Reducing Carbon Footprint at Work

Five Easy Ways to Save Energy and reducing Carbon Footprint at Work

Power saver ideas for office equipment

Office equipment and electronics use energy even when idle or on stand-by. To save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in a home office or at work, always activate the power management features on your computer and monitor, unplug laptop power cords when not in use and turn off equipment and lights at the end of the day.

 Consider using a power strip that can be turned off when you’re done using your computers, printers, wireless routers and other electronics.

Look for ENERGY STAR qualified products that are energy efficient

When buying new products for your office at work or at home, get the features and performance you want and help reduce greenhouse gases and emissions of air pollutants by being energy efficient. Look for ENERGY STAR qualified office equipment, such as computers, copiers, and printers, in addition to more than 50 product categories, including lighting, heating and cooling equipment and commercial appliances.

Ask your office building manager if your office building has earned the ENERGY STAR

ENERGY STAR-labeled buildings Think about this buildings account for 70% of U.S. electrical use. The HVAC system, the lights, the water, the elevators, the power and cooling for technology, the heating and cooling for people: all contribute to making buildings a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions—and a leading energy user. In fact, by 2025, buildings will use more energy than any other category of “consumer.” (Already today, in the United States, they represent 70% of energy use.) And 40% of the world’s current output of raw materials goes into buildings. That’s about 3 billion tons … annually.

Save energy commuting

Switch to public transportation, carpooling, biking, telecommuting and other innovative ways to save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions on your way to and from work. Encourage your employer to offer commuter benefits that address limited or expensive parking, reduce traffic congestion, improve employee recruiting and retention and minimize the environmental impacts associated with drive-alone commuting. If you do drive, find out the fuel efficiency of your vehicle using EPA’s and DOE’s fuel economy Web site, and make more environmentally-informed choices when purchasing your next vehicle by using EPA’s Green Vehicle Guide. Information on administerin a carpool and tax credits can be found at the following websites: the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to publish the annual Fuel Economy Guide the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to administer the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) program, and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to collect gas guzzler taxes.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Recycle office paper, newspapers, beverage containers, electronic equipment and batteries. Reducing, reusing, and recycling in your office helps conserve energy, and reduces pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from resource extraction, manufacturing, and disposal. You can reduce, reuse and recycle at the office by using two-sided printing and copying; buying supplies made with recycled content; and recycling used printer cartridges. For your old electronics, investigate leasing programs to ensure reuse and recycling or donate used equipment to schools or other organizations.