Ways to Go Green at Work

Tip 45:

Turn off the lights.When leaving the office or classroom, a simple flip of a switch conserves energy. Yet a surprising number of empty offices, conference rooms, restrooms and lobbies are lit for hours each day (and night) while going unused. Better yet, use daylight to your advantage by sitting near a window; artificial light consumes about 40 percent of electricity in a typical office building.

$ Factor:The electric bill is where the savings are found. While it's not a direct savings for individuals, lower utility costs can mean more money spent in other areas.

Tip 46:

Use electronic communications.Submit and distribute assignments and reports electronically. E-mailing a document allows for easier, from-anywhere reference for a teacher or colleague -- and provides proof that it was sent on time. For in-progress documents, electronic transmission also make it easy to collaborate.

$ Factor:Whether it's a 100-page thesis or a 10-page policy statement distributed to 10 employees, sending electronically saves trees and the cost of paper -- as well as copying, collation and distribution. A bonus of the written documentation: possible "he said, she said" arguments won't kill productivity.

Tip 47:

Fax smart.Sending faxes directly from the computer avoids using paper altogether. But if a traditional fax is the only option, either avoid using a cover page or create a reusable cover by laminating the page and using an erasable marker. In addition, avoid the automatic activity report function to save another page.

$ Factor:It may be "just a single sheet" of paper, but if everyone followed these green rules, it would really add up.

Tip 48:

Pack a waste-free lunch.Eliminate plastic bags, plastic utensils, disposable containers, paper napkins and those brown bags. Instead use a lunchbox, reusable drink container, cloth napkin and silverware. Find odd pieces of used silverware at a second-hand store so you don't lose parts of your good set. Sandwiches, fresh fruit, vegetables and treats packaged in reusable containers are healthy alternatives to cafeteria and prepackaged foods. They can also be bought in larger quantities, saving money and packaging.

$ Factor:You could save $250 a year and a pile of waste that weighs as much as the average 9-year-old.

Tip 49:

Teleconference, don't travel.Today's technology expands the definition of face-to-face contact, making a quick meeting with a client or colleague across the country, or the world, possible. Online professional development options abound, as well -- from Web seminars to entire conferences being held virtually. The planet is spared CO2 and other emissions caused by travel.

$ Factor:With hotel, airfare, local transportation, meals, entertainment expenses and tips, business travel certainly adds up. While typically it's a company footing the bill, individuals may find themselves paying out-of-pocket for souvenirs, non-work-related sightseeing or entertainment, or an expense for which the receipt is misplaced.

Tip 50:

Little things mean a lot.Keep reuse in mind with desk supplies. Refillable pens and pencils help reduce waste, and items such as paper clips, folders and binders can be saved and reused. The key is staying organized, collecting used supplies of like kinds in the same spot and keeping them within easy reach.

$ Factor:It's a no brainer. Reusing supplies means you'll buy less of them. Saving trips to the office supply store will also cut back on impulse purchases.

Tip 51:

Save packing materials.In other words, what comes in should go back out. When having to buy boxes and other packing supplies, look for products made from recycled material or those that are biodegradable.

$ Factor:Buying these materials less frequently creates an obvious cost savings.

Tip 52:

Use recycled paper.Compared to other paper, it takes a lot less energy and water to make. And thanks to increased demand, manufacturers have been able to match quality and performance. Speaking of paper, it's got two sides, so when possible, use them both.

$ Factor:Costs of recycled paper have come down. According to the Recycled Paper Coalition, many paper grades are cost-competitive with virgin papers or even cost less. While recycled copy paper still tends to cost more, the price difference is usually only a few percent.

Tip 53:

Use refillable pens.Pens are often tossed into the garbage and not recycled or reused. Their components and packaging are made from nonrenewable resources and can contain environmentally damaging chemicals.

$ Factor:Pen refills cost as little as $1 each, which is almost the same as a new disposable pen.

Tip 54:

Reduce junk mail at work.Many people take the time to opt out of mailing lists to get less junk mail at home, but company mail slots can get just as full of stuff we don't need, using up trees. According to the National Waste Prevention Coalition, a study in one Seattle-area mailroom found that staff spent 25 percent of their time sorting advertising-related mail. Request removal from irrelevant mailing lists and cancel trade magazines that go unread. Companies can have a preprinted postcard made for easier action on the mail front.

$ Factor:Having less junk mail to deal with can equal having more time for the business at hand. Productivity is priceless.

Tip 55:

Commute smart.That means walking or biking to work or the classroom if practical, or the ever-promoted public transportation option. Car and van pools are possibilities, too. Only 31 percent of children who live less than a mile from school actually walk there, and only 2.5 percent of students who live within two miles of school get there by bike. Half of all students go to school by car.

$ Factor:Filling up your gas tank less often can mean savings of $100 or more per month, plus less wear and tear on your car. The ideal scenario is working for a company with commuter benefits; more than 1,600 U.S. worksites have earned the EPA's Best Workplaces for Commuters designation for benefits such as transit and vanpool subsidies and telework options. If just 6 percent of the students mentioned earlier walked, it would save 1.5 million drop-offs and pickups -- and 60,000 gallons of gasoline -- a day. And the 600,000 students who bike to school are saving almost 100,000 gallons of gasoline a day.

Tip 56:

Commute short.If possible, find an employer close to home. A short commute is an easier one -- on you and on the environment.

$ Factor:Again, lower gas consumption means fewer tank fill-ups.

Tip 57:

Do you need a whole car? Consider car-sharing on campus or if you live or work in an urban center. Self-service, on-demand cars from companies like Zipcar are available in 23 U.S. cities and on dozens of college campuses -- allowing the convenience of having a car when necessary without killing the environment and denting the checkbook by owning a car.

$ Factor:Zipcar's savings calculator indicates a Minneapolis resident who spends $790 a month on a car (including car payment, financing, insurance, gas, license, registration, taxes, maintenance and parking) could save up to $668 a month by using a Zipcar 16 times a month for one hour each time, at a cost of $122 a month. That is a savings of $8,021 per year. A Zipcar survey found that more than 40 percent of customers have either sold their cars or changed their minds about purchasing one.

Tip 58:

Tap the tap.Each year, 89 billion liters of water are bottled, using about 1.5 million tons of plastic. Encourage your school or workplace to get a filtration system for the faucet instead, and it'll be part of the solution rather than part of the problem. Besides, many bottled-water companies use tap water anyway.

$ Factor:According to one online analysis, 260 five-gallon water bottles delivered a year at $1.50 per gallon would cost $1,950 over five years and $15,600 over 40 years, while filtration systems cost a lost less. For example, a plastic faucet-mounted, solid-carbon block filter would cost $195 over five years but only $1,665 over 40.

Tip 59:

Seek an eco-friendly company.Employers that consider themselves green often tout their programs in recruitment efforts. Two Web sites that can help in the search: Simply Hired's Eco-Friendly Companies search engine (www.simplyhired.com/ecofriendly) and SustainableBusiness.com's Green Dream Jobs section (www.sustainablebusiness.com/jobs).

$ Factor:Besides the satisfaction that comes with knowing your employer values sustainability, some companies offer employee incentives to go green. Take the Drive Clean to Drive Change initiative, launched in 2004 by Hyperion. The program offers any active full-time employee of the software giant $5,000 for buying a hybrid car that gets better than 45 miles per gallon.

Tip 60:

Carpool.Carpooling saves time and money. On a typical day, the average mother with school-age children spends 66 minutes driving -- taking more than five trips to and from home and covering 29 miles. The average commuter carpooling every day would save 500 gallons of gasoline, and 550 pounds of poisonous exhaust emission every year.

$ Factor:If more moms carpooled, it would save them all that time and gas driving. It also would reduce congestion, which costs Americans $78 billion a year in wasted fuel and lost time. Commuters sharing a ride to work would be the equivalent of taking 67.5 million cars off the road -- four times the number of new cars sold in the U.S. per year.