Bright Ideas # 98 - Saving Green by Being Green

If you’ve been reading Bright Ideas for awhile, you already know I’m a big outdoor adventure sports junkie. What you may not know is my green streak runs a bit deeper than that…

I have a degree in Resource Management and Environmental Education. And I spent 6 years working for the Forest Service out of college.

So I’m always looking for ways to be more environmentally friendly, both at home and in my business. Here’s 8 simple ways you can reduce your impact on the earth—and save a few bucks too. Some are easier than others. All are worth doing.

1) See the Light
Switch to eco-friendly “Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs,” or CFLs. They cost a bit more, but they last much longer. Plus, they produce more light and less heat—making them especially nice in retail stores. One store in Illinois reported a 75% savings on their electric bill after making the switch.

**IMPORTANT: CFL bulbs contain mercury! Do not throw them in the garbage!! **

Instead, take them to a CFL recycling center like IKEA. I’ve read that some Home Depots recycle them as well though I haven’t been able to prove it.

And if you break a bulb, open the windows right away and leave the room for 15 minutes. Then pick up the shards with a wet paper towel, place them in a baggie and take them to a waste disposal site.

2) Print Green
In your office, use recycled paper with the most post-consumer content possible. Print double-sided documents to save paper. And, when possible, reuse single-sided paper by printing on the back side. You’ll save money while saving trees.

Buy a printer that uses refillable cartridges. Canon printers usually do and I’ve bought refills at Costco. Otherwise, recycle cartridges for money back at Staples or other office supply stores.

If you’re outsourcing the printing of anything consider going green. The quality of soy inks and recycled paper printing has come a long way. Most printers have at least some options available, and a few specialize in green printing.

3) Work Virtually
Does everything really need to be done in-house by employees? Do you really need to drive to that coffee meeting?

Cars burn gas and oil, create CO2 and other pollutants, and require us to build roads—using more petroleum. Plus, there’s no doubt driving in traffic sucks away time and adds stress.

I actually get more accomplished working with a virtual assistant than I ever did when I had someone in my office. And I’ve found that most of my own client work can be done via phone, email and fax. It just takes some time to get over the habit of meeting in person.

4) Step Out of the Car
My husband and I have been a one-car family for over a year and it works just fine. Some days he rides the bus or bike commutes. And some days, especially if I’m going downtown, I ride the bus.

Frankly, it often takes less time and costs less. I also regularly walk to the bank, post office and office supply store. That’s good for my pocketbook and my waistline.

The few times we’ve both need a car, I’ve rented one for the day for $25. I’ve also considered joining FlexCar (pay a flat rate and have access to cars all over the city), but haven’t really needed it.

5) Turn it Off
Thanks to the outdated advice that you could wear out your computer by turning it on and off, my folks still leave their computer on all the time (no matter what I tell them). I’ve learned firsthand that you’ll burn out the fan and overheat the processor long before you’ll wear out the start button.

So turn computers off at night, and your monitor and printer too. Those vampire devices still suck energy even when they’re on stand-by. I plug all my vampires into one powerstrip so I can turn them off with one switch.

6) Think Inside the Box
Reuse packing boxes and manila envelopes whenever possible. Then pack with newspaper. This keeps packaging costs way down. If you do a lot of shipping, consider purchasing biodegradable corn starch “peanuts”.

You can also reduce the size of product packaging and the number of inserts to save money and cut down on waste.

7) Recycle, Recycle, Recycle
Go beyond paper, glass, plastics and aluminum. Radio Shack takes used household batteries and cell phones. Most used computer shops will recycle your monitor and your pc.

8) Be Carbon Free
Reduce global warming by purchasing carbon credits to offset your own carbon emissions. Carbonfund.org has calculators for determining your carbon footprint, and uses your money to plant trees and invest in alternative energy.

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