Eco-friendly Office Tips

Choose reusable ink cartridges for your printer with a cartridge refilling program, as many companies offer discounts on future ink cartridge purchases.

Instead of single-use paper and plastic baggies, invest in a sturdy set of food containers you can pack your lunch in for years to come.

Many employers offer their people the chance to work from home on occasion. By avoiding a long commute, people can save time and gas.

Look for office equipment with the blue ENERGY STAR sticker. These computers, copiers, fax machines and printers save energy through efficient design and power management options.

Challenge yourself and your coworkers to cut down on paper usage. Stop printing emails, have paperless meetings and change your printer default to double-sided when you need copies.

Adding some greenery brightens up the office, brings in a little bit of the outdoors and helps clean the air. Choose plants that do well in shade or indirect light, like peace lilies, cast iron plants, bamboo palms and English ivy.

Reduce packaging and shipping waste by purchasing office supplies in bulk. You could also save money and time along the way.

At the end of the day, turn off any machines that don’t need to stay on overnight for instant energy savings.

Set up bins for recyclable materials such as glass, plastic, aluminum and mixed paper. If the office doesn’t have a pick-up service, people can take turns bringing the materials to a local recycling center each week.