Earth Day is coming and that gives us a chance to think about the many small ways that we can have a big impact on our environment and the health of the world around us. For those of us who work in an office, we have plenty of opportunity to contribute to making the world a better place for us now and for our children in the future. If we change just a few of the things we do on a daily basis – small, simple things – together we can make a difference. So in honor of Earth Day we’d like to take a moment and reflect on some of the common habits we can all change.
You might be Earth (un)friendly if…
- You leave your office or desk light on when you’re away for hours (or days) at a time.
- You don’t shut down your computer, monitor, printer, fax machine, shredder or other electronically powered device when they’re not in use.
- You charge your cell phone by plugging it into the wall instead of using your car charger.
- You leave the coffee pot on overnight.
- You heat your lunch in the microwave twice because you got sucked into office gossip about whether or not the new guy is single.
- You contribute to that giant stack of unclaimed printed documents next to the main office printer, which amounts to a few reams of wasted paper each month.
- You duplicate printed files because you lost the last ones.
- You throw your paper, bottles and cans in the trash because the recyclable containers are all the way down the hall in the kitchen, and that’s quite a voyage.
- You drive to the deli to pick up lunch instead of walking even though the deli is two blocks from the office.
No Excuses!
Let’s be honest. The biggest obstacle to conserving energy and preserving the environment at work is laziness.We can all do our part by hitting a few power buttons, flipping a couple on/off switches, walking every once in awhile and being a little more careful about what we print. So make a checklist of simple green-friendly steps that you and your co-workers can follow on a daily basis. If you really want to earn your green stripes, improve the air quality in the office with a few low maintenance plants and talk to the boss about using recycled paper products.
As we approach Earth Day, we all can do more than wearing a green shirt and planting a shrub. We don’t have to drop $30,000 on a hybrid vehicle, change our lifestyles or make a major time commitment. All we have to do is put a little thought and effort into the little things we do on a daily basis to make a difference. That’s not too much to ask, right?
What are you doing to take part in Earth Day – every day?
About Ultimate Office
Ultimate Office provides innovative organization and storage solutions for your business and home office. Our passion is for taking the ordinary and making it not just extraordinary, but Ultimate.
