Break Room and Bathroom
1. Reduce water waste by installing aerators to control water flow-rates on faucets.
2. Install motion sensor controls that turn off faucets automatically.
3. Eliminate paper, Styrofoam, or plastic cups, plates and utensils in the kitchen area. Use mugs, dishes, and silverware instead.
4. Use environmentally friendly, non-toxic cleaning products.
5. Switch from bottled water to filtered water, or install a water cooler, to save money and reduce waste.
6. Choose re-usable cleaning supplies like sponges over paper towels.
Paper and Printing
7. Reduce paper waste by using the blank backs of waste paper for drafts, scratch paper, internal memos, etc.
8. Include a "Please Consider the Environment" footer in all your email signatures.
9. Purchase recycled or remanufactured toner cartridges to realize significant cost savings.
10. Purchase copy paper, folders, and other office paper products made from 35-100% post-consumer recycled materials.
11. Begin using EcoFont® for internal documents and save up to 20% on ink costs
12. Establish a paper recycling program for newspapers, office paper, direct mail, white and colored paper, cardboard, envelopes, magazines, and catalogs.
13. Send and receive faxes directly to your computer. If that’s not possible, eliminate fax cover sheets by using Post-Its® on the first page.
14. Purchase or lease copiers and printers that have a two-sided copying and printing function.
15. Choose pre-used, recycled, or Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified boxes and bags for retail use or shipping.
16. Establish a paperless billing program for your customers and encourage use by creating incentives.
17. Sign up to pay your bills online and receive invoices and receipts electronically.
Saving Electricity
18. Contact your local utility and ask for a free commercial energy assessment to pinpoint specific areas of energy waste.
19. Replace regular light bulbs with Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) bulbs that last longer and save energy.
20. Install light switch occupancy sensors in proper locations to automatically turn off lighting when no one is present.
21. Set computers to enter system standby or hibernate after 30 minutes of inactivity. Set monitors to enter sleep mode after 5 to 20 minutes of inactivity.
22. Use a smarter power strip, like EcoStrip®, to reduce phantom charges.
23. Replace all standard Exit signs with LED or high-efficiency alternatives.
24. Install an ENERGY STAR® programmable thermostat to automate your HVAC system.
Business Practices
25. Create and adopt a corporate environmental sustainability vision statement.
26. Encourage employee carpools, public transportation, or bicycling as a means of transportation. Post schedules and route maps throughout office.
27. Switch to a green merchant banking solution like the Green Merchant Alliance.
28. Use a green web hosting service for your business' website. This is typically available at the same price and is completely carbon neutral.
29. Reduce junk mail by removing your business' name from national direct marketing databases.
30. Enroll in a waste exchange program where your waste can become another company's resource.
31. Request that your payroll service eliminate the printed version of the pay stub and envelope. Ask them to email pay stub information instead.
32. Complete a solid-waste assessment to help identify and quantify the items in your business' waste stream.
33. Reserve one day a year when your company volunteers for local environmental or community projects (e.g., Habitat for Humanity, Earth Day, Save a Tree).
34. Purchase products and services from green-certified or GBB vendors.
Office Space
35. Arrange the existing workspace to take advantage of areas with natural sunlight and design future spaces with natural lighting opportunities in mind.
36. Use floor mat/dirt-collection systems at doorways facing the outside space.
37. Designate carpool and hybrid parking spaces that are in preferred areas of your parking lot (e.g. closer to the building entrance or covered).
38. Plant native, region-friendly plants to minimize the impact on the local habitat and to limit the amount of irrigation water needed.
39. Lease business and office space in a LEED certified building - resulting in lower operating costs, a safer, less-toxic environment, and more productive employees.
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