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GREENING oIP
Going green is a convenient way of talking about practicing an ethic of environmental stewardship. While going green is the right thing to do for our selves and our environment, it can also be healthy for our budgets. Undertaking the recommendations below add up to significant savings – and far better futures.
    
Energy
- measure, reduce, offset: undertake an energy and resource-use audit
- ensure all computers, printers, etc., are shut off when not in use to avoid slow drain of energy
- plug computers, printers, etc. into powerstrips and turn them off when not in use
- consider networked printers that can be shared instead of one printer per person
- check energy usage for older equipment and appliances in kitchens/kitchenettes
- consider investing in a GOOD scanner that can scan multiple and double-sided pages into PDF and Word documents; this will save paper (and money) by not having to use fax or mail, which also means transport/gas.
- if replacing outdated appliances, see http://www.aceee.org/Consumer/index.htm
- use rechargeable batteries (computer mouse, etc.)
- don’t be afraid of natural light
- reduce usage of lights, esp. incandescents
- turn off lights if you will be gone for more than 15 minutes (for details, see: http://www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/your_home/lighting_daylighting/
- undergo a "delamping review" to remove some of the bulbs in your current light banks so when your lights are on, you are still using less electricity
- turn off all office lights, as well as the hall lights at the end of each business day (there are emergency lights which will come on, and they provide enough light
- consider installing sensors to turn lights off when no one is in office/building
Other resources
- maximize use of electronic documents and minimize printouts
- print and photocopy your documents using BOTH sides (2-sided) whenever possible
- for internal documents or for files, use clean side of once-used paper
- put paper that can be re-used by anyone in publicly accessible place
- add “Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail” to the signature lines of our emails
- recycle, recycle, recycle
- be sure recycling bins for paper, glass, plastic, metals are readily available
- minimize kitchen waste
- use reusable dishes for lunches, as well as oIP gatherings
- use reusable storage containers (for party leftovers, etc.) to reduce baggie dependency
- talk with cleaning staff about plastic bags in trash cans – do not throw away bag each time trash is changed
- set up composting in kitchen (there are relatively stink-free containers…)
minimize dependency on plastics and disposables overall
- buy recycled paper products
- buy refurbished ink cartridges, recycle used ones, send packaging back with toner & ink cartridges
- set up battery and e-waste collection sites in office with volunteers to get these items to proper recycling locales
- buy ink for pens, not entirely new pen
reduce unnecessary give-aways
- endeavor to find greener alternatives to promotional products
- choose fewer, high quality items and consider ingredients/materials
- consider hiring local producers for some items
- use less water and fewer paper towels
Other general suggestions
- host, perhaps even in lieu of an occasional meeting, a movie viewing and/or discussion about environmental issues
- inform employees of and as an office endorse The Presidential Commission on Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability
- include more plants in office
- use and reuse cloth bags for shopping instead of paper or plastic ones (here and abroad)
- encourage employees to carpool, walk, bike, take public transport whenever possible
- ensure there are bike racks located near offices
- for conferences, etc., take the train instead of flying whenever possible
- while in hotels, monitor electricity and water usage and do not have your towels and sheets washed daily
- green the study abroad programs (see suggestions at Greening Study Abroad)
- consume less and buy local, as much as possible
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