Green Office is a Chloride initiative designed to raise awareness of the importance of adopting environmentally friendly behavior in the workplace.

Thursday 10 June is the day dedicated to the Green Office initiative. A day to reflect on your every day habits in the workplace and improving them to reduce environmental impact.

Here’s how you can help reduce environmental impact:

• Optimizing energy settings for computers and other devices can help you save energy (e.g. set your computer to energy saving mode and remember to switch it off when leaving the office).
• Unplug appliances when you are not using them. Or, use a "smart" power board that senses when appliances are off and cuts "phantom" or "vampire" energy use.
• Turn off the lights in the parts of the office that are not being used.
• Keep things digital whenever possible, the more you do on-line the less paper you need to use.
• Recycle paper, magazines, newspapers, plastic, glass, toners and batteries etc.
• Set your thermostat a few degrees lower in the winter and a few degrees higher in the summer to save on heating and cooling costs.
• Ban the use of white ink correctors, highlighters, and non refillable pens and substitute them with colored pencils, grey lead pencils and refillable pens.
• Buy in bulk so that shipping and packaging waste is reduced, and reuse shipping boxes.
• “Greening” the space in which you work has almost limitless possibilities, start with good light and good air; natural daylight has been proved to improve productivity as well as energy levels.
• Bring a reusable water bottle, preferably aluminum rather than plastic, with you when traveling or at work.
• Walk or cycle to work whenever possible or car share with colleagues who live in the same area.

On Thursday 10 June remember to: wear something green, plant flowers or a tree and recycle something old.