Practical Tips to Make Your Office Environmentally Friendly

Reuse, recycle

• Reuse envelopes for internal circulation and buy envelope reuse labels, these can be purchased with company logos on
• Invest in solar powered calculators rather than battery operated
• Consider using re-useable items rather than disposable, for example, china cups, metal cutlery, propelling pencils, refillable pens
• Collect stamps and milk bottle tops for charity
• Use notice boards rather than circulating non-urgent memo's
• Use products with a longer life, such as low energy light bulbs, which last up to eight times longer than ordinary light bulbs and also reduce energy costs
• Turn scrap paper into notepads
• Use both sides of paper when photocopying or producing reports

Tips for purchasing for the office

• Specify products with a recycled or reconditioned content. For wooden furniture and other timber products this may include purchasing goods from certified, sustainable sources
• Avoid buying disposable products and aerosols
• Use solvent-free correction fluids and paints
• Choose local products and materials to reduce energy and pollution implications of transporting goods
• Avoid over-packaged goods
• Specify upgradeable PCs
• Use refillable pens and highlighters
• Share items in occasional use, eg. highlighters & hole punchers
• Consider teleworking and home-working schemes

Tips for saving energy in the office:

• Position desks and workstations to make best use of natural light
• Check for and quickly repair leaks and dripping taps
• Only boil the required amount of water in a kettle
• Service heating systems regularly
• Improve insulations & Draught proofing
• Only heat work areas that are being used
• Fit controls to radiators to regulate individual room temperatures
• Use low energy lighting and appliances
• Switch off lights & machines when not in use
• Reduce lighting levels in areas such as corridors where bright lighting is not required
• Consider other energy saving measures such as timers and sensors