Creating a Green Home Office

If you’re like me, you use your home office—or desk in the corner of your bedroom—to read your favorite blogs and online shop. But if you’re like Julie, one of the fine contributors to this blog, you use your home office to telecommute to work everyday. Either way, the room has the potential to gobble up more energy and paper than any other spot in your house. Make it more environmentally friendly with these tips.

Buy the right supplies. Fill your office with recycled, biodegradable, or third party certified materials. Check out TheGreenOffice.com to see what’s available. I’d really like this non-toxic pen, but maybe that’s just the little girl in me who loved getting new school supplies.

Use a smart strip. Don’t let the phantom load claim your peripherals. Even when scanners and printers aren’t in use electricity is still flowing through them. Rather than let energy—and money—go to waste, plug your computer accessories into a “smart” power strip that senses when appliances aren’t in use and shuts power off completely.

Power down. Turn your computer off when you’re not using it, despite those rumors that you’ll waste more electricity. Though there’s a small surge of electricity every time you switch a computer on, it doesn’t compare to the amount flowing through it over an extended period of no use. For the most energy savings, turn your computer off when possible.

Go for a laptop. Buying a new computer? Opt for a laptop. It consumes only 15 watts of electricity, while a desktop uses nearly 130 watts. If your work requires a desktop, look for the ENERGY STAR® label.

Turn off overhead lights. Switch on table and floor lamps with compact fluorescent lights to illuminate your workspace, rather than unnecessary overhead lights. With task lighting, you’ll brighten essential work areas and save some dough.

Reduce. Think twice before doodling on another note pad or printing a sappy email from your significant other to keep paper use to a minimum. Write on both sides of a sheet of paper, jot reminders in a planner rather than sticky notes, and store paper slightly out of reach to keep you from using it as often. 

Recycle, Recycle, Recycle. Last but not least, keep a recycle bin close by to toss used paper and other recyclable materials.

I think that’s it for my list. Do you have any other tips for going green in the office? I’m always up for more suggestions!

Until tomorrow,
The Home Know-It-All

Comments

[Randall]

Hi Kim,

Thanks for the comment and the link to your article. I enjoyed reading it and loved your tip on recycling electronics--very helpful!

Best,
Randall

[Kim Wallace]

Hi Randall,

Thanks for mentioning Natural Home in your most recent post. Great blog! I recently wrote a story in the Nov/Dec 08 issue of Natural Home about greening the home office. Here's a link:

http://www.naturalhomemagazine.com/Home-Organization/Create-A-Healthy-Home-Office.aspx

Great tips in your blog post, too. Kudos!

Have a good day!

Best,
Kim Wallace
Assistant Editor
Natural Home magazine

[Kim Wallace]

Hi Randall,

Thanks for mentioning Natural Home in your most recent post. Great blog! I recently wrote a story in the Nov/Dec 08 issue of Natural Home about greening the home office. Here's a link:

http://www.naturalhomemagazine.com/Home-Organization/Create-A-Healthy-Home-Office.aspx

Great tips in your blog post, too. Kudos!

Have a good day!

Best,
Kim Wallace
Assistant Editor
Natural Home magazine