Locating photocopiers, printers and faxes centrally forces people to think twice about how necessary it is to print Ensure that essential printing is double-sided. Removing personal waste bins and cutting the number of printers in an office also encourages people to rethink wasteful habits 2. Recycling is an important habit to cultivate, but effective recycling depends on more than just plonking down green bins throughout your building. Position them prominently and ensure that everyone knows about the scheme, its importance and what it can achieve. Some companies have even introduced internal recycling league to motivate staff 3. Open-plan offices allow for a more efficient use of space and reduce energy consumption.
When deciding who goes where, try not to block windows with desks that reduce natural light for others farther away from the window, or prevent windows from being opened. Configuring a workplace to encourage employees to use the stairs instead of the lift will save energy and help to improve employee fitness 4. You can "green" the drinks and food sold on the premises by opting for Fair Trade products and by banishing paper and plastic cups - why not bring in mugs from home? Many organisations sell bottled water or dispense water from large water-coolers - a system that involves large quantities of plastic cups and bottles. The environmental impact of sourcing drinking water in this way, and the associated packaging and transport costs, should also be considered Why not just put tap water in the office fridge? 5. Put your office on a green electricity tariff, and if you have control of your own heating and air conditioning, turn it down.
Choose fans rather than air conditioning to keep cool in summer. A window-mounted air-conditioning unit will continuously suck between 500 and 1,440 watts out of the grid, while a 2.5-ton central system can use up to 3,500 watts. A floor fan uses only 100 watts, and ceiling fans as little as 15 to 95 watts.. The image of Scotland's ice-capped mountains is in danger of becoming a thing of the past as rising temperatures threaten to wipe away the snow from the top of the country's highest and most rugged peaks.
