The "green movement" is becoming prevalent in various offices; here are a few simple tips to help you promote a green office.

• Try and use soy-based inks which could save you a lot of money as very less ink is consumed during printing. These inks comes in bright colours and are less toxic than the normal chemical inks.

• Opt for refilling ink cartridges instead of one-time use cartridges.

• You can recycle simple office supplies like staple pins and paper clips. In fact, any product made of steel can be easily recycled.

• Encourage the use of public transport and car pooling for employees. If they live very close to the office, biking, cycling and walking are not bad ideas. Provide bike racks to encourage employees to choose that option and offer parking incentives for employees who adopt car pooling.

• Encourage telecommuting of employees to save both time and transport or the peak hour rush. Plan weekly meetings for the team to meet and discuss the progress wherever it is possible.

• Use power saving light bulbs in work areas which are rarely used. Use sensors for conference room and other common areas to check occupancy and switch off the power points.

• Encourage employees to turn off their monitors and computers before leaving for the day. You can also switch off fax, printers and copiers if you are sure that they would not be used for the rest of the day. Try buying one multipurpose machine instead of multiple machines to save power.

• Buy power and energy saving equipments for office supplies even if they are slightly expensive.

• Turn the computer to sleep mode to save energy when you are not using it.

• Monitor paper usage at the office and take hard copies only when necessary. Get into the habit of online reading. Try and use both sides of the paper instead of printing one side.

• Use recycled paper wherever is possible. Buy bulk office supplies to use minimum packaging materials and it will also save you money. Use unbleached paper for daily use.

• Use recyclable cups in the office vending machines or try and use reusable mugs instead of disposing a cup during each use. Provide vending machines where employees can make beverage of their choice and use a sensor to de-lamp the machine and also make the vending machines consume lesser power when not used.

• If you use a lot of cardboard boxes, collapse them when not in use and reuse them when required.

• Adjust the thermostats to maintain temperature during different climates and weather conditions. You can also consider using air economizers to cool down building using outside air based on the weather outside.

• Adopt solar shading to protect the buildings from direct sun heat so that lesser cooling would be required.

• During winter season, keep blinds closed. When there is enough light outside, consider opening out the windows and enjoy natural light instead of switching on the light at your office.

Jason Ladock

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