By Marianne Michaels
Recycling cans, plastic bags and paper products are becoming second nature for most people at home, but many communities have recycling programs in place for businesses as well.
Newfound uses for disposable and recyclable products are being fashioned into unique items. For example, one recycling company is turning disposable paper vending machine cups into pencils.
Before throwing away that old computer, consider reusing it. Unused, yet workable older computers with their built-in fax-modems are a great alternative for non-essential work, such as receiving incoming faxes.
If reusing older equipment is not viable, then businesses have the option of returning old equipment back to the manufacturer, with some offering a rebate for new products (see the list of links to manufacturers' recycling programs at the end of this article). Another option is locating drop-off centers in your community. And charitable organizations may not consider accepting your donation, as many are inundated with too much and end up recycling the equipment themselves. Just remember to completely erase the hard drive on your PCs before removal.
Additionally, you may not even be allowed to dispose of old equipment either. For example, laws banning the disposal of CRTs into landfills have been implemented in California, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Virginia, with more states sure to follow.
The popularity of recycling in the workplace is now the norm as more businesses are choosing to be socially responsible in the corporate environment. Whether you are a small business or a large corporation, becoming an environmentally friendly "green" business is much easier than you might think.
Here is a list of ten simple ways to become an eco-friendly business and save some money.
1.) Turn off the lights.
Turn off the lights before leaving and use fluorescent lights wherever possible - as they last much longer and are effective in large spaces.
2.) Open the shades.
Open the shades and let the light in (but not sunlight), and close the shades on sunnier sides of a building in the summertime - preferably those that effectively block the heat from the sun. This saves lots of money on air conditioning costs. Adding live plants to the workplace also cleans the air.
3.) Turn off computer monitors.
turn off computer monitors when not in use, especially when away for long periods of time, e.g. such as downloading/uploading a large file. Monitors consume much more energy than the computer itself.
4.) Use fax-modem software.
Use the fax-modem built into a computer to send faxes, and turn an older computer into an incoming fax machine. Faxes can be read on-screen and only important ones can be printed. This saves money (and some trees) on repair, fax related paper waste, and toner from the designated office fax machine.
Use air-blown hand dryers in the bathrooms. This saves money on the need to buy paper towels as well as additional clean up work for the staff.
6.) Use ceramic mugs.
Use ceramic mugs instead of disposable paper drinking cups, and purchase ecologically friendly dish detergent, such as Ecover, for use in your office kitchen.
7.) Use email often.
Use email often and send word processing documents as attachments rather than sending by post. Print only when necessary and when you do, print double-sided to keep paper use to a minimum.
8.) Reuse waste paper.
Reuse waste paper as scrap paper, and then recycle when finished.
9.) Buy in bulk.
Shop at wholesale outlets to save money and purchase supplies in bulk. Choose recyclable products by looking for the label on the package. Bring your own reusable plastic boxes/crates to carry your purchases. Some stores even have online shopping and delivery available to customers.
10.) Recycle old computer equipment.
Recycle computer equipment and printer (laser and inkjet) cartridges. Most major manufacturers have recycling programs in place to accept used cartridges. For example, since Canon introduced its recycling program in 1990, it has collected more than 100,000 tons worldwide.
Useful recycling websites for computers, peripherals and cartridges:
