Happy New Year Everyone! I hope everyone enjoyed their time off. It's a new year and a new start and if you have not noticed, “going green” is a real big right now. People are going green in their homes, at the office and even on the road.

Below are some steps on how to go green at the office.

Step 1: Switch off lights when not in use.

This one is pretty obvious; when you leave a room and no one else is in the room, turn the lights off.

 

Step 2: Turn off your monitor and unused chargers.

Turning off your monitor throughout the day when you’re not using it may be inconvenient, but by turning the monitor off when not in use reduces the energy required by your computer by about two thirds.

 

Step 3: Be a responsible printer

Think twice before your print and consider if you really need a hard copy. When you do have to print, print only the pages you need. If you need sections of a document, paste the relevant sections into a Word document and print that instead of printing the entire document.

 

Step 4: Recycle in the office

Whatever location you are at, there are recycling bins for paper, bottles, cans, plastics, etc. Be sure to use them. Not only is this good for our company’s morale and public image, it can save money and reduce waste.

 

Step 5: Weigh your options before “jetting off” for business

Is that business trip really necessary or is there an equally effective alternative. Video conferencing now allows face-to-face exchanges without ever having to get in a car and is a lot more cost effective.

 

Remember these are just small things we can each to do be eco-friendly when we are at the office. For more information on going green, visit The Green Guide, click here for more information.