Top 10 Tips: Keeping your office green
- Use public transport. Instead of taking the car, make use of tubes, buses and trains to get to the office or to your clients. This will cut your petrol costs and your carbon footprint. If you really have to use the car, try and organise a car share with your colleagues or companies such as Streetcar which allow you to rent a car by the hour.
- Use Skype for your conference calls. Skype can be downloaded free of charge onto your PCs, laptops and Smartphones to be used for conference calls. Instead of travelling around for meetings, you can attend from a comfy chair. It also cuts travel costs and you can use the time you would have spent travelling doing something productive. Download it here.
- Introduce four day weeks. Another way to decrease your carbon footprint is to work slightly longer hours, but only four days a week. This may not be feasible for all businesses but if it is possible it can make you and your staff much happier with three day weekends.
- Buy energy efficient products. Switch your old office equipment for new, energy efficient models. Have a look at Office Magic for ideas
- Take advantage of e-mail. Sending out e-newsletters and e-mails instead of paper copies. Just think about all the money you could save on post, paper and ink!
- Invest in laptops. Laptops will make your office far more energy efficient as they often consume 80% less energy than desk top computers.
- Turn off office equipment when you leave. Make sure computers, printers and any other electrical equipment is turned off and not left on standby at the end of the day.
- Recycle! Scrap paper, bottles and newspapers can all be recycled. Documents that no longer needed can be shredded and recycled.
- Use both sides of the paper. Double sided printing will cut paper waste and save you money. Set up your printers and computers so that double sided printing and in draft is default.
- Make use of natural light. Open windows and blinds to make use of the rare British sunshine! This means fewer lights need to be switched on which in turn cuts your energy bill.
