Green Your Office
Green building, green living, green homes. The term “green” has officially entered the American lexicon. Many of us now carry our own canvas or recycled plastic grocery bags to do our food shopping. Hybrid cars are becoming a more common sight on the roads. Incandescent bulbs are officially passé. But do you ever think about your office environment and how you can make it healthier for you and for the environment? Indoor air quality issues don’t stop in the home, and there are small steps you can take to make your work a healthier place.
A recent article from Plenty magazine discusses ways to make your office environment “greener.” Sick building syndrome - the first topic discussed – occurs when buildings have limited access to fresh air, which causes VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) and toxic mold to be allowed to re-circulate throughout the building. To minimize the impact of negative indoor air quality, the article recommends leaving windows open, getting outside to get fresh air, and finding safer alternatives to toxic work materials
Then, the article recommends implementing several small changes at a time to green your work environment. These include such simple changes as:
-cutting down on printing and using recycled paper
-saving energy by turning off computers and using CFL’s instead of incandescent bulbs
-bringing a coffee mug to work and making sure recyclables are really recycled.
There are many other ways to improve your indoor air quality both at home and at work. For example, installing ventilation fans is an excellent way to improve the air flow throughout your indoor environment. Also, air purifiers and central vacuums are simple solutions to making your indoor air cleaner. Click here to find a professional who can help you improve your indoor air quality.
