Businesses work better when their offices are healthy, enjoyable places
to be – workers are happier and productivity goes up. It is relatively
easy to create a green, healthy work environment through carefully
considered choices, however too many offices are still mired in
old-school cubicles, nasty fluorescent lighting, and stale,
chemical-laden air. With modern day technology at our fingertips,
creating a green and healthy office environment is an easily achievable
goal that all companies big and small should set for themselves. Check
out these 10 tech tips to help you and your co-workers make your office
environment a little greener and healthier.
1. Use Google Docs and Other Online Project Management Programs
Whether we jumped right in or resisted with conviction, by now most of us have used the ever-popular Google Docs. Although at times loading your inbox can be slightly frustrating (honestly Google what’s the deal?) the environmental benefits of operating a digital office are worth it in dollars and cents – think about all the paper and printer ink saved! Google is constantly coming out with new products to help simplify your work flow, so check out Google New to stay up-to-date on what they have to offer.
2. Sign and Send Contracts Electronically
With the convenience of PDFs and online services like EchoSign, getting contracts signed sealed and delivered is easier, cleaner, greener and cheaper then ever before.
3. Use Social Media Tools to Green Your Commute
Apps and websites like Walk Score, Map My Ride and Hopstop make walking, riding your bike, or using public transportation the greenest, healthiest and often fastest options for your daily commute. Alternatively, if you live in a city or town that doesn’t have a public transit system or if it’s just to far for biking or walking to be feasible, websites such as Zimride make it easy to find local carpools. When it comes to commuting, start and end your work day on a positive note by making the right choice – the benefits are sure to follow.
4. Take a Breath, and Realize the Importance of Indoor Air Quality
Working in an environment with poor air quality can lead to harmful side effects that range from eye and throat irritation to long-term effects like respiratory disease and cancer. To purify your own air quality you should start by determining what pollutants are present. There’s more then one way to go about this, and you can find lots of useful products and information at CO2Meter.com. There’s also several air purifiers available on the market like Paralda Air purifier and the Daan, but nothing is better for air purifying than good old-fashioned plants. If you are looking for a super efficient and high-tech plant air purifier, check out the Andrea; an awesome living bio-machine plant/air filter hybrid that combines the power of photo plant filtration with a HEPA air filter for the best of both worlds.
5. Add Greenery to Your Work Environment
While plants can help you improve your indoor air quality, they can also impact office inhabitants psychologically as well. According to Allbusiness.com and Plants at Work, a national information campaign based in Cincinnati, OH, having plants in your office can result in a healthier, calmer, and more productive work environment. Studies show that plants can also help to prevent “Sick Building Syndrome“, a condition where off-gassing office decor, carpeting and furniture can cause ills such as eye infections, upper-respiratory colds, allergies, or viruses.
You don’t need a green thumb to add some greenery to your office. The Tri-Pot – a self watering planter – lets plants take care of themselves for up to 8-weeks, and uses less water than conventional methods. And don’t miss Botanicals DIY Twitter Kit. After you’ve finished piecing the device together, you can connect it to the Internet using the built-in ethernet jack, then stick it into the soil of any house plant and subscribe to it’s twitter feed! The plant will tweet when it needs watering or if it’s been over watered.
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