Go Green at Your Office
Whether you work from home or at an office away from home, there are ways you can make a contribution to the environment and help slow down global warming.
1. Paperless
A lot of people are afraid of online billing, but the fact is that it's safer than snail mail. Identity theft occurs large in part due to organized scavengers that are paid to rifle through the trash collecting statements and other account information. Electronic billing is the better way to go to avoid all of that unnecessary paper and ink. Try to convince your customers with an incentive (perhaps a small discount) for using paperless billing. Make sure that you are too with your vendors, banks and credit lines. If your computer is adequately protected with up to date firewall, anti-virus, anti-spyware software, you'll be fine and you'll be saving some trees as well.
2. Update Electronics & Lighting
Make sure that your computers, printers, heating, cooling, appliances etc. are all energy star rated. It may take some time to switch out your electronics, but when you do you'll also see huge savings in the electric bill. More importantly, you'll be saving the planet loads of greenhouse gasses. Lightbulbs are easier to switch out. Stock up on sales with CFL's (compact flourescent lights) and simply use them to replace burned out light bulbs as they come. Don't forget your reusable shopping bags when you stock up!
3. Work from Home
Implement a work from home program at your office. Home office equipment uses less energy and of course, the commute to work can be avoided. As long as employees are reliable and able to work on their own, your office could be cutting down greenhouse gas emmissions and energy usage in a heavy way by allowing employees to work from home one or two days a week.
4. Employer vans
If your company employs a lot of people who work the same shifts, it may behoove them to purchase vans that will transport groups of people to and from work. The savings for the employee are huge in terms of gasoline costs and wear and tear on personal vehicles, so it works as an incentive to potential employees. The benefit to the planet is huge considering that the United States contributes the vast majority of harmful greenhouse gasses via traffic.