Green products you can use every day in the office!


Being kind to the planet should be something we all do, so why not make your office greener? (And by that I don’t mean getting the walls painted bright green!) As you probably know, it is beneficial to the economy, but it can also be beneficial to your health and decrease energy costs.

Below are some eco-friendly options to making your office greener:


Paper Products

Paper is one of the most used products in the office. Did you know that 12.5 million tonnes of paper and cardboard are used annually in the UK? However, only a small percentage of these are eco-friendly products. Instead of buying your average paper from the stationery shop, take a second to think wisely. Considering you probably use it at least 5 times a day for printing, writing, reading etc, you could help the environment as well as get your job done. There are many types of paper you can purchase such as FSC approved paper, 100% recycled paper and even carbon neutral paper. Recycled paper produces 73% less air pollution than if it was made from raw materials, so even without you knowing it is benefiting your health as well as your environment.


Remanufactured and Recycled Ink Cartridges

If you've ever run out of ink (and who hasn't?) you know that printer ink and toner cartridges can get very expensive, very fast. An option many people take is to buy remanufactured or refilled cartridges to cut down on the cost of replacement. These cartridges are in effect rebuilt from the ground up to give you the same quality and reliability you are accustomed to for your valuable equipment. The majority of these work magnificently as though they are good as new. Using remanufactured ink and toner cartridges also results in a 38% reduction in total energy use and a 36% reduction in global warming potential, according to environmental studies conducted by the Rochester Institute of Technology.


Cleaning Products

Cleaning products are everywhere in our offices, but instead of getting the cheapest bottle of cleaning products from the local supermarket, take into account that green cleaning products clean just as effectively as regular cleaning products do. The only difference? They’re made with natural, nontoxic ingredients that are safer for the environment. And because they don't contain harsh chemicals, they’re less damaging to most surfaces and support improved indoor air quality for you and your colleagues. If you’re looking for green cleaning supplies, you have multiple options of brands such as Ecover, Ecotech and Maxima Green.


Energy-Saving Products

Here’s a fact for you: Right now, office equipment accounts for 15% of energy use and is expected to reach 30% by 2020. Using more office equipment doesn’t just raise energy consumption; it can make work areas uncomfortably hot - increasing the need for air conditioning.


The solution? Employee engagement in energy efficiency and carbon reduction can help change behaviour in the workplace, to reduce this unnecessary energy consumption and cut your organisation's carbon emissions. For example, save energy by turning down the heat or air conditioning, turning off the lights or setting the thermostat to stay at an ideal temperature.




And there you have it. These tips are incredibly simple to do, so why not make the change now. You will be helping the outside environment and also the space you work in, so there really isn’t anything you can lose! 

Let us know if you choose to take this advice and go green. Or even better - if your office is already green then tell us what eco-friendly things you do to help your office environment!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Six safety wear basics

The Key to Creating Effective Emails

The Office Heatwave: How To Cope