By Matthew Gibson - as printed in O.W.N. Summer 2008
Many of us run our business from our home, or a small office. While we may have little to no time to reflect on our impact on the environment, it’s now easier than ever to reduce that impact, starting with a few clicks of the mouse. Many actions do not require a lot of concentration or changes to your routine to ensure our green business stays green, on-line. Here are a few things that we adhere to within our organization that may also help you.
- Computer Power - One of the first things to do is ensure you have the proper power settings enabled on your computers and other electronic devices. Many people do not, thus using a lot of energy even when you’re not working. Just turn on the sleep modes of your computers and monitors to conserve power, or consider upgrading to a new 0-watt standby LCD screen.
- Paper Consumption - Paper, some would say it’s a requirement of every business. No longer. While some studies show that businesses are using more paper than ever by printing emails, receipts and other items, you can help reverse this trend and save trees. If retention of important information is a concern, develop a backup procedure and policy that fits your organization for both files and e-mail and you will be well on your way to rarely using that printer. Don’t forget to turn it off when it’s not being used, either! Another step is to convert all invoicing, billing and vendor statements to an online format. Set up all bills and notices as e-statements. Don’t forget to sign up for your government’s “do not subscribe lists” to reduce junk mail, if available. For those times when you absolutely need paper, use organic or recycled versions, and for internal jobs, use both sides. Another great tip is to buy a paper shredder. After shredding documents for security, you can use the shredded paper to safely ship items. Unplug the shredder when it is not in use!
- Collaboration - Instead of commuting or traveling for meetings, use the long-distance tools that are available to you - Skype, MSN, AOL Instant Messenger, or VOIP services for international calls to save money. Video devices can even be used, all with much less environmental cost than traveling. Sites like Skrbl even allow for on-line white-boarding. Forget the boardroom, take it on-line!
Energy Use - Many organizations offer incentives for using solar power, wind power or other ecologically-friendly methods to light up your offices. Talk to your local energy provider to see if they offer such programs. Alternatively, many energy providers offer “Green Power” programs that you can sign up for.
- Get Wired - Stock the coffee machine with fairly traded, organic coffee or tea, and if can not avoid sugars, go for natural sweeteners. Stop ordering out - bring a lunch in re-usable containers. If you go out for lunch, try biking, walking or riding public transit.
- Carbon Use - Websites like Carbon Foot-Print, Carbon Fund, Carbon Mutual, or Carbon Neutral help to determine your business’ carbon usage. Buy off-set credits aim to help your business compensate for the environmental costs of what it can’t recycle by funding environmental initiatives.
- Recycled Tech - Don’t throw away your old electronics! Donate or recycle them. Some governments will give tax breaks when you donate old computers. This goes for cell phones, printer ink, etc.
- Lighting - Consider letting more sunlight into your work place instead of costly light bulbs. If that is not an option or you work at night, take a look at using LED Lighting to replace current lights. The initial cost is generally high, but long term the investment will pay for itself. Also consider motion sensors, timers or dimmers to control the office lights. They can all help reduce energy usage.
Matthew Gibson is President and CEO of Flewid Inc. (www.flewid.ca) a telecommunications firm based in Ottawa, Canada. Matthew also runs a popular blog on LED Lighting (news.thenewlight.ca). He welcomes feedback to m.gibson@flewid.ca.
Comments