More Eco-Office Tips: What you DON’T see!

As I said at the end of my last post: What you don’t see in my office is just as important as what you do see when the environment is concerned. I’ve broken this section up into two sections.

What don't you see here?

Absent Items:

There are certain things you’ll never see in my office for three reasons: Either they’re wasteful, they’re bad for the environment, or I don’t need them!

1. Trash Bin: I recycle everything I can. When it comes to my office, I’ve found that I don’t need a trash bin at all because everything I use is recyclable. I’ve managed to reduce the waste in my office to the point where I empty my 8 litre recycling bin just once a month.
2. Paper Invoices: All of the invoices that Viddyworks sends out are digital! I’ve got a nice little program called iBiz installed on my computer that allows me to send pdf invoices directly to my clients inbox. Not only do I save the paper and ink needed to print the invoices, but there are no envelopes, stamps or delivery to the post office. The other nice advantage is that my clients receive their invoices instantly. This applies to proofs for my design clients as well.
3. Unnecessary Office Items: I’ve found that I don’t need to use staples, push pins, paperclips, or any other little fasteners to keep my office organized. Nobody said that every change has to be a huge change! While the use of these tiny objects seems very small and insignificant, just remember that there’s a huge industry of manufacturing, packaging and shipping behind them.
4. Chemical Products: I’m talking mainly about the dreaded White-Out here folks. Have you ever gotten close enough to smell that stuff? It’ll make your head spin.
5. Every “Green” gadget out there: Just because a company advertises an eco-friendly product, doesn’t mean that I’ll rush right out and get it. “Green Washing” is an unfortunate by-product of the rising awareness of environmentalism. There are companies out there who are trying to cash in on the environmental movement by convincing consumers to toss their old items in favor of the new ones. My advice to you is this: If you want an eco-friendly office like mine, don’t throw your old Ikea desk in the dumpster and rush out to the hardware store. Be patient, use your old desk until it’s completely worn out. The best thing we can do is use what we have before rushing out to replace it.

Invisible Eco Office:

There are changes I’ve made in my lifestyle that are invisible to the naked eye!

1. Thermostat Regulation: This one is simple: Low heat in the winter, and no A/C in the summer. Lucky for me, my office stayed nice and cool this summer due to a collosal vine growing on the side of the house. It filters the sunshine, and releases nice oxygen right outside my window. If you don’t have a natural filter for your window, go and see your local home decor shops for blind or curtain options. This winter, I’m prepared for the cold with sweaters, slippers, fair trade organic teas, and three warm kitties to keep me going while the thermostat is turned down to 15 degrees.
2. Clean Green: My office is in my home. Therefore, the kitchen and bathroom facilities are an extension of my office while I’m working. I have a no-bleach policy throughout the house! In fact, there are no name brand chemical cleaners to be found anywhere in the house. (Gee, this is a blog post in itself!) I make my own cleaners that can be used in every room in the house (including the launrdy room!) There are three main ingredients to all of them: vinegar, baking soda, and water. Stay tuned for recipes!
3. The 3 Second Commute: That’s about how long it takes me to get from the bedroom to the office. This one is kind of a no-brainer! No commute means waaaay less driving!
4. Shutting Down: I’m talking about more than just your computer. Modern electronics just baffle me with their vagrant disregard for energy consumption. Think about this: when I turn off my television, a little red light comes on whose sole purpose is to let me know that it’s consuming energy, even in it’s sleep. How did we come to this? At the end of the day, I flip the power bar under my desk off. This means that the computer, printer, lamp, and back-up hard drive won’t be sucking power while I’m not using them.
5. Clean Webhosting: GreenBook, Viddyworks, and all of my client’s websites are hosted by a company in Toronto called Hostpapa. Their whole operation is carbon offset, including their servers and office.

There you have it! 5 things you won’t see in my office, and 5 invisible green practices. Not all of these are suitable for every office, but we can certainly all do our best!