Things You Didn't Know About Going Green in the Office

A lot of green business practices are obvious. For example, you probably already know a few going green facts about energy conservation, carbon emissions and green savings. But if you're looking for more, here are some more lesser-known facts about green business practices that can grab your colleagues' attention and spark action!

• Switching to ENERGY STAR® CFL (compact fluorescent light) light bulbs saves $40 over a bulb's lifetime and uses 75 percent less energy than a standard bulb. If every American switched one standard light bulb to an ENERGY STAR bulb, it would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 9 billion pounds per year. To put this more tangibly, it’s like taking 800,000 cars off the road (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, n.d.). On an office-wide scale, the impact could be huge.

• Do you leave your office computer running overnight? In the United States, we waste $2.8 billion a year by not shutting down our computers before we clock out for the night. (Alliance to Save Energy, 2009). In a large office, these energy costs accumulate fast. Turn off your computer to significantly reduce your personal carbon footprint and reap some major green savings for your company. Encourage your co-workers to do the same.
• America alone annually produces enough plastic foam cups to circle the earth, and we throw away 2.5 million water bottles every hour (Illini Union, 2004). Whenever you reach for a plastic cup or soft drink, visualize this waste. Instead, bring a mug or a reusable water bottle to the office.

• Sure, carpooling is eco-friendly. But did you know green business practices like this can also save money? Carpooling is one of the simplest green business practices (and money-saving moves) to integrate into your daily routine.

• We usually cite saving trees when we talk about reducing paper waste, but it also takes about 13 ounces of water to make one sheet of paper. The average American office worker uses about 10,000 sheets of paper a year (Environmental Defense Fund, 2010). That’s over 1,000 gallons of water per person each year!

• In businesses, roughly one-third of the water used is from flushing toilets (N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, 2009). While it's one of the more expensive green business practices, campaign to have your office restrooms updated with low-flow fixtures to decrease water use. It may be costly, but your company will reap the green savings over time for using less water.

• If every American opted for one meat-free meal each week, the reduction in carbon emissions would be equivalent to taking 8 million cars off the road (Environmental Defense Fund, 2007). Encourage vegetarian lunches in your workplace to make a big difference.

• In 2006, electricity in offices accounted for 72 percent of total U.S. consumption, and this statistic is expected to increase to 75 percent by 2025. Even simple green savings plans put a dent in this staggering figure (U.S. Department of Energy, 2009).