We have all heard about going green and living a sustainable lifestyle, but how many of us have thought about making our work more earth-friendly? Indian millennials spend the most time in their offices, working an average of 52 hours per week. When the majority of our time is spent working in the office, it’s important to inculcate more green habits to make the work environment healthier. Coronavirus has taken a toll on the mental and physical well-being of people and has caused harm to the planet. With work from home becoming the new normal, we can try our best to adopt greener practices at home and try to reverse the damage.
Make Your Home Office Green!
1. Print Less. Mail More
One of the easiest ways to go green is by ditching your printer for good. There are multiple virtual options like e-documents and e-signatures for official documents, etc. Creating digital copies can avoid the hassle of wasting paper. Unfortunately, most of the waste created by toner and ink cartridges isn’t recycled. You can go green even with a printer by recycling used cartridges and buying the ones that are remanufactured.
2. Thermostat Down, AC Up!
During chilly winter mornings, one needs artificial heat to stay warm. However, that takes a toll on the planet. If you turn your thermostat down by just a couple of degrees, not only will you be cutting down on carbon emissions, you’ll also save on monthly bills. It’s a win-win, right? According to Ovo Energy, turning your thermostat down by 1°C could slash your heating bills by 10%.
The same could be said about the way you use air conditioners. “Each degree increase in the AC temperature can save about 3-5% electricity,” said Mili Majumdar, MD, Green Business Certification Institute (GBCI) and Senior Vice-President, US Green Building Council. Increasing your AC temperature from 18 to 27 degrees can help you save around ₹ 6,240 in a year. Not only that, but you also end up conserving 960kWh energy in a year. It’s high time we make the right switch.
3. Get The Right Light
You can either optimize the use of natural light by sitting under direct sunlight, or you can switch to a greener alternative, one that is energy efficient. LED lights conserve energy and last much longer than standard light bulbs. The average LED light lasts 25,000 hours, incandescent lasts 12,000 hours, and CFL lasts for only 8,000 hours. Make an informed choice.
4. Don’t StandBy This
When you take a break, give your electric appliances a breather too. Standby mode and screen savers consume enough energy. Instead, turn off your laptops after work or when they are not needed. We are all guilty of leaving our fans switched on when we leave the room, aren’t we? Here are a few things you can do to save on energy and your electricity bill –
- Enable energy-saving features on computers, monitors, printers.
- Make sure energy-using devices are ENERGY STAR compliant.
- Turn off devices when they aren’t in use.
- Use a desk lamp with a low-wattage LED battery.
- Ditch the desktop—laptops consume far less energy.
5. Eliminate Waste Wisely
Unused papers, rags, sticky notes, disposable coffee cups, all are thrown away without a trace of thought. It is how you dispose of them that matters. Try following these practices to make your workspace cleaner and greener.
- Using washable rags instead of paper towels.
- Bid farewell to sticky notes and switch to a whiteboard.
- Avoid printing paper and make digital copies.
- Quit on packaged water bottles or disposable cups and refill your bottle of water.
- Buy refillable pens instead of use-and-throw.
Unwind With A Miracle!
Work from home often gets mentally taxing due to being alone and not catching up with colleagues. A ride can declutter your thoughts and put your mind at ease. One of the easiest ways to save the environment is by going green on the road. During leisure time, when you plan on going for a drive, avoid vehicular emissions that damage the planet. Instead, head to the Yulu zone and book a Miracle. Not only is it sustainable, but it is also a recipe for comfort after a long day at work. Let the cool breeze caress your face as you enjoy your green ride. For your safety, our on-ground team sanitizes Miracle with WHO-recommended chemicals every few hours. You can find the ‘last-sanitized’ timestamp on the app. What are you waiting for? Take a break with Miracle today!