These days everyone is going green. They are going green with their homes, they are going green with their cars, they are going green with their cleaning supplies, they are going green with their shopping, and just about everything else. In the same manner, it is also important to go green at your office, or wherever it is that you work.

We spend considerable amounts of time at our workplaces, so it is likely that we are expending a great deal of the world’s resources at our workplace. Moreover, because we do spend so much time at our workplaces, by reducing a few habits we have cultivated over the years and changing them for the better, we can drastically help the conservation and preservation of our earth.

The following link has some useful, practical tips to help people make a difference to the environment: http://sierraclub.typepad.com/greenlife/2007/03/10_ways_to_go_g.html

The website has explained the tips in detail; however, here is a basic overview of the handy guidelines the website suggests:

1)       Turn off the lights when you leave any room for 15 minutes or more.
2)       Turn off your computer and power strip when you leave for the day. Set your computer to automatically go to sleep during short breaks. This can slash energy use by 70 percent.
3)       Print on both sides.
4)       Use the back of old documents for faxes, scrap paper, etc.
5)       Buy chlorine-free paper and try to switch to paper made from bamboo, hemp, organic cotton, or kenaf.
6)       Recycle toner and ink cartridges, and buy remanufactured ones.
7)       Publish employee manuals and materials online.
8)       Recycle everything your company collects.
9)       Place recycling bins in accessible, high-traffic areas.
10)       Purchase office supplies and furniture made from recycled materials.
11)       Provide reusable dishes, cutlery, and glasses.
12)       Choose Fair Trade and organic coffee and tea
13)       Provide filtered drinking water to reduce plastic bottles.
14)       Take the train, bus, or subway when traveling on business.
15)       Carpool, bike, or take the transit to work.
16)       Use non-toxic cleaning products. Bring plants to your cubicle which absorb indoor pollution.
17)       Buy furniture, carpeting, and paint that do not contain VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds).