You have heard the old saying, “Every little bit helps.” This was never truer than when it comes to sustainability. Sometimes it’s not in all the huge efforts we make, but in those little, often overlooked, ways in which we can work toward a greener lifestyle. As an increasing number of people are working from home, perhaps it’s time we looked at some of the little tips and tricks for a home office that can help lower our carbon footprint consistently over time.
Eco-Friendly Printing
After you’ve taken the time to find an energy-efficient workstation complete with a printer on sites like Lenovo.com, you might think that’s where it ends. Actually, there is more you can do. Did you know that you can subscribe to ink services with most of the leading manufacturers of printers? The subscriptions are usually based on the number of pages you print per month. The software for the printer will communicate with the ink service and as you begin to get low, they will ship out new cartridges.
However, the best part is that you will be provided with a return envelope in which you send back your empty cartridge to be refilled. Instead of adding more to our landfills, these cartridges and eco tanks can be refilled over and over again. Some of these services also ship recycled paper as well. These are just a couple of those little things that will add up over time.
Rechargeable Gizmos and Gadgets
Here is another thing many people aren’t aware of. Out of habit, we plug in our rechargeable gadgets as they begin to run low on battery life. Unfortunately, if you leave them plugged in after they are fully charged, they will continue to draw a trickle amount of electricity. It may not add more than a few dollars to your monthly bill. However, if every home office left their gadgets plugged in, the wasted electricity would be cumulative. Sometimes it’s the money that motivates us and when you aren’t seeing a huge power bill, you might overlook these little things. Once charged, unplug those devices!
A New Look at Those 3 Rs of Sustainability
Even as early as kindergarten, your children are probably learning the 3 Rs of Sustainability. As a parent concerned for your child’s future, this is something you applaud. However, perhaps it’s time we, as parents, take a new look at those three Rs that consist of “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.” We have seen how two of those were met with printer cartridges. By sending them back to be refilled they are being recycled and reused.
Maybe you can think of other little ways in which you can apply one or more of those three aspects of sustainability. For example, some people use the back side of printed pages as scratch pads for jotting notes while on the phone. Others save the coffee grounds from their office coffee maker to be used in a compost pile. Your office is at home, so why not? Any little thing you can do to eliminate waste is going to go a very long way toward a collective effort. That’s sustainability for the home office and a ray of hope for our future.
