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If you have a home business or are looking to get into having a home office, then you are in the prime position to start going green. There are hundreds of things you can do to make your office more environmentally friendly.

Image credit: https://desky.com.au/

Some of these are common sense, and others are quick tips to help you tackle going green a little easier.

Turn off your computer totally when not in use. There is no need to put it in sleep mode or rest. Just save everything properly and turn it off.

Update you stand-by settings and set the times for the standby mode to kick in within about 30 minutes of you not using your computer (during working hours).

Make sure all of you electrically equipment is up-to-date. While you might think ‘it works perfectly well, so there is no need to replace’ and there is some truth in that, the newer technology is much eco-friendlier, simply by being more energy efficient.

Use a scheme to recycle your old computers, rather than just get rid of them.

Replace all of your bulbs with LEDs wherever possible, they use around 75% less energy than standard light bulbs. And, last longer too, saving money in the long term.

Rather than have darker décor and use a lot of lighting to lift it, swap for some whiter – lighter walls. It reflects light better and will be well lit for longer during the day – meaning you’ll be reaching for the light switch less.

Whenever possible, refrain from printing – however, if you do need to print something, switch to recycled paper and use both sides. Again, newer printers will have this option, so it is worth the upgrade.

Aim to get a printer with an eco-mode.

Recycle your used printer and toner cartridges.

If you find yourself either grabbing bottled water on the way to the office or stocking up on bottled water then switch to something like a 30 oz yeti rambler, they keep drinks cooler for longer, and you won’t be trucking through so much one-use plastic.

When picking office supplies, try and get things like staple-less staplers and pens that can be refilled rather than just thrown away.

Try and find a program that recycles anything in your office that you notice you use a lot of.

Add some plants to your office space, not only does it do wonders for your productivity, but they also do their own air recycling. Keeping your office air cleaner and better for you.

Add a note to the bottom of your emails with a friendly reminder that unless it is essential not to print the email.

Where possible, ensure that if you are buying anything, you look for an eco-friendly brand or one that specializes in recycled materials.

You can even swap out your current cleaning products to ones that are less damaging to the environment.

Going green is natural if you tackle it bit by bit!