Go Green At Work
Simple measures to make your workplace energy-wise. You'll find that you can use the same tips you follow at home to go green at work. Download the posters at right for use in your workplace.
BURN CALORIES, NOT KILOWATTS
- Use a push-reel lawn mover.
- Walk or bicycle to work and leave the car at home.
- Use a clothesline.
- Reduce the usage of elevators. Maximize use of stairs for coming down.
BE COMPUTER SAVVY
- Switch off computer monitors, charging apparatus, printers and photocopiers when not in use. Computers may be switched off over the weekend and when you will be awasy for an extended period of time.
- Turn off your monitor when you're away from your desk. Even in sleep mode, it's wasting energy.
- Ensure that energy management features are activated and maximized on office equipment, so that they will power down to low energy consuming idle modes when not in active use.
- Energy Star monitors have a low-power sleep mode that only uses between 2 to 10 watts.
- Print double-sided. Set your print settings to print double-sided or follow the links on your printer (usually under the "Properties" menu).
KEEP YOUR COOL
- Dress for the great indoors. Leave an extra sweater or fleece and socks at work.
- Close the windows when the heating or air-conditioning is on.
- Keep heating and cooling vents free from obstructions. Ensure your air vents are free from furniture or other materials that can cover their air flow and reduce their efficiency.
- Take advantage of the sun: let the sun heat and light your space when it's needed, but use window blinds to reduce heat gain and lower air conditioning requirements. Close blind in un-used rooms.
- Close cooling vents and keep doors to unused rooms closed.
LIGHTING AND EQUIPMENT
- Use energy-efficient flourescents.
- Use daylight. Try opening the blinds and leaving the lights off.
- Turn off lights in areas that do not require constant lighting.
- Turn off office or meeting room lights when not occupied. Turn off the lights when you leave the room.
- Periodic cleaning of desk lamps and light fixtures can save up to 15% of lighting energy.
- Use task lighting over desks (i.e. Table Lamps for reading) etc., so that activities can be carried on without illuminating entire rooms.
- Do not keep TV, tape recorder and music system in standby mode. Power switch of these should be off when not in use to save electricity. If you turn off the TV set instead of leaving it on stand-by, you save up to 70 kilowatt hours per year.
- Avoid use of Electrical appliances like Hot Plates, Toasters, Water Heaters, Milk warmers, grinders/mixers/blenders, Ovens etc., these being energy guzzlers.
- Do not shut and open the door of the refrigerator frequently. More electricity is used in doing so.
- Keep the fridge as full as possible.
- Make sure that the refrigerator is not placed against outside facing wall or walls exposed to direct sunlight.
- Keep your refrigerator and freezer at the right temperature. If they are only 2-3 degrees colder than necessary, your energy consumption may go up by approx 25%.
- Make sure the door is sealed tightly. If it's not, you're wasting energy.
- Do not put uncovered liquids in the refrigerator. The liquids give off vapours that add to the compressor workload.
- Allow hot food to cool off before putting it in the refrigerator.
- Avoid pre-rinsing dishes before putting in dishwasher. It can save up to $70 a year.
