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It needs to be said that not every idea listed here is appropriate for every workplace. We must always consider our employees, the site, the demographics of the workers and the practicality of applying ideas. These suggestions are meant as a starting point. You may choose to modify them to suite your specific company;
Do more with less. The computer is the central tool of most of todays offices. Minimizing the machine's power usage by optimizing it's energy efficiency settings. Turn the computer off at the end of the work day or when you are out of the office. Use a power strip that gives you just one switch to turn off at the end of the day, this will help you to reduce the, "ghost load," on your meter. As much as 15 or 20 watts per appliance is wasted even when they're left in "sleeper mode." Remember to turn off the room lights when the space is not occupied.
Reduce paper usage, do you remember when we were told that computers would save us reams of paper and forests full of trees? As it happens we are using more tree pulp paper than ever before. The greenest office uses no paper at all. Storing your files electronically makes it easier to store the files off site, easier to save them and to easier to purge your old outdated files. You can take a back up copy with you when you leave the office with out caring pounds of paper in a wheeled cart. Moving to a new office is a snap compared to moving file cabinets loaded down with paper. Print minimally, use e-mail instead of memos, reuse misprinted paper for scrap paper. When you must use printer paper, go for high recycle content paper, using 100% post consumer recycled paper when ever possible. Reuse shipping cartons and reuse shredded paper or other waste paper for packaging when you ship. Find photo copiers and printers that use both sides of the page. Use printgreener.com, their softwear creates fewer blank pages with documents that are printed out from your computer.
Travel green. Encourage green commuting by allowing telecommuting at least three days a week where possible. Hold a raffle, the prize being a free a day off for those who bike or walk to work, another raffle could be for anyone who uses public transportation. For those who must be present in person at work, encourage them to work four days in the office consolidating their work load into longer days. This reduces their time spent commuting as well as reducing the carbon footprint from that one day per week commute.
Encourage a relaxed wardrobe
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It needs to be said that not every idea listed here is appropriate for every workplace. We must always consider our employees,
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Tips and advice on "going green" in IT for mid-sized companies
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