Starting Work
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Working Green
March 18, 2009
Today is St. Patrick’s Day, and New York City, where I live part-time, is decked out in green. Me? I’m in a blue dress heading south to a TV interview and a program delivery. Something about the day’s festivities, however, gave rise to thoughts about how we can all make our workplaces just a bit greener.
If you are looking for ways to reduce your carbon footprint at work, consider these alternatives:
- According to the EPA, we waste $3 Billion annually in electricity via office machines that are left running when they are not in use. Consider plugging as many of your electrical gadgets as possible into one power strip. Then, at the end of each work day, turn off the entire power strip.
- Forgo your stapler. According to one posting, our country could save 1200 tons of steel—the equivalent of 26 SUVs—if every office worker used one less staple per day. Consider using old-fashioned paper clips and binder clips, or even a staple-less stapler, in their place.
- To the extent possible, share documents electronically using pdf files. When printing remains necessary, use 100% post-consumer recycled paper.
- Bring a plant to work. It turns out that among the easiest ways to improve air quality around the office is to remove excess carbon dioxide, which is what a green plant will naturally do. Don’t worry if you lack the proverbial green thumb. Several easy to grow varieties, including English Ivy, Philodendron, and Green Spider, are all great at removing carbon dioxide and require little care.
- Skip bottled water. If not recycled, plastic bottles will remain in landfills forever. Instead, ask management to provide filtered water and drink plenty of it using your own glass that you brought to work.
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