Paint Your Office Green

What makes an office green?  Is it the color of the walls?  The décor?  Or is it the way in which the occupant works to reduce their environmental impact?

Technically, it’s all of the above, but the most important is the last option.  For an office to be truly green, it has to be more than just in show.  Recycling Coordinator Amy Kadrie has a shining example of how an office can be green without a new paint job.

Here’s a list of some of the simple ways in which Kadrie has made her office a greener place:

• Using an Energy Star laptop
• Using only a cell phone and no desk phone
• Turning the lights out when leaving
• Green cleaning products
• Shared printing
• Plants

The last two may seem strange, but they’re just as important as the others.  Shared printing means that you don’t have a printer in your office, which means you’re much more likely to think twice before you print something out.  Is it really worth the trip all the way to the printer?  Plants are also important because they naturally filter the air, giving your office better air quality.

It’s also important to think about how you go to and from your office.  Ask around to see if you can carpool to and from work, or to offsite business.  If you have to go around campus, try to walk or use GEM cars whenever possible.

Finally, if you’ve got a window in your office, use it to its full potential!  Open the shades during the day to use the natural light, and if you’re a bit warm, just open it for a nice breeze.

These are all small ways that you can make your office a bit greener, in spirit at least.