One in five Americans have left their daily commuting job to transition to working from home. Though this is an eco-friendly step by helping reduce the use of gasoline, this not the end of it. No way .. you can do more! No matter whether you are part of a full-time work-from-home team, or use a home office after office work you can take further steps for improvement.
1. Minimize Paper .. or go Paperless!
Completely avoiding paper from the office may not be practical, but you can cut your paper quantities very easily. Go for emailed invoices rather than paper, and scan and email as an alternative to faxing. This way, you can reduce the usage of paper, since no printed page is required at the receiver’s end. For in-office business, use tools like Evernote to monitor your notes or files. Going paper free can do more than help you live green, it will help you keep a more tidy workspace, as well!
2. Replace Your Bulbs
No matter whether you use over head fluorescent lamps or a table lamp in the home office, being environment friendly is as easy as replacing a bulb. Although CFLs have a slightly higher cost than the incandescent options, the benefit is that they consume one-fifth the power and last 6-10 times longer. Actually, Energy Star shows that every CFL can save you around $30!
3. Get Green Supplies
When you are stocking the office, go for Eco-friendly paper and envelopes. You can also get refillable printer ink cartridges and pens. When you are shopping for office supplies search for items labeled “green,” “biodegradable” or “recycled”. Normally there will be an Eco-friendly alternative for any requirement. Though green alternatives, like refillable pens, cost more initially, but these can help you save in the longer run.
4. Think Eco-friendly .. ALWAYS!
Refillable pens or ink cartridges will not serve any purposes if these are not filled again. More than 70% of cartridges end up in trash dumps, which is more damaging to the environment. Try to refill what could be refilled and reuse whenever possible. Going Eco-friendly need no overhaul in behavior. Small steps like using both sides of paper for noting down etc., can make notable difference.
5. Use Power Strip
Most of the standard home office devices like printers, chargers etc. consume power even when not in use. According to the statistics available with Department of Energy, unused electric gadgets consume 5% of total electricity consumption in the U.S. The solution for this is a power strip. When you leave the room or go out for vacation simply switch unplug the power strip. When you are back just get back to your routine.
6. Recycle Whenever Possible
When you want to upgrade any of the home office’s computer equipment, go to the nearby Goodwill store and join the Dell Reconnect Program. Besides helping you to avoid the used gadgets in garbage, it’s a tax write-off as well.
About Out of the Office Virtual Assistance:
At Out of the Office, we are committed to providing earth-friendly administration and offer ideas and ways to increase your productivity, decrease your workload, and work more efficiently. We nurture a successful business relationship, while continuing to grow as your business partner. We are focused on streamlining your administration, social media planning and execution, and offering creative solutions for your business success.
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