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Tips to creating a green office.
The workplace is ideal for a recycling program due to the amount of office paper generated; the number of aluminum cans, glass and plastic bottles; and the opportunity for carpooling. Below are some tips to creating a green office by reducing, reusing and recycling. A green routine can be easily incorporated into the daily routine of office employees. Start here. Start today.
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Get support. It is important for everyone to know who is backing the office's recycling efforts. Get the support of top management like the CEO, CFO or COO involved to encourage office employees to reduce, reuse and recycle. |
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Perform a waste assessment. Walk through the office, of office building, to learn what type of waste is discarded in each area. A walk through will help determine what types of containers are needed in each area. For instance, containers for glass, plastic and aluminum recycling are likely to be needed in a break room whereas paper-recycling containers may be needed in individual offices, work stations and the lobby. |
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Educate employees. Educate employees on the office's recycling procedures. Issue a memo, create posters or even throw a kick-off party to explain separation procedures for each area, each container. Consider incorporating your workplace's recycling procedures in new-employee orientation. |
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Carpool. Think of the decrease in pollution your office could create if employees carpooled to work events like meetings, luncheons and conferences! Encourage carpooling. Some cities have even designated High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes to vehicles containing a driver and one or more passengers. |
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Print on both sides of paper. Introduce yourself to the double-sided printing option when choosing to print documents. By doing so, you will reduce the use of paper in your office, sparing trees and saving money. Take it a step further and print on post-consumer, recycled paper. |
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Use non-toxic cleaning products. Read the labels of the cleaning products used in the workplace. Are they full of toxins? When purchasing cleaning supplies, look for non-toxic cleaning solutions. Try making your own, too, with common items like vinegar, borax, baking soda, tea-tree oils, water and the sort. |
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Go online. Use the Internet to read newspapers and do research. You can even reduce the amount of direct mail you receive by choosing to stop paper statements, paying your bills online. |
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Convert the break room into a green room. Purchase items that are washable and reusable like glass mugs, flatware, dishes, cups and food-storage containers. Stop purchasing bottled water and, instead, use a water-filter pitcher. |
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Make the change. Use energy-efficient lighting in the office. Don't just recycle ink and toner cartridges but reuse them, too. Print on recycled paper. By taking some of these steps, not only will your office be more green, but you will save money. |
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Network with green businesses. Create a green-business network to learn what other businesses are doing to go green in your community. This will create strength and partnership in going green. Do green business together. |
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