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Having a green office space is helpful to the environment and to the world at large. However there are many myths regarding different aspects of these “green” practices. Hop 2 Green will teach you which are true and false and how to make you office green and effective.
• Temperature in Office
One thing offices are told to do is to lower your heat or air conditioning when no one is in the office. This unbeknownst to many individuals negatively affects many of the machines in your office especially larger copiers. When there are huge temperature changes within the area it affects the components within the copier. If it gets heated, the paper within the machine gets damp. This can lead to very serious paper jams which can break down the machine. If it gets to cold the metal machine parts tend to freeze up which can lead them to break or snap off.
• Paper
When it comes to Paper we try to save as much as we can. However some actions can lead to more waste. Recycled paper is a good way to be green, however a mistake consumers make is to buy and use 100% recycled paper. The manufacturing of this paper even if it’s from recycled products is very poorly made and has a tendency to jam machines which can lead to 500lb copier go into waste piles around the world.
o Internet and Paper
Since the internet age has began a lot of communications that used to take place with paper has now been replaced with electronics; Email, instant messaging, etc however since the beginning of the internet age, paper use has increased and is on the rise. To save both money and be greener, owners of businesses can control how the paper is being used. That it serves each piece serves a purpose and is not being used wastefully.
• Ink
Ink for copiers and printers have been the source for a lot of Green myths. We at Hop2Green are here to give you the best facts and knowledge so you are aware of what actions are best for you to take.
To begin never refill your ink unless it’s from the specific manufacturer; places that refill your ink refill it with a generic ink. The method at most places to refill ink cartridges is to simply poke a hole at the top of the cartridge and refill. However they do not cater to the fact that these cartridges need more delicate care and maintenance, each cartridge has gears and an area where residue ink is kept. Only in manufacturing companies specialized in this, clean and check each the entire cartridge. If these parts are not maintained they can lead to the failure of the machine.
These facts we hope are of help to all of our readers and small business owners. If you have any questions or comments follow us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/Hop2Green or our Twitter page @ https://twitter.com/#!/LBG_Hop2Green we hope to hear from you soon!
The Green Office is not about the color of your office space walls, but the desire of business owners and managers to be socially and environmentally responsible. Many tenants are beginning to insist on more environmentally friendly office space. According to a recent Green Building survey “Despite the financial scars, the principle of energy efficiency is now deeply embedded in the culture of commercial real estate. An overwhelming 95% of corporate respondents stress that green design is important in the site selection process.” If you are reading this, you are probably included in this group; those who are recognizing their corporate responsibility to be good citizens. Many are taking The Green Office; the use of recycled, environmentally friendly, and sustainable business products, and paper, very seriously.
Green office space not only includes the building, office products, but transportation as well.
The National Safety Council estimates that riding the bus is over 170 times safer than automobile travel – and it’s greener too!
One person flying from Los Angeles to New York causes as many emissions as the average American driver does over the course of 2 months
The US Green Building Council has the LEED Rating System to rate buildings as to their environmental friendliness. “The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ encourages and accelerates global adoption of sustainable green building and development practices through the creation and implementation of universally understood and accepted tools and performance criteria. ”
A new way for people, companies, and possibly entire states, to recycle more efficiently. Check out this Article!
http://www.npr.org/2012/03/19/147506525/startup-converts-plastic-to-oil-and-finds-a-niche
Today everyone is starting to think “green” when it comes to everyday products. Industry has responded. The “green” movement is finally starting to make it to many consumer products. Can the local businesses do their part by buying environmentally friendly office supplies? If the answer is yes then where do they find them?
First, what is an environmentally friendly office product? It is simply a product that is recycled, recyclable or non-toxic to the environment. In many cases it can also refer to products that are easily biodegradable. Producers will be quick to tell you their product is “green”. Don’t be fooled that a product is “green” just because the label makes that claim. A common metal stapler can claim to be “green” but is it really?
The large big-box office suppliers have gotten behind the “green” movement in a big way. They are quick to tell you not only that a product is “green” but why it is so. Recycled paper is one of their biggest sellers. Not only is this type stationary made of recycled materials but it is cheaper to purchase as well. That’s a winning formula if there ever was one.
Other products made from renewable or recycled materials are easy to find as well. When companies like McDonalds dropped their Styrofoam containers the rest of the industry took notice. Suppliers are now offering a multitude of products that are environmentally safe. For example: most office suppliers offer shipping or storage containers made from cardboard. This is a material that is often recycled, recyclable and biodegrades in a short time when exposed to the elements. You will also find drinking cups, disposable cups, and binders made from wood products.
The same holds true of more durable types of office supplies such as furniture. The retailers are not pushing the “green” advantages of their product. It is up to the consumer to read the product description carefully. The fact is that more and more furniture items are being made with recyclable materials such as styrene or aluminum. “Natural materials” often means less foam and more fiber type padding materials. The bottom line is that environmentally friendly durable goods are out there and easy to find.
Just like big industry the consumer has to consider his purchase “cradle to grave.” What do you do with it when you have to get rid of it? One supplier has, for years, given discounts on new toner cartridges when you bring in the old ones. A surprising new development in environmentally friendly office products involves electronics. These items have been hard to recycle in the past and have ended up in landfills. That has been tragic as they represented a treasure trove of both recyclable materials and a source of toxic waste. Once again the big box office suppliers have stepped in to the breach. A number of them are now offering to dispose of your used electronics equipment.
Finding and using environmentally friendly office supplies is becoming quite easy. Within a very short period of time the majority of all such products will be “green.”
Article from: http://www.greatgreenidea.com/Environmentally-Friendly-Office-Supplies.html
When you need to purchase office supplies and equipment, it pays to be green. You can save money for yourself or for your business, as well as helping to reduce your carbon footprint — the most important of all.
When you buy green products they generally have a lower chemical content than those which are of first manufacture. Recyclers pay more attention to what goes into the product which means that chemical sensitivity is less of an issue. I’ve gotten together a few tips to help you go green, or if you think you are already quite green to go even greener in your office.
Becoming More Energy User-Friendly
Those Energy Star stickers on machinery such as printers, computers, and even small refrigerators for the office break room, mean money in your pocket and the ability to go outside and breathe just a little easier when you grab a bite for lunch. All appliances and machines with this sticker mean that they have been tested and approved for your area in regards to energy efficiency as well as using less energy and saving you money on the electric bill, over a year’s time.
Always Check Power Levels
Fine tune your computer to do its thing on a regular schedule — sleep, low power, normal operational, screensaver, and even switch off. If you use Windows, go to Control Panel then power options to determine when you want your computer to turn down the hard disk, monitor, or go into standby mode. If you have a Mac, go to System Preferences, then Energy Saver pane, and then Sleep to adjust your energy saving settings.
Make a comparison on energy usage before you buy and you’ll save even more. Go around the office, or your home office, and unplug as many things as you can each night.
How Much Time To Warm Up Those Machines?
If your computer or printer warm up quickly then you’ll save a bit on electricity there. Do whatever you can through your computer’s control panel to weed out any extra files or things which may be slowing you down. Fiddle with settings as you check your power bill each month. Defragment, under accessories and system tools on the windows start menu, if your computer needs that still, or set the controls to do it automatically for you. This really speeds up the operation of your PC and reduces power consumption.
Green Supplies
Be frugal with your paper and use recycled, which can then be recycled again. Use both sides of the paper, print less often, try and set your printer to draft mode (printing is paler). By using recycled paper you’ll be using paper which has been made by using 90% less water and around 50% less energy, and of course, less trees as well. Recycle your used white paper and make scratch pads up by cutting paper to size and stapling them together. This helps save on using even more products and energy.
Avoid thermal paper and use the plain kind, if you still make use of a fax machine. More and more people use email attachments rather than faxes, or just have their computers pick up the faxes from a fax server. Use larger ink and toner cartridges as they save on the manufacture of additional cartridges. Recycled toner and ink cartridges can offer savings, but check your manufacturer’s warranty first.
What Refills Are Used For Your Machines?
Check out what each toner or ink cartridges costs and how many pages it normally prints, before you buy any new equipment. Some give a lot more pages than others and this, again, saves on money and the environment. Always keep the recycle, reuse, and reduce motto in your head and I’d like to add to that — reinvent.
Think before you purchase and do a little research. Check the manufacturer’s booklet or flyer on how much energy the machine used, how much do the refills cost for the ink or toner, what do the latter cost in different sizes, and also consider whether you need color or just plain black ink or toner. For a home office, there are modern and efficient black laser all-in-ones which will save you money, time and energy. You can still keep your color inkjet for occasional use — like making your own business cards or printing out party invitations!
Read the entire article here: http://www.ways2gogreen.com/blog/post/2011/06/08/Guest-Post-A-Green-Office-Needs-Green-Office-Equipment.aspx
Mark and Sharon Voto, owners of Legend Business Group and Hop 2 Green are proud to work with and sponsor COAHSI (Council on Arts & Humanities for Staten Island) to provide Staten Island teens the chance to show their artwork as well as the opportunity to win a cash award. The first annual Legend Award for High School Artists was open to teens from grades 9-12. The award for young artists was conceived by Sharon Voto, of Legend Business Group as a way to support our youth and to recognize the talents of local fine artists. “Our daughter Patricia is a graduate of Parsons School of Design and every project, every paint brush, every Bristol pad was expensive but it was an investment in the future. It all paid off she is very successful.”
“Mark & I are fortunate to have had the opportunity to establish ourselves as small business entrepreneurs within the Staten Island community and would like to give back and support our youth during these difficult times.”
Many talented teens sent in their work. Judging was difficult however winners were chosen and awards will be presented on April 19th. Legend Business Group would like to thank all who participated and would cordially invite teens next year to also share in the same opportunity.
Pay your bills online. If every house in the US did this then we would save 18 million trees every year.