Happy Earth Day! Ideas for a Green Office

April 22, 2010 is Earth Day! On this special day we celebrate our planet and take a moment to reflect on what we can do to protect our environment. Here are some easy suggestions that can be implemented in the workplace.

1) Office clean up. Take this opportunity to declutter the office. Recycle everything you can and toss the rest.

2) Plant a tree. Check with building management first, but gather everyone together and plant a tree. Dedicate it to someone special if you want.

3) Energy awareness. Hold a short meeting to address easy ways to save energy around the office. Touch on turning off unnecessary lighting, powering down equipment at the end of the day, closing blinds and adjusting thermostats.

4) Food share. Consider group food preparation. Maybe someone likes to cook, while others don’t. Volunteers can prepare lunch for the group, charging a fee to cover costs. One person cooking for a crowd uses far less energy than each cooking individually. Community gardens can be fun and good exercise as well.

5) Carpool. Organize a company carpool or encourage employees to try public transportation. Consider offering a slightly later start time for those that ride their bikes to work. Walk to lunch.

What simple but effective and affordable “green” measures are being used in your office?