Zone studios are a stylish, eco solution for your business
|
The world is suffering ecologically, so it’s never been more important to do your bit for the environment whether working from home or at the office. If you’re not making the commitment already it’s easy with some small changes
Offices should already have an environmental policy in place, if yours doesn’t lobby management to start thinking about the issue, or create one if you’re the boss. Not only will these measures help the environment but they will also save money in the long run and improve the company image at a time when businesses are fighting to stand out from the crowd.
Office waste
In a corporate office environment it is more important than ever to have an efficient recycling system in place for the vast quantities of paper an office gets through every day. Purchase some recycling bins from www.ecofriendlybins.co.uk, deposit them around the office and make sure everyone is aware of them. Don’t forget to have a couple of bins for cans and bottles in the canteen as well as paper.
When ink cartridges are finished, don’t just throw them in the bin – gather them together with any old computer equipment and www.it-green.co.uk will collect them. It’s a free service for the cartridges and just a small charge for the computer equipment. They’ll recycle and refill them safely and efficiently, preventing them being sent to a landfill like the other 14,000 tonnes of ink and toner cartridges that end up there each year.
One of the biggest wastes of energy in an office comes from computers and other appliances left on standby, often overnight. The ingenious Standby Saver is a device that cuts 100 per cent of the energy the machine uses while on standby, so provided every computer is plugged into one (and there are six sockets on each cable), your company could save hundreds of pounds a year. Scott Richards from power supply manufacturer Antec explains, ‘If a million PC users switched to a more efficient power supply, it would save almost the equivalent of 250 thousand litres of gasoline a day.’
Saving the planet
With employees coming to work from all over the local area and sometimes further, the footprint of all that travelling certainly adds up. Why not try to organise a club within your workplace where people can car share or cycle or walk together? Not only will this be more sociable than sitting in the car by yourself, if will also save you a lot of money and improve your fitness if you opt for cycling or walking. Check out http://www.carshare.com for localised car sharing contacts or www.cycletoworknow.com, a fun and illuminating website that calculates how much money you can save if you cycle instead of drive.
One of the most effective and cheapest ways to make an office more attractive and improve your environmental impact is to have plenty of plants around the office. All green plants absorb CO2 but some plants can also cleanse the air of toxins that leak out of lots of office equipment. For example, rubber and spider plants filter out formaldehyde, chrysanthemums neutralise new paint and plastic, try azaleas for irritants in carpets and bamboo is just a good all-rounder. For a specialist service contact www.ecoofficeplants.co.uk, they deliver all plants by foot or public transport where possible.
Keep it green
Many cleaning agencies now offer green services to cater for customers who prefer natural solutions. London-based firm www.dscleaning.co.uk, pride themselves on using natural products such as white wine vinegar and baking soda. Any of your colleagues who suffer from insensitivity to strong chemical ingredients will also be grateful.
Working from home
Despite the fact you don’t use fossil fuels to travel to work, all the waste paper and electrical devices running in the average home office use a lot of energy and money. Be imaginative in your energy-saving ways and try to always think of another use for an item before you put it in the bin.
If you are redecorating the office, why not try non-toxic organic paints? Traditional paints contain up to 10,000 chemicals, many of which are petro-chemicals that are formed from fossil fuels. When paint dries it releases toxins into the atmosphere which can aggravate conditions such as asthma or chest infections. Natural paints also have the advantage that they produce far fewer chemicals in production and almost all of the waste products are biodegradable. Try www.ecospaints.com for a wide range of solvent-free versions.
Once you’ve decorated you’ll need some new office furniture, there’s a large range of responsibly sourced furniture around these days that doesn’t use virgin wood. Check www.nigelsecostore.com for the stylish Eco Desk Light (£325.99) made from sustainable walnut and energy-saving LEDs or the functional range of Swedish-designed cardboard bookshelves and chair (starting at £112.99).
Save the rainforests
In your day-to-day work no doubt you use a great deal of paper and electricity, but there are ways to cut down on your impact on these resources. Buy an all-in-one machine that incorporates a printer, scanner, photocopier and fax machine as it takes less energy to power one piece of equipment than four. For a company that prides itself on its eco credentials try http://www.brother.co.uk, their all-in-one printers start as low as £85. Look for the Energy Star rating as well, as it will give you an indication of how much energy it will consume. Think carefully about each page you print out; in the UK our personal paper use has quadrupled from 15 kilos per person in the 70s to over 60 kilos per person today. Buy recycled paper and look out for paper that is 100 per cent post consumer waste as this is the most environmentally friendly. The Revive Pure range is just one type of paper from www.roberthorne.co.uk that is FSC approved and 100 per cent de-inked (recycled) post consumer waste.
Green energy
If you’re spending most of the day in the house you’re probably using a lot of electricity to heat it. Turn the thermostat down by just one degree to save 10 per cent on heating bills each year and for a double whammy replace your ordinary light bulbs with energy-saving versions to save up to three-quarters of the energy conventional bulbs use. If you’re concerned about the fossil fuels that go into the energy we use then why not switch to a green energy provider such as www.goodenergy.co.uk who get their energy exclusively from wind, water and sunlight or the Deep Green policy from www.greenelectricity.org whose energy comes from natural gas and renewables. They offer competitive prices with the benefit of a clear conscience.
Joe Martoccia from Kingspan off-site says, ‘More and more people want to do less commuting, and there’s been a real push towards working from home for a number of reasons, mainly because it makes for a better quality of life but also because of the benefits it has in reducing your carbon footprint. If you want an eco-friendly office in the garden that can be run on a low budget, Zone by Potton is a range of stylish, contemporary garden studios that not only look amazing but are great to work in, surprisingly affordable and can be built in a matter of days. Completely broken away from the traditional wooden designs associated with home offices and studios they have a very new, contemporary look which is completely user-friendly, and can be modified to suit individual tastes and uses. Made using green technologies from Potton’s parent Kingspan, if you want to make it even more environmentally friendly, you could add a sedum roof and solar panels. The designer of Zone, Pete Tonks said, ‘Because planning laws permit a certain amount of development in your garden, in many cases planning permission will not be needed and in the few circumstances where it is, Potton can help you through the process.’
Zone Studios, from £9,531.20, www.potton.co.uk.
COMMENTS
solar lighting
2010 04 23
Hello guys!
It heats and lights the earth, without it we would all die on a very cold rock with no plant life.Photo voltaic cells can collect solar energy and produce an electric current.
Solar collectors, usually roof mounted, are used domestically to heat water in homes.Solar lighting
If a million PC users switched to a more efficient power supply, it would save almost the equivalent of 250 thousand litres of gasoline a day.Web conferencing is used to conduct live meetings, training, or presentations via the Internet.web conferencing software
I just could not leave your website before saying that i really enjoyed the quality information you offer to your visitors.dedicated hosting
freight consolidation service
2010 05 08
It means relying less on the total integral stock holding and transportation systems, and increasing the extent to which contractorization logistic support to military operations. freight consolidation service
square peg web
2010 06 17
Wonderful article..Whether you are working in office or factory we have to save our expendable resources and make a healthier place to live for our families and generations to come, but it will also help us save money.square peg web
DeanneMiranda28
2010 07 16
I think that to receive the home loans from creditors you ought to present a good reason. However, once I have got a consolidation loan, because I was willing to buy a bike.
Even thesis writing service couldn’t accomplish more superb dissertation idea close to this good topic or maybe, you work for buy dissertation service. If yes case we would buy a dissertation from your service straight off.
Cortez22Abigail
2010 07 21
A solar panel (photovoltaic module or photovoltaic panel) is a packaged interconnected assembly of solar cells, also known as photovoltaic cells. The solar panel is used as a component in a larger photovoltaic system to offer electricity for commercial and residential applications.
Because a single solar panel can only produce a limited amount of power, many installations contain several panels. This is known as a photovoltaic array. A photovoltaic installation typically includes an array of solar panels, an inverter, batteries and interconnection wiring.solar lantern..
MorganKatrina19
2010 07 23
The thesis topics will be required by scholars if contain the data related to this post. I’m sure the that’s realizable to notice the thesis writing service which could make that work.
I usually buy essays or term papers about this good post.
The essay writing service can furnish all people with the topic connected with buy a research paper and it is so good that you show students your article about this good post.
ADD YOUR COMMENT
|
Win a four pack of baby Swaddles!
Win an aromatherapy massage!