Designing a green office cont.
Consolidate
Get rid of the fax, printer and scanner; get a good printer with scanning ability. To replace the fax, get an online fax service…this is great because all of the files are received electronically. Save them as a PDF, JPEG or other format in the customer’s file and you will always know where to find them. Also, the quality is better than a fax. Use the scan function on the printer, if you need to send a printed document to someone.
Phone services can also be consolidated…I have been using a VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) system for five years, with no problems. It has also saved me over $300 a month. The service is great because it works over a regular phone line; the features are endless, including ringing on more than one line (handy if you want to answer on your cell phone when out of the office.) Among the other included features are Call-waiting and Caller ID. Add lines as your business grows. Incorporate a fax line and a toll-free line at minimal cost.
Printing
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Select “draft” quality for printing, which is fine for most documents and saves ink.
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Use soy-based inks, which eliminate VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) in the environment, or take advantage of ink refill programs.
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Print on both sides of the paper…this doubles your yield.
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Always use the “Print Preview” to scan for errors, instead of printing numerous copies.
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When it doesn’t need to be printed—don’t. Many of us are used to viewing documents onscreen and don’t want or need a hard copy…especially small documents that clutter the desk and file drawers. A PDF document can be filed and accessed easily.
Hardware
Do you still have an old monitor? Consider changing to an energy-efficient LCD screen. The prices have been reduced and they free up a lot of desk space. If you need to upgrade your computer, many of the manufacturers are including free or discounted specials on the monitors.
- Turn computer off when not in use
- Turn printers off when not in use
Decorating
When it comes time to decorate, incorporate the following:
- Use paint with no VOCs (Volatile organic compounds.)
- Select furniture that is manufactured with materials containing no VOCs.
- Select higher-quality items, which will last longer and won’t require frequent replacement.
Recycling
- Recycle office waste paper and packaging.
- Order from online suppliers to save fuel. One delivery truck can make 100 stops, instead of 100 people driving their cars on the road. In addition, your time is spent working instead of shopping and you will usually get better deals than in a store.
- Buy in bulk when possible, to reduce packaging.
- Download software instead of getting packaged software. If you need it again, just log onto your account—you don’t need to look for a disk that you misplaced 3 years ago!
Drinking on the job
- Use a mug or glass instead of throw-away cups—having to wash them may actually help you cut down on the coffee, too!
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