3 Ways to Create an Eco-Friendly Home Office
By Andrew Patricio
January 25, 2017
Workspace Optimization
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Many of us who have a home office enjoy the freedom to create the kind of space we wish all offices would adopt; bright light, relaxed atmosphere and for many, an environmentally friendly space that creates harmony and pride. If you’re ready, here are three ways to create an eco-friendly home office.
1. Reduce Energy
The single best way to create an eco-friendly home office is to be more efficient with energy consumption. Reducing energy consumption not only saves on greenhouse gas emissions, it also saves you money. Start by setting up your home office near a window or skylight so you don’t have to use electric lights when you work. Then replace all light bulbs in your home office with LED bulbs so you use considerably less energy when you do have to switch on the light. Take it a step further and put a dimmer switch on your lights so you can reduce your energy even more when necessary.
Another strategy for reducing energy in your home office is to connect all your devices to power strips and to get into the habit of turning off the power from the power strip. Take it a step further and unplug the power strip at the end of every day since some devices like monitors and printers continue to use electricity even when turned off.
2. Use Better Materials
We aren’t always able to avoid using things like envelopes, folders, and batteries but we can choose to use better materials that reduce its impact on landfills. If you are in e-commerce, look into biodegradable packing peanuts and other packing materials that will breakdown when they are tossed out. Look for other biodegradable plastics too, like these biodegradable plastic folders and replace your Styrofoam coffee cups with a reusable thermos or coffee mug. Minimize your impact on landfills further with recycled paper and paper products and rechargeable batteries.
3. Upcycle
Taking something old and using it for a new purpose is the cornerstone of reusing and upcycling. Use mason jars or painted tin cans as pencil holders, reupholster an old office chair with new fabric and a staple gun, or cover a wall with chalkboard paint, stick-on whiteboard or corkboard. Or make a desk out of crate boxes and a counter-top or shelves out of old wooden ladders and shelving tops. The idea is to use as much of what you already have.
1. Reduce Energy
The single best way to create an eco-friendly home office is to be more efficient with energy consumption. Reducing energy consumption not only saves on greenhouse gas emissions, it also saves you money. Start by setting up your home office near a window or skylight so you don’t have to use electric lights when you work. Then replace all light bulbs in your home office with LED bulbs so you use considerably less energy when you do have to switch on the light. Take it a step further and put a dimmer switch on your lights so you can reduce your energy even more when necessary.
Another strategy for reducing energy in your home office is to connect all your devices to power strips and to get into the habit of turning off the power from the power strip. Take it a step further and unplug the power strip at the end of every day since some devices like monitors and printers continue to use electricity even when turned off.
2. Use Better Materials
We aren’t always able to avoid using things like envelopes, folders, and batteries but we can choose to use better materials that reduce its impact on landfills. If you are in e-commerce, look into biodegradable packing peanuts and other packing materials that will breakdown when they are tossed out. Look for other biodegradable plastics too, like these biodegradable plastic folders and replace your Styrofoam coffee cups with a reusable thermos or coffee mug. Minimize your impact on landfills further with recycled paper and paper products and rechargeable batteries.
3. Upcycle
Taking something old and using it for a new purpose is the cornerstone of reusing and upcycling. Use mason jars or painted tin cans as pencil holders, reupholster an old office chair with new fabric and a staple gun, or cover a wall with chalkboard paint, stick-on whiteboard or corkboard. Or make a desk out of crate boxes and a counter-top or shelves out of old wooden ladders and shelving tops. The idea is to use as much of what you already have.