Greening Your Home: 10 Ways to Create an Eco-Friendly Workspace
Save money and boost the health of the planet (and yourself) with these simple tips to make your home office a greener place to work
It’s easy to limit your eco-friendly efforts to the recycling bins in the kitchen, but your home office also offers plenty of opportunities to cut your energy use and reduce your environmental footprint. Here are some easy ways to start.
2. Go paperless
Start to digitise your files instead of printing them. These days, it’s a lot easier finding relevant information and documents on the internet, not to mention, on your computer or hard drive, than it is to locate a piece of paper around the office. Next time you find yourself at the printer ready to print, ask yourself: ‘Do I really need a hard copy version of this?’
Cut down on paper subscriptions by reading magazines, newspapers and business journals online.
Start to digitise your files instead of printing them. These days, it’s a lot easier finding relevant information and documents on the internet, not to mention, on your computer or hard drive, than it is to locate a piece of paper around the office. Next time you find yourself at the printer ready to print, ask yourself: ‘Do I really need a hard copy version of this?’
Cut down on paper subscriptions by reading magazines, newspapers and business journals online.
3. Think before you print
Refill toner cartridges, purchase re-manufactured cartridges and recycle them when they are no longer usable.
It’s also a good idea to learn about your printer’s settings. Did you know you can pre-program your printouts? Try setting them to double-sided, black and white, draft-quality as the default, and use this for all but important letters.
Refill toner cartridges, purchase re-manufactured cartridges and recycle them when they are no longer usable.
It’s also a good idea to learn about your printer’s settings. Did you know you can pre-program your printouts? Try setting them to double-sided, black and white, draft-quality as the default, and use this for all but important letters.
4. Recycling rules
Keep a separate recycling bin for paper in your office at all times. It will help you get into the recycling habit and save you time sorting through the bin on recycling day.
Keep a separate recycling bin for paper in your office at all times. It will help you get into the recycling habit and save you time sorting through the bin on recycling day.
5. Consider compost
Shredded paper isn’t good for recycling, but it’s great for compost. Spread it among the green, wet waste, such as grass cuttings.
Shredded paper isn’t good for recycling, but it’s great for compost. Spread it among the green, wet waste, such as grass cuttings.
6. Add some plants
Plants are not only known to lift your spirits, some even have purifying properties and can remove small amounts of VOCs (volatile organic compounds). Any house plant will use carbon dioxide and put oxygen back into the air, and can help create a more comfortable level of humidity in dry atmospheres.
Plants are not only known to lift your spirits, some even have purifying properties and can remove small amounts of VOCs (volatile organic compounds). Any house plant will use carbon dioxide and put oxygen back into the air, and can help create a more comfortable level of humidity in dry atmospheres.
7. Switch off electronic equipment
And switch it off at the source. It’s not only wasting a valuable resource, you also have to consider, do you really want to be paying money to power your computer when it isn’t actually doing anything?
Turn off your broadband when you don’t need to be connected to the whole world, and switch it off at the end of the working day. Unless you’re printing right at that moment, turn the printer off standby, too.
And switch it off at the source. It’s not only wasting a valuable resource, you also have to consider, do you really want to be paying money to power your computer when it isn’t actually doing anything?
Turn off your broadband when you don’t need to be connected to the whole world, and switch it off at the end of the working day. Unless you’re printing right at that moment, turn the printer off standby, too.
8. Reduce your e-waste
Fact: The average lifespan of a computer in developed countries is around two years. Globally, it’s estimated we discard 20 to 50 million tonnes of e-waste or WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) each year. The best way to reduce this figure is to take better care of your electronic devices, such as computers and mobile phones. Give your computer a makeover every now and then – clean it, reduce the amount of files you have saved on it and install protective software to avoid viruses, etc.
Fact: The average lifespan of a computer in developed countries is around two years. Globally, it’s estimated we discard 20 to 50 million tonnes of e-waste or WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) each year. The best way to reduce this figure is to take better care of your electronic devices, such as computers and mobile phones. Give your computer a makeover every now and then – clean it, reduce the amount of files you have saved on it and install protective software to avoid viruses, etc.
9. A word on wi-fi
Currently, research is being carried out into the health effects of wireless wi-fi networks because of radio frequency radiation (RFR). Try limiting the amount of time you keep it on – especially when there are children in the house.
Currently, research is being carried out into the health effects of wireless wi-fi networks because of radio frequency radiation (RFR). Try limiting the amount of time you keep it on – especially when there are children in the house.
10. Avoid disposable stationery
Get rid of staples altogether. Opt for staple-less staplers that cleverly cut and fold the paper to keep up to five or so pages together. Paperclips are also a good choice as they are reusable. Buy refillable pens and pencils or those made from recycled materials.
Get rid of staples altogether. Opt for staple-less staplers that cleverly cut and fold the paper to keep up to five or so pages together. Paperclips are also a good choice as they are reusable. Buy refillable pens and pencils or those made from recycled materials.
TELL US
How do you like to keep your office clean and green? What methods do you use daily? Tell us in the comments section below.
How do you like to keep your office clean and green? What methods do you use daily? Tell us in the comments section below.
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Re-purpose a dining table or dressing table as a desk, or look at second-hand options.
If you decide to buy new, look for low-impact materials, including reclaimed wood or fast-growing wood (such as bamboo). Remember, buy to last. Find something you like so you’ll be happy keeping it for a long time.