Greener Home and Office

Is my office green? What can I do to make my home green?

There are now affordable and functionable environmental products available to make your workplace and home environment efficient and healthy. You can now take it upon yourself to lay the groundwork to making your surroundings better, even if your colleagues aren’t. It’s 2010—and environmental products are playing a more important role then ever in the green home or green workplace, resulting in more productive offices, less waste, and a lower environmental impact. There are many small ways environmental products can serve to improve a home or office setting, and this article discusses easy practices and products you invest in to make your living and working spaces positive, efficient, and environmentally friendly.

Breaking Down the “Green” Workplace:

1.Your computer: For many, if not most people, computers are the primary tools at work. Simply changing your energy settings and shutting computers down each day will reserve power. Printers as well can be shut down and only plugged in when needed as well. Shutting off office lights and electricity in unoccupied spaces can make a difference.

2.Computer paper/Printing paper: Although we live in a “digital age”, offices still go through massive amounts of paper—and trees. Make use of PDFs and keep files and documents in digital form—filing cabinets are a thing of the past. Forget about mass quantities of bleached virgin printer paper—there are excellent recycled alternatives available with high percentages of post-consumer waste. The combination of energy, water, toxic ink and chemicals from normal paper has a damaging effect on the environment. If you are diligent about protecting the environment, you should be using recycled office paper products as they reduce landfill waste. And be sure to print on both sides! Did you know that 55% more water is saved when producing recycled paper? Recycled paper also takes 60-70% less energy to produce than its alternative.

3.Environmental Products for the Office: So now that we’ve covered paper, what about envelopes, charts, calendars, and planners? Environmental alternatives for these products are also available, and they’re attractive and affordable as well. Before purchasing, ensure that these environmental products are made from 100% post-consumer fiber and soy ink. Planners, desk pads, and wall calendars, as well as memo pads are all available as environmental products, with no added costs.

Your Green Home:

1.Paper Towels and Toilet Paper: Choose recycled paper towels, toilet paper, or cloth towels in the bathroom and kitchen. These environmental products are available to be purchased in bulk, saving you money as well as packaging and plastic during shipping.

2.Environmental Cleaning Products: If your cleaning products are toxic smelling and dangerous for your skin, does it really mean they’re more effective? Not at all. Biodegradable glass cleaners are fume-free and don’t leave chemical streaks on glass. Kitchen trash bags are available in a variety of convenient sizes and they’re made of plant-derived products. It’s a good idea to choose safer, more effective, and non-toxic environmental cleaning products as they work just as well as traditional products, without the health effects—and with an environmental bonus.

All of these products are available, affordable, and will make your workplace and home environment a better place. You might just be surprised how convenient they are when you travel down a greener path…

Erica Ronchetti is a freelance writer for www.greenlinepaper.com.If you wish to learn more about environmental products, visit our website today and let our Environmental Paper products make a difference in your home or office.