Going green is a hot topic; it's fashionable and sexy. Oprah's on the bandwagon, so that bandwagon's recently gained millions of passengers led by Leonardo DiCaprio and countless other celebrities.
Eco-friendly environments are not just better for generations to come. Green environments in your life and workplace are good for you right now. It will make a difference in your life while you are living it by removing a great deal of toxins that are suspected or believed to cause cancers and other diseases.
Become the Green Hero/Heroine at your workplace. This requires that you convince your boss and coworkers to make a number of changes to how things are done in the office. It's simple. Money talks and going green means lowering costs at the office. Making Green more appealing is that it does not involve deprivation - only adaptation.
Start with the dollar savings from the office budget. Most managers receive bonuses for staying under budget. If you work for the company owner, he or she should be even more receptive to the idea of saving. Open your argument with reason: these ideas help save money, improve marketability, and make the office healthier. Once you have your boss on board, try to enlist your coworkers.
The Steps of Project Green:
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Replace the water cooler and disposable cups with a self-hydration system. Employees bring in mugs for coffee or water. Removing disposable cups and a water cooler service is a significant savings.
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Replace the paper filter coffee pot with one that has a plastic, removable filter. These can be found for less than twenty dollars in stores.
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Green businesses will want to do more business with other green businesses. It increases your company's market base.
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Opening windows when the weather permits and turning off the air conditioner will reduce the cost of utility bills.
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Automatically unplug all machinery before employees leave for the day. Even though computers may be turned off, they are still pulling power from the electrical-outlet they are plugged into.
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Use as little paper as possible. Store files on memory sticks instead of filing cabinets. Create space, and reduce the cost of stationary.
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Use recycled paper for what must be printed, and print on both sides of the paper.
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Get coworkers involved. If public transportation is not easily accessible or available at all in your area, carpooling is an alternative. If you are able to, ride a bike to work instead of getting in a car at all.
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Put a plant on everyone's desk. The plant will absorb some carbon dioxide in the air, and it will make the office much prettier.
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Pack your lunch in a container that is reusable. Paper bags and plastic baggies are not green. Use storage boxes for your food. Packing your lunch also reduces waste from take-out restaurants and from dine-in restaurants.
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Printers are some of the most toxic office culprits. Use them as little as possible. Only use color ink when it seems it is absolutely necessary. You can use recycled ink and cartridges to green the printer.