Recycling or reducing wastes as well as energy conservation are great ways to make substantial cost savings in the day to day running of an office .
1) Computer Equipment
- Use modern equipment to your advantage. Send e-mails instead of paper copies by post. Not only will you save on printing, but also on envelops and postage.
- Why not print 2 pages of your document on each paper sheet? How to do it? Go to File / Print and check on the zoom drop down menu if you are working on Windows, or layout if you are on a Mac, and select 2 pages per sheet.
- Set your printer on black and white by default. Most of the documents printed for your own internal use don’t need to be printed in colour.
Of course, make sure the printing cartridges are recycled.
2) Paper / Cardboard
- Set your printer to print on both sides by default.
- Non-confidential printed paper can be reused for draft printing. Just have a box ready next to the printer to collect the sheets ready to be reused.
- Cardboard boxes can be reused for your own sendings. It saves you not only the price of the packaging, but also the cost linked with the disposal and recycling of it.
3) Office beverages
- When you supply beverages for your office, make sure you will reduce wastes and see how they can be recycled.
- Tap water is the most cost effective, so make sure there is access to tap water in the break area of you office.
- Aluminum cans can be recycled, so make sure to collect them.
- Teas and coffees are often more cost effective than juices and produce less wastes.
4) Energy
- Use energy efficient light bulbs. They are more expensive but last much longer. We noted that the over-cost of the bulbs is compensated by the saving done on energy bill after only 6 months use.
- When you leave a room, simply turn the light off, as you would do at home. And don’t forget to turn off all non-essential equipment. A computer left on standby still uses 50% of the electricity they use when they are on.
Reduce! Reuse! Recycle!
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