If you’re like me, you like the idea of efficiency, but it doesn’t always seem so practical. I pick up neat little tidbits here and there and try to implement them myself, but I always manage to get lost in a project or in some really creative magazine, and then my efforts are all kaput. Not only that, but with so much more focus on global warming and caring for the planet these last few years, I think it’s even more important for all of us to do our part in reducing the amount of trash we create as well as the amount of resources we waste. So, without further ado, here are my steps to creating a lean, mean, clean and green business!
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Bill Paying
My cell phone bill, I’m ashamed to say, used to be upwards of 35 pages each month. It literally made retrieving the mail feel like weightlifting. Cell phone bills, credit card bills, utility bills, whatever. Most companies offer the option to go paperless now. It saves them money, saves you time, helps you reduce your own trash and aids you in centralizing most of your communication through one main venue: e-mail.
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Credits: www.inhabitat.com, who's against these darn things, as well
Use more efficient lamps and lightbulbs
Using incandescent light bulbs, really, isn’t where it’s at. I might be showing my inner tree hugger here, but only somewhere around 10-15% of the energy they consume is actually converted into light. If you told a client that you only spent 10-15% of the time – time that they’re paying for – to do what they’re actually paying you to do, they’d fire you.
What can I use instead? I’m glad you asked!
Meet The CFL
Get enlightened! Get these bulbs!
I love these little guys. CFL stands for Compact Fluorescent Lamp. If you’ll remember a couple years back (or not), Wal-Mart set a goal to sell about a million of these as a means of trying to convince people to convert from the old light bulbs and help the environment. Countries are banning the old incandescent bulbs now in exchange for CFLs. The fact is, they’re far more efficient and make much more use of the energy put into them. The ones I use take in about 75% less energy, but are at least 10 times more efficient.
In order to avoid turning this into the light bulb show, I’ll just say that you can check out the Energy Star website for more information that would help those interested in picking the right bulb for them. Anything better than Ol’ Faithful up there is really a step up, though.
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Reducing The Amount of Paper You Use
A lot of these tie into one another, and this one is no exception. When you think about it, we use a lot of paper. At least, I know I did. Sketch books, day planners, my trusty action book, post-it notes, to do-lists, project management charts, goodness gracious. Trees used to scream when they hear me coming. Now, I’ve migrated most of these to my laptop, and wind up cutting down the amount of paper that I use.
WIth the use of 37Signals’ Backpack service, I can keep track of my calendar of events. (It also e-mails and text messages alerts to you.) I can keep notes and create lists using its “page” feature. It also creates an XML feed of everything on the page, so if I had a partner logging in and making updates as well, I’d get those in my feed. Not only that, but it lets me update it via e-mail without even logging in. Think that might pose a security problem? Not to worry, because it lets you regenerate the e-mail address to which you mail the updates whenever you like. I know I sound sycophantic, but I LOVE Backpack.
Now, someone like me who loves to streamline processes as much as possible, I use Backpack for everything and just kind of… shove it all in there. 37signals also offers Basecamp, which helps with project management and the everyday to-do listing involved with keeping up with clients. Definitely worth the look, if not the sample.
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Conserve Electricity
How often do you let the TV run behind you while you work? Do you have speakers that need to be turned on and off outside of your computer controls? Do you leave your cell phone charger plugged in when your cell phone isn’t connected? Here’s a good one… how often do you leave your computer live and running while you sleep?
Consider the amount of things that are plugged up in your home right this instance, and compare that to the amount of things that you’re using right now. Your cable box might be on now (if you have one), but what about the one in the other room that no one’s watching? Turn it off! When you close up shop for the day, let your computer go to hibernate – it saves your PC’s current state while also shutting off the power usage. Curling irons, cell phone chargers, blow dryers, and other items that you don’t use multiple times a day? Unplug it and put ‘em away! Because those items still use electricity when they’re plugged up (yes, even though the power’s not on), you’re not only wasting it, you’re paying for it.
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Last, But Certainly Not Least
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle - all the cool kids are doing it... even if they don't admit it!
Recycle!
Set yourself up three trash cans – paper, plastic, aluminum – and try to deliver them to the nearest recycling center whenever you can. Mother Nature will thank you for it.
Categories: Business • Going Green • Organization
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