EPA Region 10 Green Team
Green Office Operations Audit – Occupant Driven Behaviors
OFFICE_________________________________________________________________
Contact Name:
Email:
Phone:
R10 EPA has committed to reducing the environmental impacts of our operations. This checklist is intended to highlight
the occupant driven behaviors that increase the impacts of our green building and help us meet our commitment to
reducing our environmental footprint. Please fill out the checklist so we can evaluate our opportunities and increase
our results. In the comments sections you can provide details on other activities, explain your answers, or identify an
area where you would like additional follow-up. If you don’t know, please leave it blank.
Energy
Yes
No
Partially Activity
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We turn off lights at night and have a system to remind people to turn off lights.
Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFL’s) are installed in all task lamps.
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Water
Yes
No
Partially
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Comments:
Green Meetings
Yes
No
Partially
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We turn off our computer monitors on nights and weekends and/or encourage each other to turn off
computer monitors on nights and weekends.
We switch off our monitors when we are not using the computer for longer than 15 minutes.
Our office has conducted an appliance audit and eliminated any unnecessary personal refrigerators,
coffee makers and other appliances.
We have a system (timer, reminders, assigned person, and/or power strips with switches) for turning
off applicable equipment at night including desk and kitchen appliances (i.e. printers and coffee
makers) and other applicable office appliances.
Activity
Signs in bathrooms, locker rooms and kitchens promote water-wise behavior such as turning off taps
and taking short showers.
We know the procedure for reporting leaks and other building issues.
Activity
We send meeting agendas and information electronically. Participants can review the material
electronically, or print selected material electronically, or print selected materials they feel they must
have in hard copy.
If handouts are required, we utilize duplex printing. If this is not possible, we collect unused handouts
at the end of the meeting for recycle or reuse.
We have a policy against bringing handouts to meetings.
We provide and use projectors and whiteboards in our conference rooms instead of flip charts
We ask presenters/speakers to use slide presentations as opposed to printed handouts and make
their slide presentations available electronically to participants.
If available, we use a laptop for notes, rather than paper.
We provide all food using compostable plates, napkins and cups.
We provide all food using durable (washable) plates and cups and napkins.
We do not provide water bottles at our meetings. All water is provided in pitchers.
We have trained our staff on using webinar and VTC to minimize travel to and from meetings for
ourselves and our partners.
Paper and Printing
Yes
No
Partially
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Purchasing
Yes
No
Partially
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Comments:
Activity
Our printer’s and copier’s default setting is set to duplex print (double-sided), and tutorials/training are
available to assist employees in their non-duplex printing needs.
We use narrow margins (less than 1”) and small fonts (10 pt) when printing.
We take our one-sided misprinted paper or out of date stationary to a copy center to re-use as GOOS
notepads.
We have an office-wide commitment to only print when necessary.
We track the amount of paper we use in the office and share that information with staff.
We reduce all forms of paper including junk mail, extra faxes, and extra print jobs.
We use online forums or collaboration tools to share information instead of printing brochures. If we
do print, we actively try to reduce the size and frequency.
Activity
We look for reusable items before we purchase something new.
We minimize the quantity of items we purchase and if we are purchasing office specific items, we
evaluate and purchase the most environmentally friendly items.
If purchasing equipment, we always purchase EnergyStar and EPEAT registered products.
When purchasing, we buy durable, reusable items.
We share resources among staff to limit the purchase of new equipment
Office promotes use of durable service-ware by providing or having staff bring in their own durable
plates, cups, and utensils at office events.
Recycling and Waste Prevention
Yes
No
Partially Activity
Recycling and composting bins have decals and/or recycling posters hung above the bins
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Comments:
Transportation
Yes
No
Partially
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Comments:
We check our bins to make sure they are being properly used. If they are not, we put up signs
describing the correct action.
Approved compostable service-ware items (plates, cups, and utensils) are available for staff use instead
of non-compostable service-ware items, for times when reusable alternatives are not appropriate.
Our office promotes use of reusable/durable food containers and discourages the use of foil, plastic
wrap, and other disposable food packaging through informational posters & signage
Activity
More than 50% of our staff has walked, used public transit or biked to an off-site meeting in the past 3
months.
We are encouraged to telecommute and our average number of telecommuting days per week is
greater than (or equal to?)1.
We provide and utilize conference calls, webinars and video conferencing rather than travelling to
offsite meetings.
When scheduling travel, we evaluate IT options – video conferencing, for example - instead of
automatically traveling. We only travel when necessary and minimize the number of people who
travel.
In the past year, 75% of trips to Portland have been by train or have more than 2people in the car.
In the past year, our office has video conference into at least one national meeting.
We actively try to carpool or reduce trips to and from Olympia.
Our group is using alternative commute options to travel to and from work, such as walking, biking,
carpooling, and public transportation ___85% ___75% ___65% ___Less than 65%.