A Green Office Benefits Company and Individual

According to the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC), transforming workplaces to areas with better indoor air quality has the potential to generate an additional $200 billion annually in increased worker performance. That bit of information was taken from the recently released book Green Made Easy by Chris Prelitz, which includes relevant information on establishing a green office.

Chris has devoted Chapter 16, of his twenty chapters on how to go green in the workplace, and titled it "Green Your Workplace." This "green office," furnished with green office furniture can be realized by subscribing to what Chris advises:

1. Pay bills online. This not only saves paper, envelopes and stamps, but also the fuel involved in both delivering and paying a bill. Paying bills online helps keep the budget down in green office supply.

2. Telecommute. If your job involves a lot of use of the computer anyway, perhaps the work can be done at home--or at least one day of the week.

3. Be an Eco-Friendly Commuter. Link up with fellow providers of rides to your green office with help of a government funded website www.commuterchoice.com.

4. Get on the Paperless Path. Save a whole lot of storage space not to mention trees and energy. Convert your documents to digital. Buy an Energy-Star scanner for your green office.

5. Set a Paper Use and Paper Purchase Policy. A policy may include purchasing 100 percent postconsumer paper, tree-free paper, or using both sides of paper for printing.

6. Kill Power Vampires. Most electronic equipment, even though idle, draws electric current. Turn them off via a power strip when work is done.

7. Use Energy-Efficient Task Lighting. Replace incandescent bulbs with long-lasting fluorescents or LEDS (light-emitting diodes). Lighting should be a priority when going green in the workplace. Try to focus lighting to just the task at hand rather than the entire room.

8. Recycle Old E-waste. Computers,televisions,cell phones, fax machines and other electronic equipment contain hazardous materials such as lead. Recycle rather than mine later.Recycled office products makes good sense and preserves the environment.

9. Refill Ink Cartridges. You may refill ink cartridges for a fraction of what they cost new at many office supply stores. You can also buy refill kits online.

10. Packing Peanuts. Recycle packing peanuts for your own use rather than throwing them away or simply donate to local shipping stores. Recycling centers may be found at 800-828-2214 or check out www.loosefillpackaging.com.

11. Green cleaners. Replace cleaners, solvents or solutions with the nontoxic versions whenever possible. Your green office supply should include vinegar and baking soda as organic cleaners.

12. Stop toxins at the door. A large durable doormat at every exterior door can catch microbes and toxins that might otherwise be tracked into the office. Keep them clean by shaking them out often. More tips on how to keep your home or business office green are found in Chris Prelitz's green paperback Green Made Easy which is reviewed on this webpage. You may also purchase the book by clicking on its image on the webpage.