“The Green Office: How to be more
environmentally conscious at work”
Presented by: Vanessa M. Graber
Hispanic Family Center
2009 Employee Retreat
Overview
• Facts and figures on energy
consumption
• Importance of an environmentally
conscious workplace
• Tips on how to contribute to a
green office
• Watch two videos which show us
ways to be “green”
• Share ideas for implementation
The Problem of Energy Consumption
• Global warming occurs when extra carbon
dioxide and other “greenhouse gases” move into
the atmosphere and Earth’s temperatures go up
as a result.
• Carbon dioxide is found in green plants, especially
trees, and in fossil fuels, like coal, oil, and gas.
• So, the more fossil fuel energy we use and the
more paper products we buy, the more we
contribute to global warming.
• Scientists predict by the year 2050, the
population will grow to 9 billion.
• More people = less resources.
– So, let’s save resources now!
Carbon Footprint
• What, might you ask, is a carbon footprint?
– The measure of the amount of carbon dioxide -the major man-made global warming
greenhouse gas -- that goes into the atmosphere
as you go about your daily life.
Carbon Footprint
• Efficiency is the least expensive way to cut
down on your carbon footprint.
• On average, every American is responsible for
about 22 tons of carbon dioxide emissions
every year, according to statistics compiled by
the United Nations. That is far above the
world average of 6 tons per capita.
Importance of Being Environmentally Conscious
• Wasteful energy consumption can contribute
to such environmental problems as
deforestation and global warming.
• Simple workplace activities have impacts
that are not visible to us and that may
extend beyond our life times.
• The choices that we make in buying products,
how we use them, and how we dispose of
them have wide reaching environmental
impacts.
Importance of Being Environmentally Conscious
• We have the power to take control of our
wasteful actions and change our
environment!
• By saving the agency money and resources,
more can be invested into quality
programming for our clients.
• We can be a GREEN leader for other
organizations in Camden.
Resource Areas
• Electricity
• Heating and cooling
• Paper and other office
products
• Water
• Transportation
Green Dollars
• HFC spends _____ each year on the following:
– Energy costs:
– Gas:
– Office Supplies:
– Water:
“It’s not easy being Green”
• HFC uses 45-60,000 gallons of
potable water a month & 60 gallons
of drinking water
• We use 3,000-3,800 kWh of power
each month
• We use 35,000 sheets of paper for
copies each month
Save Electricity
Facts:
• Electrical appliances (including chargers) draw power
from the outlet when plugged in, even when they are
turned off
• If every US computer and monitor were shut off at
night, the nation could shut down 8 large power
stations and avoid emitting 7 million tons of Carbon
Dioxide each year.
• IBM found it saved $17.8 million one year when it
encouraged employees to turn off equipment
and lights when not needed.
Save Electricity
• Lighting
– Shut off lights when not in use
• Office equipment
– Turn off computers, copiers, printers, scanners, etc.
when not in use (especially during vacations and
holidays)
• Electronic devices
– Unplug cell phone and MP3 player chargers
when finished charging
Save Electricity
Energy saving tips:
• Put your computer to sleep when you leave
the office for a short period of time.
• Put appliances on a power strip; you can
turn off plugged in items all at once!
• Activate sleep mode for copiers, printers, and
fax machines so they will sense inactive
periods.
Heating and Cooling
Facts:
• Heating, cooling, and powering office spaces are
responsible for almost 40% of carbon dioxide
emissions in the US.
• Heating, cooling and ventilation accounts for about
39% of the energy use in a typical office
• An adjustment of only a degree or two can cut
heating or cooling bills by 2-3%, three or four
degrees can produce savings of 10% or
more.
• For example, moving a thermostat down two
degrees in winter and up two degrees
in summer will save 2,000 pounds
of carbon dioxide and $98 a year.
Heating and Cooling
Energy saving tips:
• Keep the office thermostat at no more than
70 degrees
• Keep a sweater or light jacket during cold
weather
• Make sure windows are closed
• Try to keep outside doors shut to keep air
inside
• Keep blinds closed to keep air insulated
Save Paper
Facts:
• The average U.S. office worker goes through
10-12,000 sheets of copy paper a year.
• As single-sided 10 page letter costs $0.84 to
mail domestically.
• The same letter copied on both sides of paper
(on only 5 sheets of paper) costs $0.43 for
postage.
Save Paper
Facts:
• In the US over 40% of municipal solid waste
is paper – about 71.8 million tons each
year.
• Every ton of recycled paper saves:
– 4,100 kilo whatts of energy
– 7,000 gallons of water
– 60 lbs. of air emissions
– 3.3 cubic yards of landfill space
Save Paper
Paper Saving Tips:
• Make it a habit to print on both sides
• Reduce the document size to print two pages
on each side of the sheet of paper (For a total
of 4 pages on 1 sheet).
• Use the back side of old documents for faxes,
scrap paper, or drafts.
• Distribute memos via email and review
documents on your computer screen.
Save Paper
Paper Saving Tips:
• Recycle paper which can’t be used again.
• Shred confidential documents instead of
throwing them away (this way they can still
be recycled).
• Examine files for unnecessary pages which do
not need to be printed.
• For large quantities of printing, use the
copier (it uses less ink and costs less).
Save Office Products
Product Saving Tips
• Use reusable dishes and cups instead of
paper, plastic, and Styrofoam products.
• Use scrap paper instead of Post-its.
• Only take products that you need and use.
• Update files and reuse file folders.
• Use napkins, paper towels, and toilet paper
conservatively (take what you need).
Save Water
Facts:
• The United States uses about 346,000 million
gallons of fresh water every day.
• The average person in the United States uses
anywhere from 80-100 gallons of water per
day. Flushing the toilet actually takes up the
largest amount of this water.
• People in rich countries use 10 times more
water than those in poor ones
Save Water
Water Saving Tips:
• Report leaky (or running) plumbing and
faucets by filing a building report to Clay
• Avoid letting water from faucets run when
not directly in use.
• Ask who’s drinking coffee before you make
an entire pot.
• Don’t use the toilet as a trash can for tissues
and trash.
Transportation
• An average car, driven 10,000 miles in one
year releases 5.5 tons of carbon dioxide into
the environment
Transportation
Gas Saving Tips:
• Carpool!
– Share rides with coworkers who live in the area
– Find a carpool budding for regularly scheduled meetings
• Try to multi-task when you are out running errands
• Don't Idle in Your Car
– Idling wastes money and gas, and generates pollution and
global warming causing emissions. Except when in traffic,
turn your engine off if you must wait for more than
30 seconds.
How to Videos
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isrgGzf_oj4
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDWLVSZvTn8
Educate Others
• Share your green tips with others (especially
clients).
• Encourage each other to practice
environmentally conscious behaviors.
• Find new ways to be green at home and at
work.
• Lead by example.
Conclusion
• Our actions have a direct impact on the
environment.
• By being environmentally conscious we can
preserve resources, save money, and reduce
our carbon dioxide emissions.
• By making simple changes to our work
habits, we can create big changes in the
environment.
• By educating others we can have a bigger,
more positive impact on the world!