Green Ideas for Businesses

If you have any tips for "Green Ideas", please submit them to hhinson@cypressridgesolutions.com along with your name and company - we'll be sure to give you credit!

Also, be sure to check out The 5 Keys for Individuals and Businesses to Survive These Times

• Encourage the use of reusable beverage containers, plates, lunch containers & flatware – perhaps a logo’d company bottle / coffee mugs?
• Provide secure bike parking
• Encourage carpooling & use of mass transportation
• Make sure recycling efforts are well organized and well communicated
• Do not print unnecessarily – if a document can be sent via email instead of fax or snail mail, do that. Strive for a paperless office. Decrease Word margins to save paper
• If you do test printing, use the back of used paper for that
• Purchase recycled office products
• Turn off computers & lights when not in use (unplug electronics)
• Encourage telecommuting & flex scheduling as well as online meetings & conferences
• Use energy saving lightbulbs
• Ensure your premesis is energy efficient
• Opt for souble-sided printing & copying
• Limit or consolidate business travel
• Choose environmentally friendly vehicles
• Donate used computer equipment and cell phones
• Dispose printer cartridges properly
• Use rechargeable batteries in wireless keyboards & mice
• Reuse packaging
• Use paperclips or a staple-less stapler
• Link to a carbon calculator
• Plants in office, trees outside if an option
• Purchase locally and encourage employees to do the same
• Post employee manuals & resources online instead of printing
• Provide filtered drinking water to reduce bottled water useage
• Consider laptops – they use less energy
• Set computers to sleep after 5 min of idle time
• Bank and pay bills online, invoice online
• Take the stairs - depending on type, capacity, and usage, an elevator’s yearly energy usage can equal the energy used to power seven homes annually. (ideal bite)
• Use a programmable thermostat
• Use low-VOC paint, and low-chem carpeting, furniture & cleaning products
• Switch to electronic faxing

Serving clients in San Jose, Silicon Valley, San Francisco Bay Area & Nationwide