can dress up our commuting habits a bit. Consider carpooling or taking public transit. It doesn’t take a hybrid to get hyped up about greener commuting practices. Or pony up on your steely steed – the days of hopping on the saddle and riding into town aren’t over. Bicycle commuting is a great way to stay fit and reduce your carbon footprint at the same time. Just tie her up outside the office until it’s time to clock out and ride into the sunset.
