Whether you know it or not, at least half of your prospects and clients appreciate “green” initiatives – and they are watching you. Just as most Americans prefer to buy from firms that give back to their communities, they also prefer to buy from businesses that care about the environment. This means that if you’ve been thinking about making your office green for a while – you better jump on the bandwagon now.
Here are some of the basic things you can do.
1. Place recycling bins in your office so that your employees and guests can dispose of their pop cans and papers guilt-free.
2. Consider buying high-efficiency heating and air conditioning units – and feel free to brag about them.
3. Use recycled paper.
4. Many people associate green with greenery, so placing a variety of indoor plants in your building will help support your green brand and improve your indoor air quality. Do the same outside. Also, hire a tree service company to trim trees and remove dying trees. Strategic tree trimming and removal will help direct more sunlight into your building. By keeping your work areas lighter you’ll be saving a lot of electricity.
5. Have your employees turn off electronic devices at the end of the day. Idle electronic devices still use energy.
6. If your office has fluorescent lighting, replace T-12 fluorescent tubes with T-8 tubes. T-8 tubes use approximately 20% less electricity than the T-12.
7. Start using alternative exit signs. Standard signs use a lot of energy and they are on 24/7. Converting to Light Emitting Diode (LED) exit signs or Compact Fluorescent lights (CFL) can significantly reduce power use.
8. Purchase energy-star certified office equipment. This not only includes printers, copiers and scanners, but also coffee makers and microwave ovens.

Greening your office will benefit the environment, save you money and contribute to your bottom line. Your customers will love doing business with you.