There are an endless number of ways on how to go green at our workplace. I'm going to share a few below and these probably won't even require much of your efforts.
1. Recycle: A majority of us are lazy when it comes to recycling, but it's irresponsible to avoid doing something that can save us energy, space, water, and conserves resources. It's important that we educate ourselves on what are the things that can be recycled and then actually do it. A large amount of items such as paper, plastics, bottles, cans, ink cartridges can be easily recycled.
2. Carpool/Bike/Walk to work: Transportation accounts for a majority of all greenhouse gas emissions. Teaming up with co-workers who live nearby and carpool a few times a week could make a big difference. Alternatively, if your workplace is within walking distance, you could switch to riding a bicycle to work or perhaps even walk.
3. Go paperless: You don't really need to print much these days. Switch to paperless meetings, or try and print on both sides to waste less as this would save 50% of your paper costs. Instead of printing important files and documents, share them on cloud. Use e-mails instead of paper for means of communication. While we still do need paper, try to choose environment-friendly recycled paper, and try avoiding chlorine-bleached ones and choose papers with high amount of post-consumer content.
4. Power Down: Our devices consume tons of power, even when we are not using them. Majority of office power is consumed by devices that are off, but still plugged into a live outlet. Make sure to shut down your computers before you leave for the day; setting them to standby will continue to draw power even when not in use. Lower your screen brightness and eliminate screensavers from your systems. Switch your computer to energy-saving settings. Connect printers, scanners, and other peripherals to a smart power strip where the whole setup can be switched off at once when not in use.
5. Greenery: Add a plant to your desk and encourage your colleagues to do the same. Plants absorb airborne pollutants and increase the flow of oxygen. Adding a plant will not only help you breathe in cleaner air, but it will also create a more comfortable environment for you to work in.