Practicas verdes

Fill out this easy checklist to see how Eco-efficient your office is What is Business Eco-efficiency?
Business Eco-efficiency means producing goods and services using less energy and fewer natural resources. This results in less waste and pollution, leading to a reduction in resource costs and environmental impacts. In essence, Eco-efficiency recognises that ecological efficiency is economicefficiency.

REDUCE &/OR AVOID
Paper usage:
Not all recycled paper is 100% recycled. 100% recycled paper comprises pre & post consumer wastes. Only post consumer recycled paper is made from 100% recycled paper. Ask your supplier to provide 100% post consumer recycled paper.

Using recycled paper saves money and trees. Every 100 reams of recycled paper that is printed double sided saves twotrees, more than a tonne of greenhouse gases and almost a cubic metre of landfill space compared to paper that is not recycled and double printed.
(Please tick one answer only)

Do you… use electronic information storage and communication (e.g. e-mail)? print documents double sided? print two pages on one sheet? use 100% recycled eco-friendly paper for all office paper needs?

alwayssometimes

never

Power usage:
By reducing your electricity consumption, you are reducing air and water pollution from power stations. A tonne of greenhouse gases is saved for each 1,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity you save. Do you… turn off machines when not in use? connect your computer monitor to the hard drive so both are switched off automatically? use energy star efficient officeequipment? use compact fluorescent lights? use natural light wherever possible have windows that can be opened instead of air conditioning? set thermostat at 20°C in winter and 24°C in summer always sometimes never

Fax machines and scanners are mostly inactive so it is important to choose one with a low-energy rating or turn off when not in use.

Purchasing:
Use your power as a purchaser to buyenvironmentally friendly products where possible.
(Please tick one answer only)

Do you request suppliers when providing goods to:
Reuse blank side of ‘scrap’ paper in the fax machine.

always

sometimes

never

reduce the amount of packaging they supply? take back their packaging? use reusable boxes, containers, and wrapping? provide office equipment that can use recycled paper andcartridges? provide products in bulk?

REUSE
Wastes are resources that can often be reused. This saves money and waste disposal costs. Do you… reuse paper printed on one side in the fax machine?
Printing doublesided and / or using recycled paper causes a photocopier to jam.

always

sometimes

never

use refillable toner cartridges in the printer or copier? reuse folders, file clips andcovers? encourage staff to use reusable cups, crockery and cutlery for lunch/tea breaks?

With modern equipment, this is avoidable. Most manufacturers will specify brands of paper they approve for use in their machine.

RECYCLE
Wastes that are segregated can be valuable resources for others. Do you recycle… all paper and cardboard? glass, tin, plastic containers and aluminum cans? food scrapsby composting? always sometimes never

MONITOR
A monitoring system helps to keep track of amounts of resources used and wastes produced, leading to possible opportunities for improvement. Do you monitor… your consumption of energy, water and office supplies? quantities and cost of materials? wastes sent to landfill, recycled and/or reused?
Screen savers save energy.

always

sometimesnever

CALCULATE YOUR ECO-EFFICIENCY SCORE
By adding up your ticks Value of ticks: Always = 2 Sometimes = 1 Never = 0

Screen savers are energy wasters. If you want to save energy, set your screen saver to ‘none’ or switch off your screen.

How did you score? • 30+ You are doing a good job of being Eco-efficient. Well done! • 15 - 29 Whilst you have made a start to help save our earth’s...