13/06: Benefits of a "Green" Office
Category: General Green
Posted by: Mason
There are some very good reasons for making your office an energy-efficient, environmentally friendly place.
First, buying and using energy-effecient equipment saves you money. It can provide enormous savings in electricity use alone, saving you up to $180 per 1,000 kilowatt-hours of energy and cutting up to 80% off your electricity bill. It can also cut 20-30% off your air-conditioning bill because you are reducing the amount of heat that your equipment generates and that needs to be cooled.
Paper costs can be almost halved simply by printing double-sided, and you can save $100 on toner and $30 on ink by refilling your cartridges. You can also save on waste disposal costs because the amount of waste you generate is reduced.
Second,the environmental benefits of using energy-efficient equipment are tremendous.By reducing the electricity you use you are reducing air and water pollution from power stations and saving a tonne of greenhouse gas for each 1,000 kilowatt-hour of electricity you save.
Refilling, reusing, and recycling the materials you use reduces the amount of waste and pollution you generate. In addition, making equipment from recycled metals, plastics, and other materials saves at least 2 kilograms of greenhouse gas per kilogram of product.
Using recycled paper saves trees. Every 100 reams of recycled office paper that is printed double-sided saves 2 trees, more than a ton of greenhouse gas and almost a cubic meter of landfill space compared to 100 reams of paper that is not recycled or printed double-sided.
Third, making you office a "green" one will involve your staff in doing something for the environment. Knowing that their actions can really make a difference will enhance a natural motivation to act in an environmentally responsible way. Since motivated staff are productive staff, you can expect an increase in productivity. Since most office-based workplaces spend about 100 times as much on wages as they do on energy, small increases in staff productivity can have a major impact on profitability and your company's bottom line.
First, buying and using energy-effecient equipment saves you money. It can provide enormous savings in electricity use alone, saving you up to $180 per 1,000 kilowatt-hours of energy and cutting up to 80% off your electricity bill. It can also cut 20-30% off your air-conditioning bill because you are reducing the amount of heat that your equipment generates and that needs to be cooled.
Paper costs can be almost halved simply by printing double-sided, and you can save $100 on toner and $30 on ink by refilling your cartridges. You can also save on waste disposal costs because the amount of waste you generate is reduced.
Second,the environmental benefits of using energy-efficient equipment are tremendous.By reducing the electricity you use you are reducing air and water pollution from power stations and saving a tonne of greenhouse gas for each 1,000 kilowatt-hour of electricity you save.
Refilling, reusing, and recycling the materials you use reduces the amount of waste and pollution you generate. In addition, making equipment from recycled metals, plastics, and other materials saves at least 2 kilograms of greenhouse gas per kilogram of product.
Using recycled paper saves trees. Every 100 reams of recycled office paper that is printed double-sided saves 2 trees, more than a ton of greenhouse gas and almost a cubic meter of landfill space compared to 100 reams of paper that is not recycled or printed double-sided.
Third, making you office a "green" one will involve your staff in doing something for the environment. Knowing that their actions can really make a difference will enhance a natural motivation to act in an environmentally responsible way. Since motivated staff are productive staff, you can expect an increase in productivity. Since most office-based workplaces spend about 100 times as much on wages as they do on energy, small increases in staff productivity can have a major impact on profitability and your company's bottom line.
