Isn’t everyone looking for ways to reduce waste and make an environmental difference without breaking the bank? Being green shouldn’t have to cost a fortune.
Here are 5 changes you can make in your office that will save you (and your office) money!
- Reduce your paper consumption. Americans throw away 4.5 million tonnes of paper annually. Set up scrap paper receptacles at copy stations for notes and drafting. Print memos and other interoffice information on the back sides of old prints. Beef up your electronic filing system and ditch paper altogether and send as much as you can via email. According to WWF, a company with 5,000 employees who double-side printed only 10% of their copies, could save up to $260,000 USD.
Change your whiteboard markers to a non-toxic alternative. Xylene, found in many brands of whiteboard markers, is a known neurotoxin. If that doesn’t make you gasp for some clean air, try this: one AusPen is equal to 41 traditional white board markers. And unlike AusPen markers, none of the disposable marker’s packaging is recyclable. Still not convinced? Using AusPen’s saves companies money – a traditional whiteboard marker (bought from a regular supplier) typically costs between $0.50 – $1.00 each. An AusPen is $0.28 (when you calculate using it through one of its life cycles – including the refill)
- Start a coffee and/or takeout “swear jar”. According to Eco Defence Fund, Starbucks goes through 1.9 billion disposable cups. And while they have introduced a 10% post consumer paper cup, that’s still a lot of cups going to the landfill. Try collecting money from those who use disposable cups. Charge anyone who uses disposable take out containers. If just $1 a day was collected your swear jar could earn approximately $260 a year (based on a 5 day work week). That’s enough to buy an espresso coffee maker for your office’s kitchen!
- Install a water filtration system right on the kitchen faucet. According to the Clean Air Council, 2.5 million plastic water bottles are thrown away every hour in America. Give everyone a stainless steel water bottle and cut down on disposable plastic bottles. A filtration system costs approximately $150 -$250 USD a year (according to Costco) but buying just one bottle a day would cost just one person $130 – $260 a year.
- Revamp your bathroom recycling. Reduce paper towel waste by switching to a hand dryer. It may be a higher start up cost but the long term cost savings of buying paper towels, cleaning trash bins and replacing towels will easily make up for this. WWF has estimated that we flush about 270,000 trees down the toilet – a day. Put a note in each stall that tells your fellow co-workers and make the switch to recycled toilet paper.
Remember – when you make changes, communicate them. Explaining the cost and environmental savings will likely result in increased acceptance and participation.
Written by Eco-Smart World’s blog editor, Crystal Henrickson
Eco-Smart World is the North American distributor for the AusPen
USED POSTAGE STAMPS FOR CHARITY
Some friends and I run this page, if you have used postage stamps from home or work, please consider donating them to one of these causes.
You can check when addresses were last confimed on our main site
http://usedstampsforcharity.weebly.com
(we are more than happy to list your charity too, and start an overseas page for foreign charities outside the UK)
Used Postage Stamps For CharityMillions of people, young and old, are stamp collectors (philatelists), and philately is an educational and fun hobby.
Couple this with helping charities as well, keeping stamps out of landfill, and instead recycling stamps to collectors!!!!!
This is a webpage listing charities in the UK which collect used postage stamps to raise money for charity. Charities find used stamps, which they then sort, and sell on to collectors and philatelists, an excellent source of extra income, and you are helping save the environment and reduce waste by not binning them! What could be better?
Whether your stamps are recent or old, common or rare, wherever they come from across the world, every stamp can be saved!
The charities/ volunteers listed below collect used postage stamps for charities. Please send your used stamps to any of them,
all donations of stamps will be most gratefully received! Contact us to add your charity to the directory list (make sure that you contact us from time to time to update the “address last confirmed” date. )
List last updated: September 17th 2015
CHARITIES WHICH NEED YOUR USED POSTAGE STAMPS:
RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution)
the society that pays for the lifeboats that mean hundreds of lives are saved each year around Britain’s coast.
RNLI stamps, care/of Lara,
7 Speedwell,
Brixham
Devon,
TQ5 9MJ,
England
(please note this is not a head office address, but is simply a local unpaid volunteer. Please only send stamps,
no other correspondence. Receipt confirmations available upon request, please include an address for same!)
International and UK postage stamps equally welcome.
Address Last Confirmed: Sept 2015
The Swindon Talking newspaper
provides a free player and weekly publication for visually impaired and blind users.
We are completely self funded and rely on volunteers and donations.
Please send your stamps to:
Gemma Peet
Swindon talking news
Craven house
145 Victoria road
Swindon
Sn1 3bu
Address Last Confirmed: Sept 2015
The South Devon Players theatre & film company
An awardwinning (and featured on national BBC TV) theatre and film company specialising in period and historical drama.
Please send in envelopes that fit through a letter box thanks.
The South Devon Players
c/o Chestnut Community Centre
1-3 Poplar Close
Brixham
Devon TQ5 0SA
Address Last Confirmed: Sept 2015
French Bulldog Rescue GB (FBRGB)
is one of only two registered charities who specialise in the rescue of French Bulldogs, we are a non profit organisation run by volunteers. Our mission is to rescue, rehabilitate and re-home French Bulldogs in need from private rescue groups, and owners here in Great Britain. All the dogs are neutered and our goal is to place healthy and happy French Bulldogs into well-matched, carefully screened forever homes.
Please send stamps to
FBRGB,
43 REGNUM DRIVE,
SHAW,
NEWBURY,
BERKSHIRE,RG142HF
Address Last Confirmed: August 2015
Together Trust
The Together Trust (registered charity number: 209782) provides care, education and support for children and adults with learning and physical disabilities, autism and emotional needs. Our services include residential homes, domiciliary care, specialist schools and a foster ing service for hard to place children. Every year we help over 1400 children and adults to overcome very significant barriers giving them the most positive future possible.
Please ensure correct postage is put on bulky envelopes, as we cannot afford to pay to retrieve them from the sorting office if insufficient postage is put on
Together Trust centre
Schools Hill
Cheadle
SK8 1JE
Natalie.garside@togethertrust.org.uk
Address Last Confirmed: May 2010
Zoe’s Place Baby Hospice
provides palliative, respite and end of life care to babies and infants from 0 – 5 years, who suffer with life threatening or life limiting conditions that require 27/7 care.
Zoe’s Place Baby Hospice Liverpool
Life Health Centre
Yew Tree Lane
West Derby
Liverpool
L12 9HH
Address Last Confirmed: July 2015
Funding Neuro
(organization information not submitted)
Funding Neuro
Geason House
145 North Street
Glasgow
G3 7DA
Address Last Confirmed: April 2015
Hospiscare
Hospiscare is the hospice charity for Exeter, Mid and East Devon providing end of life care for local people and support for their families and friends too, caring for 750 patients in their homes and the hospice, free of charge every day of the year.
Hospiscare
Dryden Road
Exeter
EX2 5JJ
Address Last Confirmed: March 2015
I like the disposable coffee cup cost collection. What a great way to go green! Another thing I’d like to add from my own experience is switching your coffee pot. Our office switched from the antiquated coffee pot to a Keurig and KCup Vending Machine, and we save tons of money on a monthly basis now that our office coffee is essentially paid for! The employees love the simplicity and speed of the Keurig, and management loves the cost control. Worth looking into if that’s one area your office could stand to save some money each month.
I agree that reducing paper consumption is significantly important. I attempt for all communications to be electronic, and yes, electronic fax is fantastic! I really don't have any paper files anymore. Everything is saved and stored within my computer. And when printed documents are unavoidable, we have a scrap paper folder right next to the computer to be used for printing on both sides (if feasible). We also use recycled computer paper.
I got rid of the fax machine recently and have all my faxes to go directly to my computer. I will never go back. I print out what i want and nothing more. Thanks for the tips.
I got rid of the fax machine recently and have all my faxes to go directly to my computer. I will never go back. I print out what i want and nothing more. Thanks for the tips.
Cracking ideas, of course tech can help too.
If your company fills in a lot of forms, maybe they have engineers out and about who need to fill in job-sheets – there is a HUGE amount of paper wasted.
Not only that, but money too.
A product called ElectroForms – http://www.mobileelectronicforms.com – addresses the paper-waste issue by providing an extremely usable data capture alternative to paper based forms.
Cracking ideas, of course tech can help too.
If your company fills in a lot of forms, maybe they have engineers out and about who need to fill in job-sheets – there is a HUGE amount of paper wasted.
Not only that, but money too.
A product called ElectroForms – http://www.mobileelectronicforms.com – addresses the paper-waste issue by providing an extremely usable data capture alternative to paper based forms.
I love your tips, especially the ones involving health like the whiteboard markers and the filtered water. I can’t say no to things that are eco friendly and health friendly as well. Thanks
.-= Jeff @ French Milled Soap´s last blog ..About =-.
I love your tips, especially the ones involving health like the whiteboard markers and the filtered water. I can’t say no to things that are eco friendly and health friendly as well. Thanks
.-= Jeff @ French Milled Soap´s last blog ..About =-.
All great ideas! People often tell me how difficult it is to get their companies to be more “environmentally friendly”, but there are a few things on your list which employees likely don’t need employer approval to do… like using less paper ro your “swear jar” idea!
Enough with the excuses people… 🙂
.-= Darvin @ Ionic Air Purifiers´s last blog ..Ozone Air Purifier – Warning! =-.
All great ideas! People often tell me how difficult it is to get their companies to be more “environmentally friendly”, but there are a few things on your list which employees likely don’t need employer approval to do… like using less paper ro your “swear jar” idea!
Enough with the excuses people… 🙂
.-= Darvin @ Ionic Air Purifiers´s last blog ..Ozone Air Purifier – Warning! =-.
Thank you for this nice tips, it is definitely worth the effort to reduce waste.
.-= Stan@Black Kitchen Faucet´s last blog ..Remarkable Features of Danze Kitchen Faucet that makes it Saleable =-.
Thank you for this nice tips, it is definitely worth the effort to reduce waste.
.-= Stan@Black Kitchen Faucet´s last blog ..Remarkable Features of Danze Kitchen Faucet that makes it Saleable =-.
Nice tips to save money while helping the environment.
One could also find part time jobs in the internet like SEO article writing, article spinning, blog posting, podcasting, and many more.
In this time of financial crisis, we should double up our efforts, we don’t know what tomorrow will bring.
I hope there are many more ideas that will pop up in the net. I got many ideas here on how to earn extra money, and I want to share it.
Glory to all of you who are helping each other to be financially stable.
But always remember to never forget spending quality time with our family. God bless us all.
Nice tips to save money while helping the environment.
One could also find part time jobs in the internet like SEO article writing, article spinning, blog posting, podcasting, and many more.
In this time of financial crisis, we should double up our efforts, we don’t know what tomorrow will bring.
I hope there are many more ideas that will pop up in the net. I got many ideas here on how to earn extra money, and I want to share it.
Glory to all of you who are helping each other to be financially stable.
But always remember to never forget spending quality time with our family. God bless us all.
Yeah, its amazing how different some states are with issues such as recycling. California has a lot of ways to encourage recycling, while states like utah throw everything into 1 giant bin.
Yeah, its amazing how different some states are with issues such as recycling. California has a lot of ways to encourage recycling, while states like utah throw everything into 1 giant bin.
Current thought is that not only should the plastic water bottles not be thrown away but that they be replaced by stainless steel or some other more healthful material.
Filtering water even if it is not to refill water bottles is also great. Chlorine and other chemicals in water are not the most healthful for us. Many experience remarkable cures after switching to filtered water.
.-= Mike Griffin @ home water filtration systems´s last blog ..Before You Buy A Reverse Osmosis Filter =-.
Current thought is that not only should the plastic water bottles not be thrown away but that they be replaced by stainless steel or some other more healthful material.
Filtering water even if it is not to refill water bottles is also great. Chlorine and other chemicals in water are not the most healthful for us. Many experience remarkable cures after switching to filtered water.
.-= Mike Griffin @ home water filtration systems´s last blog ..Before You Buy A Reverse Osmosis Filter =-.
What a perfect way to go green in an enviroment that needs to save paper I also like to keep things electronic as much as possible.
What a perfect way to go green in an enviroment that needs to save paper I also like to keep things electronic as much as possible.
Exactly, the great thing about reducing waste at work is it gives you money to use in other areas.
Exactly, the great thing about reducing waste at work is it gives you money to use in other areas.
Nice post
Everyone can save money in small and seemingly insignificant areas if you know how and where to do it.
These are all great ideas
Great tips! I’ll be coming back to learn more about saving money!
Nice post
Everyone can save money in small and seemingly insignificant areas if you know how and where to do it.
These are all great ideas
Great tips! I’ll be coming back to learn more about saving money!
Great tips – you’ve got a good point about saving enough to buy the office an Expresso machine!
We’ve been trying to brainstorm for environmentally friendly alternatives to direct mail – I’d hate to see all that paper be used on something so many people might just toss out.
Chelle´s last blog post..Warmer Temperatures Expected This Weekend
Great tips – you’ve got a good point about saving enough to buy the office an Expresso machine!
We’ve been trying to brainstorm for environmentally friendly alternatives to direct mail – I’d hate to see all that paper be used on something so many people might just toss out.
Chelle´s last blog post..Warmer Temperatures Expected This Weekend