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Don't look now, but your home office is staffed with gadgets full of hazardous materials that could make the job of balancing your checkbook an even bigger drag. Don't quit, though-it's easy to manage the problem areas and teach your workspace how to be a team player.
How to make your home office greener
- Nerding out is in. It's hard to imagine modern life without our always-connected gadgets. But computers and other gizmos are built using chemicals, heavy metals, and plastics. While casings may keep users safe from gadget guts, computers made from fewer toxic materials protect the environment for all of us. The Electronics Product Environmental Assessment Tool (a.k.a. EPEAT), which rates products according to their environmental performance, is the most trusted standard for greener computers and electronics. Luckily, you don't have to be whiz to use their exceedingly simple database.
- Stationery is moving forward. Finding greener office supplies may seem like a daunting task, but things like chlorine-free post-consumer recycled paper and ozone-safe correction fluid are actually easy to get your hands on. You may still have to search harder for soy-based ink cartridges for now, but with every product you buy, you send the message of demand to the supplier.
- Growing green. No doubt house plants can brighten up a home office, but it turns out they can also clean up the air by sucking up things like formaldehyde, benzene, and carbon monoxide by storing them in their roots or breaking them down into less harmful gases. Researchers have even identified the specific plants that can most effectively mop up indoor pollutants. Areca palm and peace lily top the list.
- Go paperless. Reading faxes online, signing up for paperless billing, and storing receipts on your desktop all add up to less printing, and, therefore, fewer materials used and waste generated. You'll save a few bucks-and a few trees-too. Just remember to turn off your computer and other electronics when not in use-virtual filing has its impact too, after all. Doing more with less can also be simple: Reuse paper clips, pick up a staple-less stapler, and print on both sides of a page, for example.
- Take it outside. From schools to offices, natural light has been proven to increase productivity and well-being, so make sure your work spot receives plenty of sunlight. And fresh air can make a huge difference in performance-whether doing your taxes or the daily grind-so open some windows or take a quick walk from time to time.
Next: We show you the products that work. Plus, more tips from Sara Snow.
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