Green Man in the Office

I would ask if there were any policies aimed at reducing energy consumption - things like using fluorescent light fittings instead of incandescents, turning off electrical equipment at night and not leaving things on standby or running unnecessarily, not overfilling kettles so heating unwanted water, having good insulation, double or triple glazing and an efficient heating system. In addition to not wasting energy, I would encourage my employers to purchase renewable electricity and even consider offsetting gas-use emissions.

Of course I would be vocal about reducing and reusing and recycling. I would ask colleagues to not use the disposable plastic or paper cups, but to bring an infinitely reusable ceramic mug. Paper would be printed both sides and any printed on one side only would be re-used, and all waste paper set aside for recycling. To complete the loop, I'd lobby for all paper used in the office to be 100% recycled materials (post-consumer waste if possible) rather than the normal virgin pulp paper. Other things can and should be reused and recycled too, such as printer cartridges, old computers and other electrical items, furniture. Local charities are often happy to reuse these items.

It isn't always practical or possible to have recycling collections in the office environment, such as perhaps compostable fruit cores and skins.. so I would suggest a policy of them being taken home again for recycling on the home compost heap, as so many of us have these now. Some people still don't compost or have a wormery, so perhaps it might be possible for a keen home composter to take a caddy's worth of tea bags and toilet-roll cardboard tubes home every few days, to feed their heap? Composters are often glad of donations!

Going green within the office is one thing, but a major part of work is travelling, not just to and from the office but to cases and meetings and conferences. If two or more colleagues are going to the same place, it would make sense to go in the same vehicle, and to plan journeys to be 'round trips' rather than zig-zagging all over the area, with increased mileage. It might be possible for some journeys to be replaced by teleconferencing, rather than driving (or flying!) in order to sit round the same table.

There must be lots of ways that office workers have greened their workplace that I haven't thought of, so my 'Green Tip Of The Week' is to send in any ideas you have and tell us all what you do to be environmentally friendly in your office, to help us all keep getting greener.