Ask an Expert: Going Green Can Help Your Bottom Line

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Steve Strauss over at USA Today has put up a great list of ways to go green around the office that I thought I’d share. His tips and tricks include such staples as switching to better light bulbs, using timers and motion sensors to avoid leaving lights on all the time, and checking with your power company to see if you can get on a “green grid” of electricity provided by wind, solar, and so on.

Of course, with our focus on office supplies, I found this tip the most relevant:

Buy recycled office supplies. Paper, pads, sticky notes, file folders and even ink and toner cartridges can be purchased in recyclable versions, and often at the same price as similar “regular” items. Indeed, many recycled paper products are now roughly the same price as conventional paper due to increased demand and better production operations.

Check out the article for the whole list, and see how going green can not only save the environment, but save you a big chunk off your bottom line, as well!

How-To: Choose the perfect battery

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For your high-output devices, there’s a chance that your regular bargain-bin batteries aren’t cutting it any more. I know I’ve bought AA batteries from the dollar store thinking I’m getting a great deal, only to have them not even be recognized by my digital camera. A lot of cheap-o batteries don’t even have enough juice in them straight out of the box to power a lot of today’s high-end electronics, but luckily there are plenty of affordable alternatives. Continue reading

“Going Green” in the Office

We’ve all heard the “Going Green” initiative, especially when it comes to buying consumer products.  Well at my college of choice (Georgia Tech!) a lot of new construction is going on that also follows these eco-friendly standards.

Our new College of Computing building, the Klaus building, is a giant LEED certified “sustainable” building that has turned heads in the industry.

In an effort to produce more environmentally sound goods, many companies are going “green,” or making new products that use more renewable and recycled resources and less raw materials.

Well, if you run a company and are looking to jump on the “green” bandwagon, there are products out there that you can use to further your office efficiency in a more environmentally palatable manner. Many of these products are more economical as well, resulting in lower costs and more efficient use in your office.

For example, Quality Park Products has introduced their Park Preserve, line of products:
“Providing a sustainable product line featuring shipping containers that become reusable and highly desirable letter size File Boxes for business or home use.”

What company’s office, or someone’s home office, doesn’t need file boxes for one reason or another?  I can’t certainly think of one, and filing my documents in my room amidst all of the college clutter is essential to me being organized and avoiding any party spills damaging important homework assignments, old quizzes, or notes from class.

For easy file storage and organization, and to seek to make the products you use more environment-friendly, try out these “Park Preserve” products. They are all made out of recycled envelopes, reducing the amount of new paper/cardboard goods that need to be produced from raw materials.

Well, I have to move on to more of the usual, but I hope these tips help!

– Langley Perry Jr.
Georgia Tech