• Reduce electricity use by up to 80 per cent;
  
• Halve paper and toner bills;
  
• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions from electricity, paper and toner by 75%;
  
• Leave 50 trees in the ground, which otherwise would have been chopped down to make paper;
  
• Involve staff in doing something for the environment;
  
• Increase productivity through improved staff morale;
  
• Enhance the company's profits.

Small steps

There are countless measures offices can take towards going green. So many, in fact, the route may appear overwhelming. But, just as people are learning to make a difference on the home front by making simple changes like taking the bus to work, installing water tanks, turning lights off, switching to low wattage compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL) and composting kitchen waste, small changes in the workplace make a significant impact on the environment.

Australia's commercial sector is responsible for around 50 million tonnes of national greenhouse gas emissions. A whopping 13 million tonnes of this is from lighting. By turning off lights when buildings are empty and using cost-effective technology, emissions can be reduced to four million tonnes – a 70 per cent reduction. It's that easy.

Form a green taskforce

Depending on the size of your organisation and the level of senior management commitment, the first step involves setting up a committee to green the office. First, ask management what plans they have in this area and, if there are none, seek permission to start a working committee.

Talk to your co-workers and see who wants to help. Ideally, there will be representation from a cross section of the organisation.

Conduct an audit, identify areas for improvement

Look at current practices and decide what should be changed. For example:

• How is paper disposed of?
  
• How is general waste disposed of?
  
• Do people reuse coffee cups and plates?
  
• Are lights turned off at day's end?
  
• How are chemical products used and disposed of?
  
• What is the energy rating of equipment and appliances?
  
• What is the current energy usage?
  
• What is the water usage?
  
• Who supplies energy to the organisation?
  
• How do people get to work?
  
• Do employees turn off computers at night?
  
• What sort of paper is used in photocopying?
  
• What kind of fuel is used in company cars?
  
• What are current purchasing policies?

You may choose to employ a consultant to audit the office, or conduct your own informal survey. Friends of the Earth, Scotland, have a handy online audit to get you started. Click here: http://www.green-office.org.uk/audit.php

Talk to staff, form an action plan

Staff involvement is crucial, even if people don't want to be on the core greening committee. Be sure to let everyone know what you are doing and why, and throughout the audit process encourage workers to submit ideas on how to green the office. You may choose to stick up a notice in the kitchen for people to write down ideas or better still, create an online ideas box through the intranet, emailing tips and suggestions to all staff on a regular basis.

Following the audit, you'll want to conceive an action plan and show it to senior management for feedback and approval. This may be a complex document, or very simple.

For example:

Office activity	Enviro Impact	Product source/quantities	Responsibility	Action/Timescale
Purchase of chlorine-bleached non-recycled paper.	Unsustainable use of forest and destruction of habitats. Pulp source unknown. Carbon dioxide production. Chlorine for bleaching and paper mill discharge of wastes.	Green supplies of 100% recycled totally chlorine free paper, $15 per 200 reams.	Procurer	Carry out paper audit, first week of September. Employ paper-saving techniques. Review October. Source 100 % recycled paper in next stationary purchase.

One of the best approaches is to start with a few no-cost and low-cost activities, or sure-fire winners to demonstrate benefits and get both management and employees on side.

Communicate

Let everyone know the goals and achievements of your operations. People need to know why they are being asked to change, the impact that their efforts are having and how to change, so regular updates will keep them motivated. If possible, broadcast your initiatives in the annual report.

Keep going

Monitor and maintain the greening program, tracking progress and establishing new targets. The more you can demonstrate tangible benefits, the more likely staff and management will want to expand the program, or at least support it. Some changes will require modifications to procedures, processes and equipment, and these may also require significant investment. Environmental improvement is not a static area, so keep informed about new products and processes. Work with environmental groups in your community and adopt a long-term vision on environmental action. Investing in green operations will pay off down the road, environmentally, socially and economically.

Green Office Guide

The Australian Government's Department of the Environment and Water Resources has produced a Green Office Guide to help business buy environmentally friendly office equipment, reduce operating costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It also provides comprehensive information about sourcing green power, training staff to use green office equipment and outlines common myths surrounding energy efficiency. For instance, did you think screen savers save energy? Incorrect. Screen savers use as much energy as a full screen of work, as well as processing energy. If you want to save energy, set your screen saver to ‘none' or blank.

http://www.environment.gov.au/settlements/publications/government/purchasing/green-office-guide/index.html

21 Tips

There are hundreds of ways your office can go green. Here is a list to get you started on the path including some of the more popular solutions towards green work practices.

01. Deliver inter-office mail in reusable envelopes.
02. Encourage staff to make double-sided photocopies and reduce paper waste.
03. Use porcelain cups and dishes instead of polystyrene.
04. Convert company cars to natural gas, which produce fewer emissions.
05. Install energy-efficient light bulbs.
06. Use materials, furniture and cleaning agents that are not harmful to the environment.
07. Increase natural ventilation using windows that open, when the outside air temperature is comfortable.
08. Make sure the paper supplied to your office has the maximum available recycled content.
09. Encourage communications by email. Read messages and documents on screen before determining whether it's necessary to print them out.
10. Keep a paper reuse tray beside the printer and photocopier. Reuse paper for draft notes and internal memos.
11. Use photocopier and printing ink cartridges that are refillable.
12. Recycle photocopier ink cartridges and bottles.
13. Establish separate bins for recycling glass, plastic bottles and cardboard.
14. Compost office kitchen waste by establishing a compost bin or worm farm.
15. Reuse packaging materials.
16. Invest in an energy audit.
17. Turn off computers at the end of the day. This can save up to 50 per cent on energy consumption, says the Australian Conservation Foundation.
18. Choose equipment with energy efficient stand-by modes.
19. Use the stairs instead of the elevator.
20. Align office furniture to take advantage of natural lighting. This costs nothing and will improve office ambience.
21. Take public transport, walk or cycle to work. Consider options of working from home as befitting jobs and/or flexibility with hours to lessen congestion on the roads.

Very Useful websites:

www.acfonline.org.au

www.green-office.org.uk/

www.sustainable.org.nz/

Working 9 to 5 on climate change: an office guide (World Resources Institute) http://www.wri.org/climate/pubs_description.cfm?pid=3756

(Cool Business Guide) http://www.greenbiz.com/toolbox/tools_third.cfm?LinkAdvID=38877

Australian National Energy Star: www.energystar.gov.au

Australian Greenhouse Office: www.greenhouse.gov.au

Green Power: www.greenpower.com.au

Appliance Energy Rating: www.energyrating.gov.au

Rocky Mountain Institute: www.rmi.org