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How green is your office?

By Karen Troop

Turn on the television or browse the internet, and you're sure to come across the phrase "carbon footprint" or "climate change" if you pay attention long enough. And fair enough, after all, one person can make a difference and we can all do our bit to chip in and help the environment.

But while we're making a valiant effort to switch the telly off instead of leaving that little red standby light on, or feeling proud of ourselves for buying energy-saving light bulbs, we seem to have forgotten about the workplace.

We spend almost a third of our lives at work. If you're a workaholic, even more than that! So, here's a few ideas for those little things that you can do to make the world a better place while you work.

It's the little things
Many of us spend our days on a networked computer in the office, and simply remembering to shut down and switch off the monitor at the end of the day could save over half the energy used to run it over the course of a year.

The same goes for unplugging your mobile phone charger. It might mean clambering under the desk to reach the socket but it's all in a good cause!

And instead of raiding the stationery cupboard when your notepad runs out, why not re-use those pieces of printed paper?

Are we nearly there yet?
Its easy to jump in the car and head to work, and sometimes there's no other option. If that's the case you could always try a car-share with colleagues who live nearby. You'll save on fuel and carbon emissions and get to know your workmates better!

If you're not too far from your place of work, think about walking occasionally or riding a bike in. It might not be practical in the winter, but in summer you'll feel great when you arrive after a good dose of fresh air and you'll be exercising without even thinking about it. That little energy boost might even result in an improvement in your work and concentration.

Ask the boss
If you're really committed to going green, why not ask your boss? Most companies will have an environmental policy and you could show your mettle by championing initiatives such as paper recycling.

Be careful not to take it too far though - turning the air-con down to save energy is one thing, but who wants to work in a sweaty office?!

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