Shinya Sasaki/NEOVISION/Getty Images
READ MORE ABOUT:
When I used to work in an office, we all tried to make life as green as possible. One of my friends started a recycling program for our glass bottles and cans; whenever the can filled up, she'd hoist the bag over her shoulder and walk six blocks to the drop-off point. My cubicle neighbor got so distressed about the lack of recycling that he started collecting everyone's paper trash, letting the pile build up until it overwhelmed his desk, and then he’d take it home and put it out for curbside pickup. This is dedication.
Now that I work from home, those kinds of green office care are already part of my daily routine. Along with recycling, I'm saving gas by not commuting, paper by not having a printer (I use the library printer or have Mike use his at work when absolutely necessary), and energy by shutting down the computer every night (which also saves my sanity—otherwise, I feel like I never leave work). I don't even have a dedicated office: I move our laptop in a circle from the coffee table to the kitchen table to our small living room desk (where I sit on a kitchen chair). None of this makes for the most effective or inspiring workspace, I admit, but it is pretty easy on the earth.
But I do have one weakness: office supplies. I try to stop myself from buying more than we have room to store, but it's nearly impossible for me to leave a Staples, Office Max, Target, or even CVS without sticky notes, new pencils, a fresh notebook, or brightly colored pens. Until, with a little research, I found several web sites that satisfy my cravings with planners made from recycled paper, refillable pens, and non-toxic wooden pencils. I think even my former coworkers would be proud!
More on green offices:
Where to Get Green Office Products
How to Go Green at Work
Green Your Home Office
Detox Your Office: Part 1
Detox Your Office: Part 2
Is Telecommuting Really Greener?
The Green Office: Sustainable Everything for Work
Buy the Book!
Ready, Set, Green: Eight Weeks to Modern Eco-Living
Blythe Copeland is a freelancer writer living on Long Island. Read more about her foray into the green life in her previous columns as she follows the plan set out in the book Ready, Set, Green: Eight Weeks to Modern Eco-Living.
-
- {}
