Ten Tips to Turn Your Office Green, One Shade at a Time

By Kate Meyers-Coyne

Going green is the hottest trend in corporate America. Why? Time and money: the two commodities most prized in the business world. The reality is, a green office saves way more than the planet. But sustainable practices, in all their energy-efficient, paperless splendor, involve a paradigm shift. And old paradigms die hard. It may make the full-on conversion easier if you start by adopting green habits, one at a time. Here are a few tips to help businesses save paper, toner, time and the planet too.

1. Pay all of your bills online and ask for e-statements. Paying bills electronically will save the cost of stamps and checks, not to mention paper. It’s also a great time-saver.

2. Edit drafts electronically. Use the “track changes” feature in Microsoft Word instead of printing and making changes to hard copy.

3. Fax via e-mail. Send, receive and manage your fax communications electronically through eFax (www.efax.com). They offer a free 30-day trial. (Those who only receive a few faxes per month may qualify for free service.)

4. Follow the one page rule. Keep all letters and memos to one page. This not only saves paper, but forces you to organize your thoughts and be concise.

5. Think before you print. If you want to save something you’ve read online, print to PDF and file it on your hard drive. It will be easier to retrieve that way and one less piece of paper to file (and forget).

6. Share company news via e-mail. Does your company print a newsletter? Think of the printing costs (and postage) you’ll save if you convert to an e-newsletter format.

7. Print on both sides. If your printer has a setting for “duplex printing,” it will automatically print documents on both sides of the page, cutting paper usage in half.

8. Preview your printing. You know those blank pages that the printer spits out at the end of documents? You can eliminate them if you remember to hit “preview” before every print job and delete any blanks.

9. Reuse paper. Use old memos, conference reports and other outdated printouts for taking notes in meetings, jotting down messages, grocery lists and more.

10. Go paperless. Start small with these steps and you’ll be ready to take the plunge before you know it. A digital office will not only save paper, it will shave time off of nearly every task and virtually eliminate lost files.

Companies that specialize in digital document management can do all the heavy lifting for you, including scanning paper documents, packing them up and storing them offsite. Look for professionals with CDIA+ certification, a credential offered by the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA). These experts will analyze your workflow processes and design and implement the digital document management solution that works best for your business.
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Kate Meyers-Coyne is the president and founder of Portland-based Brown & Meyers (www.BrownMeyers.com), a leading provider of document management solutions for businesses and organizations throughout New England. She can be reached at (207) 772-6732 or kate@brownmeyers.com.