Sustainability In the Workplace: 7 Tips For You And Your Coworkers

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By PAGE Editor

Being sustainable is all about taking care of the environment. When it comes to office technology, you'll find that if you start by making some new habits, they will become more natural. The only real change in behavior will be how you work. This article will get you started on using sustainable office technology within your small businesses. Stick to these seven tips and make them habits, and over time, they'll become second nature to you.

Incorporate the Use of Eco-friendly Printers

If you are looking to change or update your computer system, don't look solely at the price of a new system; check if they have a recycling program. After all, what can be more sustainable than reusing old technology? For this case, when it comes time to purchase a new printer, make sure that it is energy efficient and uses less toner in each print job. Be aware of how many pages your business prints per month on average , and with modern printers, most printing tasks require minimal ink use. You may find yourself with extra money in your budget for sustainability-related initiatives down the road.

Switch to Green Printing 

It would help if you were careful on this since many printers claim to use recycled materials, and yet the ink they use is anything but sustainable for you. From now on, make sure that both your computer and printer are set up to only print on green paper. If you want to go green with all your stationery needs, try e-mail instead of sending letters to the post office. Also, sending digital cards saves trees and money.

Use Online Calendars 

Suppose your business uses loose pieces of paper for scheduling purposes. In that case, you may want to consider using Google Calendar or Outlook, which can be linked to everyone in the business and be accessed from anywhere. This will streamline your business’s organizational habits when it comes to scheduling meetings and seeing workers’ availability.

Save Power By Turning Off Your Monitors 

If you leave your monitor screen open for an extended period, it will use just as much electricity as if it were turned on. Until you click the off button, the light stays on behind the screen to reduce eye strain. This problem can be solved with a lightweight screen saver program such as one screen, which turns your monitor off after a certain amount of time.

Use Headphones Instead of Speakers

Speakers are one area where our natural resources seem to take a hit even when we're not using them. Speakers use up about as much power as two old tube televisions do all day long and even more if you have a surround sound system! By having your company switch to using headphones, you save money and help cut down on your business’s carbon footprint.

Be Sure to Recycle Printer Ink Cartridges and Ensure They Are Filled

If you're like most people, you wait until a cartridge is completely dry before replacing it with a new one. Well, that's not the smartest way to go about it. Most cartridges can last up to two or three times longer if they are not empty. The less you print after a cartridge is out of toner or ink, the more affordable your next replacement will be.

It’s also a good idea to recycle printer ink cartridges when you’re finished with them. Many of these end up in landfills when they can easily be recycled!

Use Rechargeable Batteries Instead of Disposable Ones

Disposables may cost a bit more upfront, but they also cost the earth much more in the long run. This is because all of those batteries end up in landfills where they do nothing but sit around collecting toxic gas for years until some accident causes them to leak into our water supply. Investing in rechargeables instead of disposables is one way to make a huge difference in the amount of harmful waste we produce.

Technology is a big part of the modern business environment, but it doesn't have to be unsustainable. With simple tips and tools, businesses can be greener and kinder to the planet. While most offices rely on computers daily, there are many ways for office technology to be used more sustainably.

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