Green Your Office Without Annoying Everyone

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Surveys show that half of consumers under 30 are willing to pay more to buy from environmentally friendly companies, and up to two-thirds want to work for an earth-conscious employer, compared to just half of older adults who say the same. Gen Y’s interest in sustainability and green issues makes sense — on average we’re going to be around awhile to see how this whole climate change/environmental degradation thing plays out. But just because we’re concerned doesn’t mean we want to spend our days trying to convince the boss to install wind turbines on the roof or the office bean counters to buy expensive green products. So what are some reasonable measures that anyone concerned about the environment can take to green their office?

Blog Twenty Set offers a whopping 72 ways to green your life, most of them modest and doable. Twelve are office specific. The Sierra Club boils it down to 10 ways to go green at work. While Scientific American has “Three Ways to Green Up Your Office on the Cheap.”

Nothing here is groundbreaking. Mostly all three cover the same basics: recycle, print double-sided, turn off your computer and lights when not in use, avoid unnecessary travel and, please, bring a mug and stop using 72 styrofoam cups a day! Will these ideas light the world on fire? Probably not, but most are things you can do yourself without badgering others — and they will have an impact.

If you’re interested in convincing wary office mates to go green, first remember that being right doesn’t mean you’re not annoying. Then, consider selling the impact of green measures by citing their bottom line. Scientific American points out, for example, that:

Buying computers that meet the EPA’s strict energy-efficiency requirements “helps save energy by 70 percent over conventional models and could save up to $50 annually per machine.” A 50,000-square-foot building with efficient lighting would save $8,720 in energy costs. A 150-person office can generate 23 tons of waste paper in a year, “saving up to $3,900, according to a 2000 study by a New York City government agency,” if it’s recycled.