Huge accomplishments normally have humble beginnings. If one person in an office sets the example of displaying green habits, the rest of the office will join in. Very soon, the whole building will become green.

Precycle

We all know about recycling, but what about precycling? Precycling is nipping waste in the bud, before it has a chance to become waste. Examples of precycling are:

• Use paper that is recycled. Buy paper with recycled content of minimum 30 percent.
• Product packaging can cause a lot of waste. When buying large sized products, the waste used for packaging is less. This can be very cost effective if it is product you will use before its expiry date.
• Buy high quality furniture and equipment that could last a long time, and doesn’t need replacement soon. Facilities Management will assist in purchasing the appropriate product.
• Be aware that there is types of paper that contaminates the recycling. Not all paper is good for recycling. Paper types that should be avoided are: glossy and plastic coatings; bright colors; goldenrod included; thermal fax paper; laser printer inks; adhesive products; and plastic window in envelopes.

Reusing

Reusing products are more environment-friendly to use than disposable products, for example:

• Envelopes can be reused when labels are placed over the original address. Larger envelopes can be reused for sending documents within the office.
• Reuse paper printed on one side as scrap paper.
• Use reusable silverware, mugs, cups, and dishes in the place of disposable mugs and plates.
• Styrofoam pellets, mailing tubes and boxes can be reused.

Reducing

Reducing the amount of waste is another method of having a green office.

• Don’t print documents before they have been previewed and proofread on the computer screen. Print only the finalized document
• It is not necessary to printout emails. Set up extra files in the inbox for the different emails received.
• Print preview is a valuable tool to use. It displays the document the way it looks when printed. Use it to get rid of extra lines or pages that are sometimes added by accident. Remove unnecessary page and section breaks as well. Then you are ready to print the final document.
• Two-sided printed copies save on paper, especially when the document consists of multiple pages. Most printers have duplexers. You can set your printer with duplexer as the default.
• Don’t print announcements. Paste it on bulletin boards, send it via email or circulate the announcement instead of printing a copy for everyone in the office. The same applies for memos, publications and reports.
• You can work economically with paper by paying attention to the layout of the document to be printed. Use single space and remove unnecessary blank pages, thereby reducing the amount of lines and pages of the document.
• When faxing a document, it is not necessary to use a cover sheet.
• When using the copier, make only the amount of copies you are sure you will need. You can always come back for more copies, if needed.
• Update the mailing list regularly. Remove outdated and duplicate names from the list. By keeping the mailing list updated, unnecessary mail is not sent to wrong addresses, becoming junk mail.
• Mailers do not need envelopes. You can fold and staple the paper.
• Educate the people in the office on recycling habits. Have a recycling bin in every office, and in areas with a lot of traffic. Empty the bins in the building on a regular basis.
• Recycle toner cartridges of laser jet printers. Don’t dispose of it in the trash.  Inkjet cartridges can also be recycled.
• Batteries are recyclable. Use packaging tape or duct tape to tape the terminals of the batteries, alternatively, put each battery in a separate plastic bag.

Recycling

• Educate the people in the office on recycling habits. Have a recycling bin in every office, and in areas with a lot of traffic. Empty the bins in the building on a regular basis.
• Recycle toner cartridges of laser jet printers. Don’t dispose of it in the trash.  Inkjet cartridges can also be recycled.
• Batteries are recyclable. Use packaging tape or duct tape to tape the terminals of the batteries, alternatively, put each battery in a separate plastic bag.

Electricity

There are a number of ways on saving power.

• Open blinds to allow natural light into the room. More than 40 percent of the electricity usage is from lights in the office. Turn lights off when leaving a room.
• Before closing the office after work, turn off all equipment in the office, such as copiers, printers and computers. Remember to turn off the air conditioner as well.
• There is no rush to turn on all the lights and computers when entering the office in the morning. Turn it on when you are going to use it, not before.
• Electricity can further be saved by using sleep or hibernating mode on the computer. The computer will slow down and go to sleep when not in use after a certain time.
• You can save on electricity by using bulbs that are Energy Star Fluorescent bulbs use 75 percent less energy and last longer, as long as 10 years.
• During holidays, weekends and other breaks, close windows, turn off lights and unplug all electric equipment, including the fridge.

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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