Earth Day is April 22nd. We thought we would share some great tips on how to go green in your office as well as great offers on a wide assortment of eco-friendly office product alternatives. Please join us in planning for a greener and cleaner planet earth.
The Origin of Earth Day
Did you ever wonder how this holiday came into existence? Earth Day is one of the world’s youngest holidays, established a mere twenty-nine years ago. Created by Senator Gaylord Nelson in 1970, it was the first holiday held in celebration not of an event or to commemorate an individual, but to celebrate our wonderful planet earth.
Today, Earth Day is celebrated by millions of people from nations across the globe. Actually, two different dates may be recognized as Earth Day. Originally the holiday was established to fall on the March Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere. Later a group of organizers worked to establish April 22nd as the official Earth Day. As for us, we think we should celebrate Earth Day every day!
Get The Facts*…
- If every American recycled just one-tenth of their newspapers, we would save about 25 million trees a year.
- An average office worker uses over 10,000 sheets of paper per year.
- Recycling offers significant energy savings over manufacturing with virgin materials.
- Energy saved by recycling one ton of aluminum could fuel a car that gets 35 mpg for over 82,000 miles.
- Americans throw away enough wood and paper each year to heat five million homes for two hundred years.
- Americans generate about 7.5 pounds of trash per person per day. That’s up from only 2.7 pounds in 1960!
- Paper makes up 40% of all landfill waste.
- It takes 60% less energy to manufacture paper from recycled stock than from new materials.
Easy Tips to GoGreen in the Office
- Enjoy that morning coffee in an environmentally friendly cup. Choose coffee cups that are biodegradable or recyclable…or provide employees with ceramic mugs that can be washed and used again and again.
- Check your thermostat…for every degree it’s set warmer in the summer or cooler in the winter, you can save 6%-8% in energy costs.
- When replacing computers, consider getting laptops rather than desktop models. Because they’re portable, they’re more versatile…plus you’ll save up to 70% in electricity costs.
- Make sure faucets get turned off completely and that leaks are promptly repaired. You’ll save water and money, too! Consider installing automatic faucets!
- Plug all your desktop equipment into a surge protector. Not only will it provide surge protection for your equipment investments, it makes it easy to turn everything off at the end of the workday.
- Look for products with Energy Star certification, and you can rest easy knowing you’re getting energy-efficient equipment!
- The process for remanufactured ink jet and laser cartridges has come a long ways since they were first introduced to the consumer market. Consider remanufactured toner cartridges from Elite Image to save money…you’ll also help reduce landfill waste and oil consumption in the process! Use our Cartridge Finder tool to find compatible cartridges for your office’s machines
- Make it easy for everyone to recycle paper by placing a paper recycling box or bin in every department.
For a complete selection of environmentally friendly products for your office, visit us online at www.FirstClassSOS.com. If you don’t have an account with us, contact us and we will get you set-up.
Has your office made an effort to be more environmentally responsible? Share your tips with us in the comments section! Need help getting started? Here are some tips for creating a workplace recycling program
*“Get The Facts” are courtesy of the National Recycling Coalition, www.nrcrecycles.org
