In This Chapter
Save electricity and energy
Reduce electronic waste
Choose recycled paper products
Recycle paper supplies
Use nontoxic inks
Creating a sustainable building environment and product is important, but you also need to green up your office routines. By making your office more eco-friendly, you’ll save money on energy used, which reduces emissions, your carbon footprint, and your supply purchases. You can also reduce the amount of waste your business sends to the landfill and reduce the toxicity of products in your office as well as in your waste stream.
In this chapter, we give you many ways to make your office more sustainable and resources for more information. If you’re looking for a quick checklist, go to www.sustainableindustries.com, where you’ll find a guide to the green office full of information provided by Sustainable Industries magazine.
Technology is a valuable tool for running a business, as it enhances speed, work quality, and profits. Electronics also play a key role in the green factor. An office that uses its technological gadgets responsibly enjoys substantial environmental—and financial—rewards.
How many packs of paper (and trees) do you save when you send routine office memos by e-mail? Add to that all the training manuals, job applications, and purchasing orders you can route via desktop, and you can see a mountain of paper through the forest.
Electronics enable offices to make efficient use of square footage. You can store tons of information in digital formats rather than packed away in bulky filing cabinets. An easy-to-access electronic filing system also boosts workers’ efficiency, as they can retrieve a piece of information at their keyboards rather than sorting through papers in filing cabinets.
Plenty of businesses are taking full advantage of electronics for business transactions that traditionally involve paper. By using electronic job applications, billing, and payroll, businesses can cut back on paper with relative ease.
According to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Wilderness Inquiry, a nonprofit Minneapolis-based organization that provides wilderness trips, enjoys various advantages through switching to website and electronic communications for its marketing materials and registration information:
For those inquiring about a trip, the information is immediately available by computer rather than via snail mail. Potential customers appreciate this convenience along with the environmental aspects.
The electronic communications process is more efficient for the staff, as workers don’t copy and mail as much trip information and forms.
Money is saved on postal fees.
Technology helps keep an office running smoothly, but some equipment may be running unnecessarily.
With so many documents routed by e-mail, printing and fax machines might be idle. When computers and other equipment are not being used, save energy—power them down, turn them off, or even unplug them.
“Use a power strip as a central ‘turn off’ point when you are done using office equipment to completely disconnect the power supply. Even when turned off, electronic and IT equipment often uses a small amount of electricity when plugged in,” states the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). “Don’t forget to unplug battery chargers or power adapters when equipment is fully charged or disconnected from the charger.” See Appendix B for more information.
Take advantage of the energy-saving features that automatically put computers, monitors, and other office equipment on a low-power mode when temporarily inactive. It’s an effortless way to reduce energy consumption, as computers and monitors easily reactivate by simply touching the mouse or keyboard. Read the product information to set up the equipment to your desired specifications. The more energy a business saves, the more that business is doing to protect the planet.
Screen savers are not intended to save energy, and they don’t. According to the EPA, graphics-intensive screen savers might require twice as much energy as computers not using screen savers. Also the screen saver might prevent a computer from entering the power-saving sleep mode.
“Power management has the potential to save up to $50 per computer annually,” states the EPA. “If all office computers and monitors in the United States were set to sleep when not being used, the country could save more than 44 billion kWh or $4 billion worth of electricity and avoid the greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of about 5 million cars each year.”
Various types of power management features are available. The EPA provides the following tips for making Microsoft Windows programs more efficient (note that these apply to personal computers using Windows):
System standby—. Drops monitor and computer power use to 1 to 3 watts each, wakes in seconds, and saves $25 to $75 per computer a year.
System hibernates—. Drops monitor and computer power use to 1 to 3 watts each, wakes in 20 or more seconds, saves work in the event of power outage, and saves $25 to $75 per computer a year.
Turn off monitor—. Drops monitor power use to 1 to 3 watts, wakes speedily, and saves about $10 to $40 a year.
EPA’s advice is to set computers to enter system standby or hibernate after 30 to 60 minutes of inactivity. Save more by setting monitors to sleep after 5 to 20 minutes of inactivity. “The lower the setting, the more energy you save,” the EPA states.
For more information, see www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=power_mgt.pr_power_mgt_faq.
Not all electronic products are equal—at least from an environmental standpoint. Think green when evaluating the array of items on the market.
Purchase products equipped with energy-saving features. If practical, consider buying electronic equipment that’s made with recycled materials.
A useful tool for selecting greener electronics is the Energy Star program, a part of the EPA. Products earn the Energy Star designation by using 30 to 75 percent less energy than standard counterparts.
Green America, which provides a green office resource page on their site (see Appendix B), reports the EPA calculates that a home office outfitted exclusively with Energy Star equipment (computer, monitor, printer, and fax) can save enough electricity to light the entire home for more than four years. You can achieve similar results at your place of business.
Another resource for businesses interested in greening their office functions is Earth 911, an organization that promotes recycling and other facets of sustainability. Some points they offer on their website regarding electronic equipment are:
Laptops use less energy than desktop computers.
Ink jet printers use less energy than laser printers.
Update your computer equipment, but do so wisely. Before going off to order something technologically fresh and new, consider accessories and maintenance programs that would refurbish and tune up existing equipment. Weigh the advantages of acquiring updated, more efficient equipment against the expense and the environmental facets of discarding old equipment.
When replacing machinery, order only necessary items. Some existing older accessories, such as cables, the mouse, and keyboards, might be perfectly fine to use with new equipment, suggests Earth 911.
Before you ditch the old computer because it’s just moving too slowly, try a software cleaning program to bring back the speed and perfection. Large Software is a company that provides a software program called PC Tune-Up that helps clean up your existing system and restore it to sleek functionality (see Appendix B).
With so many tempting gadgets on the market, electronic equipment tends to be something we regard as outdated and obsolete. However, it’s not something to toss casually into the trash. Every piece of electronic equipment represents a wealth of natural resources, most of which continue to be useful even after the machine becomes functionally obsolete.
A United Nations University publication, Computers and the Environment (2004), says it takes 530 pounds of fossil fuels, 50 pounds of chemicals, and 3,300 pounds of water—a total of 1.8 tons—to make a desktop computer and monitor. In 2005, Americans sent an estimated 1.5 million tons of electronics to our landfills. That is a complete waste of useful resources! And chemical contamination concerns also exist because electronic gadgets may contain potentially hazardous materials. The Basel Action Network (BAN), a Seattle-based nonprofit that works to reduce the spread of toxic trash, says there are 500 million computers in the world containing 6.32 billion pounds of plastic, 1.58 billion pounds of lead, and 632,000 pounds of mercury. BAN reports that 70 percent of heavy metals in U.S. landfills come from electronics.
Going Green
Apple has just introduced a notebook computer that it hails as the greenest notebook ever made. The new MacBook uses recyclable materials without many of the toxic substances typically used in computers. The machine is designed to maximize energy efficiency by coordinating software and hardware, and packaging for the notebook has been reduced. For more information, see www.apple.com/mac/green-notebooks/.
The ecologically preferable approach to disposing of unwanted equipment is to put it to good use elsewhere—perhaps a local school, business, or organization. Use online classified services and web-based trading organizations such as www.freecycle.com to determine if there’s a potential taker.
If you can’t easily put the machinery to another use, recycle it responsibly through a qualified recycling service. Sort out and reuse some parts, such as copper and plastic components, in other equipment. Earth 911 states, “E-waste should not be considered waste. It is a resource. Useful materials such as glass, copper, aluminum, plastic, and other components can often be extracted and reused. Some manufacturers have even referred to e-waste as a valuable source of materials.”
Various manufacturers and some retail merchants offer take-back programs. When you buy new electronics, find out how the manufacturer and retailer can help you recycle the equipment when you’re done with it.
Many local government agencies provide programs especially geared to collect unwanted electronics along with other potentially hazardous disposables. To determine what programs and services are available in your area, log on to Earth911.org, which provides information on recycling and reuse services based on geographic location. The EPA also provides a listing of places that will recycle your electronics (see Appendix B).
Reducing paper use is an obvious way to cut down on waste, and part of accomplishing this task is pleasantly simple. Think. Think before you reach for a fresh sheet of paper to jot down a phone number. Instead, flip over paper you’d throw into the recycling bin.
When reading a document, think before you press the “print” button. Maybe you only need a section of that 10-page report, or perhaps you don’t need any of it.
When workers start thinking about paper, the “use less” approach becomes automatic. Why bother with a separate cover sheet for a fax when the “to” and “from” information fits nicely on the first page?
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency agrees that attitude is key to reducing paper. “Promote a ‘think before you copy’ approach. Are you really going to re-read that report? Consider sharing some documents with co-workers. Print only the number of copies needed for the meeting; don’t make extras.”
California acknowledges paper-reduction achievements as part of its Waste Reduction Awards Program (WRAP), sponsored by the state’s Integrated Waste Management Board. One WRAP winner is F&F Multiprint, a print and graphic design business in Yolo County.
According to the awards information, F&F Multiprint invites consumers to bring in their single-sided paper waste to be made into scratch pads at no charge. F&F Multiprint also saves on paper with a proofing system that enables clients to approve designs online.
The “recycled content” symbol is hot among green-minded folks and is featured on many paper products, including general white office paper, colored paper, envelopes, file folders, business cards, and gift certificates.
The amount of recycled content ranges from 30 to 100 percent. Another factor is type of recycled content—either pre-consumer or post-consumer waste. Environmental advocates generally prefer post-consumer waste because it’s reusing products consumers previously used and recycled.
The Green Office (www.thegreenoffice.com) in San Francisco says that prices for 100 percent post-consumer recycled paper may be about 10 to 20 percent more than the cost for a comparable product made without any recycled material, but that’s easily compensated for by using techniques to reduce the amount of paper used.
In addition to papers made from 100 percent post-consumer waste, the assortment available at The Green Office includes some tree-free papers featuring fibers made from byproducts of harvesting coffee and produce, including mango and lemons.
CD sleeves and other office supplies can be made with recycled materials.
(Courtesy Sustainable Group)
Paper generally offers two sides, but plenty of workers habitually grab a blank sheet for each task. Tossing away paper that’s only been partially used is tossing away valuable resources. Using paper to its fullest potential saves money, preserves forests, and reduces pollution associated with paper production and distribution.
Make a point of using both sides of all paper in the office. When purchasing copiers and printers, choose a product that offers double-sided features and set up the machines to print on both sides.
Keep a collection bin near printers and fax machines to gather discards with one clean side. Then put that clean side to use. For example, grab a stack of sheets, cut them into squares, assemble squares into a pile with the clean side facing up, and staple. Now you have a handy scratch pad for jotting down phone numbers or notes.
Set up a recycling program and make it easy and convenient for the staff to comply. Designate a recycling coordinator or a team to guide the project. Earth 911 suggests someone who volunteers and is enthusiastic would be a good leader.
Work with local recycling providers to determine which types of papers and cardboards they accept and whether they need to be sorted. When speaking with the recycling service, based on guidelines from the Paper Industry Association Council, ask these questions:
What are the potential costs and benefits of recycling?
Will a decrease in the amount of material going to disposal help cover the costs of recycling?
Which materials can be recycled most cost effectively?
What grades of paper do you handle, and what is the minimum amount required for pickup?
How will material be collected? What are the common contaminants for each material? Will we be notified if material is not accepted because of contamination?
Will we receive updates on the quality and quantity of materials collected?
Will additional containers or other equipment be required for the collection of recyclables?
With a recycling program in place, set up receptacles at appropriate locations. Some businesses, including Sustainable Group, provide a recycling bin at each work station.
Bins don’t need to be fancy. Old cardboard cartons recycled from office packages work just fine. Label each appropriately, and specify what types of paper are allowed and what types are not.
Going Green
Make a personalized recycling poster using this online template: www.paperrecycles.org/workplace_recycling/dynamicposter/index.html.
Promoting the program also is important. Discuss the guidelines with the staff and encourage everyone to participate.
Monitor the effort and applaud the staff; keep track of how much you recycle, and calculate the money saved from reduced purchases, energy saved, and emissions reduced. Showcase the achievements. Your green-minded customers and business associates are going to appreciate your effort. And you may inspire others to take on similar projects.
Various environmental organizations and government agencies offer recognition for noteworthy recycling endeavors, among them The American Forest and Paper Association. This organization holds an annual competition for businesses, individuals, and schools to showcase their outstanding programs for recycling high-quality paper. For information on that event, log on to www.paperrecycles.org.
Greening your office includes reducing the exposure of your staff and the environment to toxic chemicals. Paper bleached white is often made with chlorine, a process that pollutes our waterways, and inks are often made with toxic chemicals.
The emphasis on green approaches to manufacturing includes reducing chlorine in the paper-making process. By selecting and purchasing papers designated as chlorine-free, businesses are boosting demand.
The Green Office reports that its most popular green office paper is a version that’s 100 percent post-consumer waste that’s recycled and chlorine-free. According to Alex Szabo, CEO and Founder of the business, the quality and durability of recycled paper matches that of paper made entirely from virgin wood and processed with chlorine. The paper processed with chlorine may be slightly brighter, but this is the only notable difference. As we understand the importance of reducing chlorine pollution of our environment, getting used to unbleached paper products should be easier.
When ordering professionally printed documents or packaging, ask about the types of inks available. The global emphasis on eco-friendly business practices is prompting professional printers to work with products that are healthier for the planet, according to representatives of the National Association of Printing Ink Manufacturers (NAPIM).
Depending on the type of project and printing process, you might substitute a water-based ink or vegetable-based ink for a less eco-friendly petroleum-based ink. The water-based inks and inks made with vegetable oils (such as soy, linseed, and sunflower) use sustainable resources and emit fewer volatile organic compounds (VOCs), according to the NAPIM.
Skip paper when it’s practical. Instead, create electronic documents and send memos by e-mail.
Office electronics and paper products create huge amounts of waste. Reduce your waste by reducing your paper usage.
Electronic equipment contributes toxic chemicals to landfills. Make your electronics last longer and dispose of them properly to avoid contaminating landfills.
Choosing environmentally friendly paper supplies can help reduce the pollution in our waterways from bleached paper.
Recycle office supplies to reduce expense and reduce your business’s contribution to toxic pollution.