Thirteen Tips to Green Your Office
1. See where your department is now so you can benchmark your progress on increasing recycling, purchasing choices, etc…
2. Talk to your procurement department. How do they evaluate the items being purchased? Do they evaluate the full life-cycle?
3. Form a committee that will identify key areas and make recommendations on ways your building or department can improve and have this committee report the findings to your vice chancellor, building liason and notify the Sustainability Office of your successes for recognition.
4. Buy post-consumer recycled paper and/or go paperless at meetings.
5. Download and use the US Environmental Protection Agency’s carbon footprint tool to establish your baseline:
http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/partnerships/wastewise/carboncalc.htm
6. Maximize computer efficiency by putting your computer (and any around you) into sleep mode. This saves close to 90% of the electricity that a screen saver uses.
7. Download and read the Good Stuff Guide - created by Worldwatch Institute – about the environmental and societal effects of the products you buy…good for home and office: http://www.worldwatch.org/system/files/GS0000.pdf
8. Don’t feel guilty and don’t sweat the things you can’t control. Start with the low-hanging fruit and congratulate yourself when those are completed.
9. NC State is an Energy Star Partner and that means we have committed to buying appliances (computers, printers, refrigerators, etc…) that are superior in energy efficiency. Buy items that have the Energy Star logo.
10. Turn off all lights whenever you leave a room and use more natural light during the day.
11. An extensive list of how to opt-out of junk mail can be found here: http://www.p2pays.org/junkmail.asp
12. Unplug all appliances and cell phone chargers at night/weekends…if it has a c lock, it sucks energy.
13. Educate your coworkers with signs in common areas, sustainable reminders at staff meetings and acknowledgement of accomplishments when goals are reached.