When January 1st rolled around, many of us had made some thoughtful New Year’s resolutions. They may have been to make use of the gym membership, eat healthier, watch less TV, or perhaps be more environmentally friendly in 2014.
Remember all those resolutions? Yeah, me either.
So, in honor of upcoming St. Patrick’s Day, whether it was on your New Year’s resolutions list or not, it’s a great time to remind everyone of everyday things you can do both in the office and at home to green up your life – and get healthier in the process.
At home:
- Use environmentally friendly cleaning products
- Enjoy “Meatless Mondays”
- Use cloths instead of paper towels
- Walk or ride a bike to the store or a friend’s house
- Skip the gym membership – take advantage of the great outdoors!
- Use CFL bulbs for all your lights
- Unplug electronics when not in use
- Recycle, recycle, recycle — including electronics!
- Whether it’s dishes or clothes – run a full load
- Have your energy company conduct an “energy audit”
- Buy organic if you can – and support your local farmers
- Donate used clothes and household goods to charity
At the office:
- Unplug electronics when not in use
- Minimize your printing
- Utilize public transportation or ride shares for your commute. Research any subsidies offered by your employer.
- Discuss working from home options with employer
- Provide recycling containers near every work space
- Buy recycled paper
- Ensure water cooler, thermostat, etc. are Energy Star rated
- Use CFL bulbs for lighting
- Use plants throughout office for improved air quality
- For group meetings, utilize Skype or other teleconferencing programs instead of driving/flying to a location
- Ditch the donuts and encourage healthy/organic snacks for meetings
These are just a sample of easy things you can do to green up your life. And good news, in the process you might even be exercising more and eating healthier.
No excuses. Game on.
Image credit: Hussey
