Every business and individual team member plays a part in good corporate citizenship by conforming to agreed-upon sustainability initiatives. The key to a greener office is making good environmental citizenship easy for employees to enact. Fortunately, there are dozens of ways to green your office. If your business is attempting to boost sustainability efforts, consider the following tips.
Printing. Make printing greener by establishing environmentally-friendly (and budget-friendly!) defaults for your print fleet. Set two-sided (duplex) printing as your default, and consider saving toner with draft-mode printing. Smart use of space—like adjusting document margins—can reduce the number of printed pages. For even more control, advanced printers or Managed Print Services (MPS) can provide print quotas for users and departments, while pull printing can reduce lost and abandoned documents.
Equipment. With office equipment—copiers, scanners, printers, fax machines, and computers—representing such a substantial portion of greenhouse gas-emitting energy use, you have a lot of opportunity for impact. Purchase devices with sleep or low-power modes, and look for other eco-friendly features like Energy Star ratings. Consolidating to a multifunction machine is also a simple and powerful way to green your office, saving you on materials, physical space, and energy usage.
Consumables. Make it your corporate policy to purchase recycled products like paper, envelopes, and folders whenever possible. When all is said and done, recycle used materials again. Recycling toner and ink cartridges is easier than ever, with the prevalence of free recycling programs a quick Google search away. Consider our partnership with Toshiba’s Close the Loop Recycling campaign, if you’re looking for a free program to join. Giving paper products and printer cartridges second lives will decrease your environmental footprint.
The Next Level. Ready to take your sustainability efforts to the next level? Electronic document management and Managed Print Services (MPS) can transform your business operations and maximize your green initiatives.
Green and Proud. There are several simple steps you can take to make your office a greener place. When you implement them, be proud! Whether on printed marketing materials or on websites and social media, make your commitment to sustainability known. Customers will appreciate your efforts and will support your company’s dedication to the environment.
Contact Golden Gate Office Solutions today for help greening your office.
