Are you trying to make your business more environmentally friendly? Using less paper is an effective, and relatively easy, place to begin. Inspire your team to Go Green with these 20 ideas.
Invest in web-based software, such as Google Docs, to collaborate and share files electronically.
Digitize documents rather than keeping paper copies.
(Added Bonus: Cloud-based storage is easier to access and search.)
Use email, voicemail or texts before paper mail.
(Added Bonus: You save on postage.)
Instead of faxing, send PDFs.
Purchase digital signature software to avoid printing contracts.
Provide electronic copies of presentations and skip the paper handouts.
Post important announcements on a central bulletin board rather than printing multiple copies.
Hang up “Think Before You Print” posters to promote your sustainability efforts.
Strategically place printers in inconvenient locations. People will thick twice if printing is more difficult.
Encourage employees to proofread their work before printing.
Set computers to automatically print double–sided.
Remind everyone to use custom print settings to only print the pages they need.
Consider buying lighter weight printer paper.
Replace paper sticky notes with electronic sticky notes.
Request online versions of newspaper, magazine and newsletter subscriptions.
Unsubscribe from any unwanted paper catalogs.
Reuse file folders.
Put paper recycling bins in easy-to-find locations.
Repurpose shredded documents as packing filler.
Buy real dishes and mugs instead of providing paper plates and cups.
(Helpful Tip: Ask employees to wash their own dishes or, if possible, install a dishwasher.)
This list may seem ambitious, so you may decide to start small. To motivate your team further, track your paper, printer, ink and postage costs from one year to the next. Publish your savings (electronically or on your bulletin board of course), and then reinvest this money into another initiative. Or, if you want to celebrate, throw a party to congratulate your team on their green efforts.
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