Ways to Reduce Office Waste

Go Green in 2014: Week 8

lilszeto / http://www.flickr.com/photos/mszeto/

Printing is a huge source of waste in the office, and between the paper and the ink, it can eventually start to get costly. I rarely print at home anymore, except when necessary, but at work, I have to print orders quite frequently.

Even though I try not to print any more than I need to, sometimes when printing an email, a second page will print with only a few words on it. I normally tear the extra paper into fourths and add it to my stack of scratch paper.

That stack of scratch paper can build up quickly!

This year, I have been trying to cut back on my office waste, so I have been trying harder to only print the first page. When I forget and the second page prints out, I can always add it to my stack of scratch paper.

Besides reducing printing waste, what are some other ways to go green in the office?

Ways to go green in the office

• Save energy by utilizing natural light. If given the option, position your desk near a window and open the blinds or curtains during daylight hours. Just make sure your computer screen is at a 90-degree angle to the window; if you are facing the window, you will find yourself squinting to see, and if your back is to the window, you will get a glare on the screen.
• Save heating and cooling costs by layering your clothes. I'll admit, I use a space heater at work during the winter, because I get cold easily. But at home, when I'm writing, I wear comfortable clothes and wrap up in a blanket - sometimes even in the summer. Dress for the season, but bring a sweater along, in case you get chilly.
• Start an office recycling bin. After shredding old documents, recycle them rather than tossing in the trash. And remember to recycle those plastic bottles and aluminum cans! Or, rather than using plastic water bottles, switch to a reusable glass bottle or cup for drinking water and other beverages.
• Unplug when you are done for the day. I'll admit, I am not very good at doing this yet. Before leaving for the day, consider shutting down your computer and unplugging anything that you are able, or turn off the power strip it's plugged into.
• Think before you print. Print only if you need a hard copy of something. Otherwise, save a copy in a folder on the desktop or on a flash drive, or flag emails to reference later.

Even though I have reduced my printer waste at home and in the office, there is always room for improvement. I still need to work on saving energy in the office.

What are some ways you can reduce waste in the office? How have you already gone green at work?

Easy 'Going Green' Tips for Beginners (click the link to read the article)

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Your challenge: This week, take a step toward reducing waste in the office, whether at home or at work, or both.

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**This post is part of a weekly challenge {Go Green in 2014}, during which the author has challenged herself - and you - to find 52 ways to lead a greener life in 2014. You can follow the weekly posts on this page.**