Saving-Company-Money
Reducing Office Expenses

Try saving-company-money and the environment too by reducing-office-waste where you work.

For staff who faithfully recycle at home, not doing it in the workplace just wouldn't seem logical or feel right.

Reducing your carbon footprint at home applies at work as well. The concept contributes greatly to this reduction by saving energy, reducing landfill waste and needless expenses.

There aren't many businesses who wouldn't be interested in reducing company costs by implementing an office-recycling program, and reducing office carbon footprints as well.

Old habits are very hard to break, but you can make it just as easy to recycle as it was to toss something into the garbage can. Make sure you toss it into the "right" garbage can for starters.

The best philosophy for recycling and saving-company-money is to reduce waste in the office in the first place.

Even with computerized data storage file systems, paper remains one of the biggest wasted office items today.

Did you know that it takes approximately 4 tons of trees to create one ton of paper?

And, though it's great that more and more paper does actually get recycled everyday all over the world, it still takes energy to make that happen.

Reducing paper consumption in the workplace is very high on the list of an office recycling and savings program.

You can begin the process by following some common-sense suggestions.

wastebasket

REDUCING PAPER

How many of us have printed needless copies only to find them useless because of typos?

Decide if the document needs printing at all. Perhaps consider putting onto CD or pdf.file for viewing by the receiving party.

Preview documents thoroughly for accuracy before printing.

Single space instead of double-space.

Decrease margins, headers and footers. This can reduce paper consumption for saving-company-money by 50% over the course of one year.

Print on both sides of the paper as much as possible.

Print only when absolutely necessary.

Use email and intranet as much as possible for internal and external documents and memos.

Type addresses on envelopes directly - no printed labels.

Make notepads and message pads out of paper that only has been typed on one side. It's easy to do with a stapler and a pair of scissors.

Use inter-office memo envelopes that can be used over and over again for transporting documents from one department to the next.

Fax from your computer instead of a printer.

Make use of erasable wall calendars and boards in your lunch-room, board and conference meeting rooms.

Use erasable boards in your own office as well instead of stickies and post-it notes.

Use overhead-projectors or laptop presentations to avoid paper handouts to clients or staff.

Have company letterhead stored electronically on your computer in case your company details change. You won't be stuck with useless cases of stationary stock.

Use light-weight graded paper. Consider tree-free products.

Regularly maintain your office copier to avoid countless paper jams which just waste paper.

Reuse file folders over and over.

Send internal email greeting cards instead of bringing in the real thing.

Save cardboard boxes that have been shipped to you with office supplies for your packing needs later.

This is not only good for the environment, it goes a long way to saving-company-money as well. Bankers' Boxes are not cheap, especially when you need quite a few.

Halt Useless Mail From Others

Have incoming papers and pamphlets you don't want and other unsolicited advertisements halted by directly contacting these companies or the post-office. Find out if you can choose to read other company newsletters and publications on the web instead of being mailed a hard copy.

Go paperless if possible with accounts and statements from banks and other companies.

If you must refer to a newspaper, read it on-line and print from it on-line.

Office Kitchen and Bathroom Facilities

Buy other paper-related products such as tissues and toilet paper that contain as much recycled content as possible.

Use plastic garbage containers instead of paper bags.

Cut paper towels where ever possible. Instead use dishcloths and rags that can be washed and re-used over and over. This is a great saving-company-money strategy.

Don't use disposable cups, cutlery or dishes, especially during meetings or office parties. Ask the staff to bring in their own coffee mugs, dishes and silverware.

For big events, you could have on hand a regular set of washable dishes.

Ban styrofoam - These are mostly found in takeout containers.

Buy a permanent or reusable coffee filter.

If you are an employer and want your staff to implement these ideas, set up bins and containers. Make it easy for them.

Make the containers available in the cafeteria or lunch room, meeting room etc. Let everyone know where they are.

Post a list of acceptable recyclables also.

Make your office-recycling-program mandatory.

Turn off lights and equipment in unused rooms like empty offices, meeting-rooms, washrooms etc.

Saving-company-money not only includes reducing paper, but cares about the energy bills as well.

Most offices (home and main-branch) use so many types of equipment, ie., Computers, printers, copiers, fax machines and scanners just to name the basics. Shut them down completely to avoid enormous energy costs.

Energy Star office equipment products use approximately half the electricity of other models.

An Energy Star computer will use up to 70% less hydro.

Laptops are much more economical and energy-efficient than a desktop model computer. Be sure to attach it to a power strip that will cut power completely.

Web Conferencing - Massive savings on travel and accommodations here, which in turn saves big on carbon emissions.

Research Your Business Partners

Choose partners and companies that live by environmentally-friendly business practices and saving-company-money too.

You will encourage peers and customers to develop a "greener" way of doing things if they don't already. This can be an investment, as you may be looked upon more favorably by the business community and potential clients.

Green Office Supplies and Printing - Supplies for a green planet can be found at DolphinBlue.com, including environmentally responsible recycled paper products, remanufactured toner cartridges, and custom printing with soy-based inks on business cards, letterheads, and envelopes.

Working From Home

Telecommuting has become so popular, and for those who are doing it, they must be elated.

It's positive for the environment, employee and employer as well in a number of ways. There are less vehicles on the road, less parking spaces needed, less office space required, and less energy used in so many ways in the main office location.

Office Planning a Move?

Try to use an eco-friendly design and choose renewable materials if putting up a new building from scratch.

Be sure to opt for eco-friendly appliances. Choose eco-friendly supplies from green-minded suppliers.

Office Incentives To Cost Cutting Ideas

People love a challenge. Offer a reward to your staff if you are an employer for any new or best ideas to cut down on expenses. Of course the greener the ideas the better.

It doesn't have to be extravagant, just a little something that acknowledges the thought put into it.

Tap into the minds of those who do this on a regular basis in their own everyday lives, and you could be quite surprised at what saving-company-money strategies they might come up with to make policy in your place of business.

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