Investing in Your Work Environment
Entrepreneurs are finding that even though eco-friendly offices cost a bit more, they deliver long-term benefits. Do you work in a green office? Tell us about it.
From Adam Smith Being in the office furniture business, I would suggest taking a look at a product that was designed by Jhane Barnes, called Tahke. It is being produced by a firm in Indiana called JOFCO. It is the first all FSC certified bamboo desking system to the marketplace.
From Cardie Molina Hi
We wholesale oilcloth yardage, tablecloths and many other kitchen and home products made from oilcloth. Because our stock is on 12 yard rolls we always generate scrap from cutting various size tablecloths. Well, several years ago the lightbulb went off and now we sell oilcloth “scrap” by the pound to our fabric stores and small manufacturers. They love it! It does not go to the landfill and they get a grab box of various prints/colors and size pieces to make small accessories and linings. We can barely meet the demand for that and it is first come first served.
Another green tip is we use both sides of paper for printing out Purchase Orders or correspondence that come by email.
We buy recycled boxes for our shipping and we also return all boxes our contractor delivers the finished goods in. Wooden pallets are also returned to our contractor so we always have a “bank” of pallets and are not charged when we need one.
Little things add up!
Happy Recycling,
Cardie Molina
President
Oilcloth International, Inc.
http://www.oilcloth.com
From Sara, Atlanta GA I work at an Environmental Consulting firm & we are drastically going green. Individuals have started using public transportation or walking/biking to work. We have energy-star appliances, recycled office & kitchen supplies, & actually have a Green Team to oversee the changes. Our carbon footprint as a whole has been reduced by our efforts & our companies planting of trees.
From Dale Berry, New York City I work for a large International Bank on the east coast and I'm happy to say we are finally catching up. One of our green office initiatives is using a desk booking tool. We best utilize our space by reducing our office floor space to only what we need. No point having a floor with 300 desks when your constant occupancy for 300 employee's is only ever 55%. We also use the tool to book your personal home office. Cutting down on travel and fuel costs. It empowers our employee's and significantly reduces our overall carbon footprint.
From Jesse Gibbs, San Francisco, CA Greening your office is best done through a combination of green purchasing and business practices that seek to minimize waste and energy consumption. Here are some examples of combining purchase and practice to create a sustainable workplace:
- Minimize the amount of printing you do, period.
- When you print, make sure to use both sides of the sheet, and check out printing efficiency software like that at http://www.printgreener.com.
- Seek to buy only 100% *post-consumer* recycled paper that is processed without the use of chlorine. This product is ensured to use absolutely no virgin tree fiber, and is the lowest impact selection you can make. http://www.thegreenoffice.com offers a great selection of 100% post-consumer recycled paper products.
- Why buy new office furniture when you can reuse existing products. Extending the life of an existing product is by far the greenest choice you can make. Check out http://www.iReuse.com for a great selection of furniture that needs a new home.
Even if you don't work in a LEED-certified building and don't have a large budget,you can easily begin greening your office today!
From Steve Hawkins, Lansing, MI Some of this stuff is simply and flatly over-priced. Why would anyone feel the need to buy a desk lamp costing hundreds of dollars? I know that people with too much money need to do things like that, but real people???…. nah! I'm currently in the market for a solid, well made desk lamp. One thing is certain, it won't cost me $300.
From Anthony, San Francisco, CA I agree with the first poster. Who in their right mind would buy a $90 office clock, $300 lamp, or a $500 desk for the office? I think it's beautiful and post-modern, but seriously. Until the green "revolution" quits being a fashion trend and selling Priuses, expensive designer furniture, and useless trinkets we didn't need in the first place, this earth is only getting warmer. Selling 50 desks tothe rich and trendy isn't doing your part. Creating sustainable technologies that will actually REDUCE WASTE IN IMPACTFUL WAYS is. When the trendy hippies have clued in, I'll pay attention to the buzz about "being green."
From Tanay, Pennsylvania Sure in theory all of these items may seem like a great thing. But why would anyone in their right mind spend $200 on a simple wicker basket placed inside of a tire? Instead of wasting money on something so ludicrously expensive (that probably cost no more than $10 to produce), do your part to recycle and conserve as much as you can. And take that $200 and give it to a foundation or a charity that genuinely needs it. Why waste it?
From Paul South Florida The best way a business can be "Green" is to make sure their merchandise that does not sell doesn't find it's way into a dumpster.The best avenue to make sure this does not happen is to sell it off to a business that will get it to the end user. A win-win situation."Green" for the planet & $green$ for the business owner.
http://www.sellmyinventory.com
From Jason- Milwaukee, WI. Before our office was formed, eco-friendly practices were essential in promoting environmental practices within our office and through out our business. We deal in recycling and promotions of green business, so we had to set the example as well as set the bar.
You've been trashed!!!
http://www.greenbugz.com
Recycling Today For A Greener Tomorrow
I highly recommend the Rebinder and related supplies from The Sustainable Group.
http://www.sustainablegroup.net