Eco-Friendly Office Tips

Read these 15 Eco-Friendly Office Tips tips to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Office tips and hundreds of other topics.

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How can I reduce my paper usage?

Reducing Paper Use

Concerned about waste? Finding ways to reduce and reuse paper is one way to be eco-friendly and save money, too. Try these easy ideas:

  • print and copy double-sided
  • e-mail your documents as attachments
  • edit documents on screen rather than printing out and hand editting

       
  • Are laptop computers more energy efficient?

    Conserve Energy with Laptop Computers

    Laptops computers use only 10% of the energy required by desktop computers, take up less desk space, and are virtually noiseless (no power supply fan noise).

       
    Do screen savers save energy?

    Screen Savers

    Although screen savers are fun and you can get so many different and interested patterns and pictures, don't rely on them to save energy. They are only meant to save phosphors in the screen.

       
    How do I save energy with a photocopier?

    Photocopiers

    Copiers use more energy per unit than any other type of office equipment. Try to make double-sided copies whenever possible. A duplexing option helps cut back on energy use, as well as decreasing paper costs and reducing waste. (The energy to produce the paper far outweighs the energy needed to produce an image on the paper.)

       
    How can I improve file organization?

    Benefits of Electronic Files

    Converting paper files to electronic files is a great way to save time and money. Not only will you reduce storage needs, but electronic files are easier to search. Both of these benefits add up to a savings of time and money.

       
    How can I save paper in the office?

    Paper Saving Fax Ideas

    Reduce paper usage at the fax machine by faxing documents directly from your computer. Also, instead of using a cover sheet, use a transmittal sticky note or a rubber stamped transmittal block.

       
    How can I save energy in the office?

    Saving Energy

    Turn off lights, computers, photocopiers, radios at the end of the day to save energy.

       
    How can I reduce my computer´s energy use?

    Reducing Computer's Energy Use

    Activate your computer's 'sleep' or 'quiet' mode option so that when the machine is not being used, it will automatically switch from full power to sleep mode. This can reduce your computer's energy use by as much as 70%.

       
    How can I reduce my paper usage?

    Reusing Paper

    When printing draft copies, use the reverse side of already-used paper. Producing a single sheet of virgin paper requires an average of 20 watt-hours, so reusing paper can save embodied energy and cut your paper supply costs.

       
    How can I reduce waste in the office?

    Patronize Eco-Friendly Businesses

    Promote waste reduction by patronizing places of business that practice the three R's: (waste) reduction, re-use, and recycle. Look for water and energy conservation, too.

       
    How can I reduce duplicate subscriptions in the office?

    Sharing Subscriptions

    Share subscriptions to periodicals, professional journals with your co-workers and get your name off mailing lists for unwanted publications.

       
    How can I help reduce air pollution?

    Virtual Meetings Reduce Air Pollution

    Be kinder to the environment by conducting meetings by telephone, teleconference, video conference or web conference when possible.

       
    Which types of printers use the least energy?

    Printers

    Consider the use of a dot matrix, impact, or inkjet printer over a laser printer. Dot matrix and impact printers use 80% to 90% less energy, while providing good speed and adequate quality for many applications. Black-and-white inkjet printers use 95% less energy and are nearly equal to laser printers in terms of quality. (Color inkjet printers, meanwhile, do not offer substantial energy savings over color laser printers.)

       
    How does the size of my monitor affect my energy usage?

    Computer Monitors

    Bigger monitors use more power. A 14" color monitor will use up to 50% more energy than a 10" color monitor. Increasing resolution in a color CRT increases power per square inch by about 22%.

       
    Which type of fax machines uses less energy?

    Energy Efficient Fax Machines

    For energy efficiency, choose an inkjet fax machine. These machines have a low standby energy rating and use about 10% of the energy required by laser fax machines.

       
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