So you’ve switched to Compact Fluorescent bulbs and LCDs, are switching off
powerstrips, and are using Forest Stewardship Council-certified paper. Great.
Here’s 5 ways to take the next step:
1. Shut down electronics at night
2. Re-think your lighting
3. Use technology for better meetings
4. Ditch the water cooler. Get a water filter.
5. Use refurbished equipment
Shut down electronics at night
A computer works approximately as hard to produce a screensaver as a spreadsheet
or any other routine task. So shut ‘em down when you leave.
Come to the light
Replacing incandescent bulbs with CFLs is a good first step. But if you have windows in your workspace,
consider re-arranging your cubicles or desks in a way that you can utilize free and
healthy light from the sun. The longer the lights stay off,
the less energy they use.
Use technology for better meetings
The advances in web-delivered software make it easier than ever to effectively
network, meet, discuss and manage online. And with ever-increasing gas prices,
it now makes more sense than ever to telecommute. We recommend products from
37signals.com—a fellow Chicago-area business—for group chat and project management
software, delivered through your browser.
Ditch the water cooler. Get a water filter.
Water bottles—despite the fact that they are reusable—are less environmentally
friendly than you might think: they eventually end up in the landfill. And while
the cooler might be a great place to congregate, a water filter provides better
quality water, without the need for electric power, and without wasteful plastic
bottles.
Re-use equipment
If you can buy it new, you can buy it used. With a 20-30 percent savings
on refurbished equipment—and 50% on used equipment—you can afford better quality
infrastructure from potentially renewable supply chains. And on top of that, you’re
saving something from heading to the landfill