The office is full of energy wasting practices that add to the already existing greenhouse gases. There are ways you can reduce environmentally bad office practices and it won’t cost you an arm and a leg. Here are some of the hidden energy blunders and ways you can save energy and in turn, lessen the impact on the environment.

Hidden Power Usage-
Power bills are still high even though most businesses turn their appliances off at night. But it is the nightly ‘standby’ setting is what is costing your business (and the environment). The low-power mode is great during office hours but can increase the power bill and wastes energy that could be saved.

To make sure work appliances like computers, monitors, printers, microwaves and photocopy machines are completely off, try and pull out the plug rather than simply flipping the switch. You should also ensure climate control systems are turned off when not in use and that they are set to energy-efficient mode. You may be surprised how much energy is saved in the long run.

Toxic Indoor Air-
It’s not unusual for interior air to be more contaminated with toxic chemicals than the air outside. Furniture (especially particle board) and paints in office buildings can cause health problems as well add to the ozone layer. The volatile organic compounds (VOCs) found in workplaces have been linked to problems like birth defects, cancer and endocrine disruption.

If your office is well insulated (which in most cases it should be) toxins won’t easily be able to escape. You can purchase green-certified products that will not let off these toxins and be harmful to yourself or the environment.

To ensure the wood for office equipment is environmentally friendly you can check with the Forestry Stewardship Council and the Rainforest Alliance, which both make sure the wood is reclaimed or comes from sustainable harvested forests. When looking for products ensure they do not contain formaldehyde or other VOCs.