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10 ways to make your office green

By Kukil Bora, SiliconIndiaWednesday, 12 January 2011, 05:24 IST

Bangalore: Everyone loves to be in an eco-friendly environment and with this spirit of going green;most of us have taken various environment-friendly steps at home. But what about doing the

same at work? Taking the steps to greening your office doesn't have to cost you much. There are

very simple changes that can make your work-place a better to place to be in. Check out 10 easy

steps to green your office.

Use recyclable office papers

Wastage paper in offices is one of the main issues which need to be eradicated. Recycled versions

of paper, envelopes, pads, post-it notes are available these days. You can buy recycled paper

made from a high percentage of post-consumer recycled content.

Use of soy-based ink

Ink made from soybeans is better for the environment. It has lower levels of volatile organic

compounds than ink made from petroleum. Apart from this, it makes paper easier to recycle

because it's easier to remove in the de-inking process. Another key aspect of soy-based ink is that

it produces brighter and sharper colors.

Use laptops instead of desktops

Compared to desktops, laptops consume less energy. Laptops run on just a third of the energy

used by a desktop PC. Compared to desktop computers the components in laptops are smaller and

more efficient - requiring less electricity to run and are therefore responsible for less CO2

emissions.

Monitor lighting usage

It's very important to cut down on unnecessary use of lighting in order to save electricity. Here

replacing tungsten bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps can be a better option as they consume

20 percent less energy. It can also make an immediate cost savings of between 50-80 percent as

well.

Put your computer and equipment on a power strip

There are many devices that consume electricity even when they are not in use. Putting a power

strip between the outlet and your equipment can be very useful here as it helps you fully shut off

anything that doesn't need to be running.

Turn off devices

Turn off the lights and all electrical appliances when not in use or when you are leaving office. You

must set computers and other equipment to go to sleep after a period of inactivity or turn them

completely off. IBM estimates it saved $17.8 million worldwide in 1991 alone by encouraging

employees to turn off equipment and lights when not needed.

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Go for green power

There are many utility companies that offer a renewable power option for a small increase in price.

If you can make a much larger investment, you can go for installing solar panels or solar hot water

at your office.

Ditch the bottled water habitThe longer you have that bottle, the more likely it is to leach gross chemicals into your water.

Moreover, offices are major offenders in terms of throwing plastic water bottles. A good way out is

to get a filter, and have everyone use a ceramic or glass cup.

Do away with vending machine waste

No matter how useful a coffee-making vending machine is, it is not at all good for the

environment. It produces a lot of waste. If the office vending machine dispenses its own cups, it is

essential to make sure they are recyclable. Apart from this, these machines use more energy than

is needed to perform the task.

A green office coordinatorAssigning someone whose sole job is to keep track of office recycling and energy use would be

very helpful for the attempt to make the office environment-friendly. Paying somebody to look into

such matters may sound irrelevant to many, but it will worth it when you get your utility bill.