One of the many misconceptions business owners have when it comes to going green is that the methods that will need to be implemented will either be too complex or require major investments. But what a lot of them don’t know is that they could make immediate changes even if they’re on a limited budget. In this article, we’re going to give you some quick and easy ways you could make your office more eco-friendly, starting today.

Turn off Lighting, Heat and Electronics Every Evening

This is one of the simplest things you can do to both reduce your energy consumption and carbon footprint, while reducing your utility costs at the same time. If you can, make sure that everyone turns off their equipment straight at the source when they leave. And if you want to make sure everybody falls in line, set up a “green jar” and make them add money to it every time they forget to unplug their equipment. The money can then be donated to the environmental charity of your choice.

Reduce Your Reliance on Plastic Bottles and Cans

According to this article on 30 Ways To Make Your Office More Eco-Friendly, one of the best things you could do to create a more eco-friendly office is to install a smart water cooler. Smart water coolers can not only give you fresh water at the touch of a button, but they can create a wide variety of juices and carbonated drinks as well. You can also find smart water coolers in different sizes and for different budgets. This will allow you to get rid of all drink distributing machines in your office and reduce your overall waste.

Cool it Down with the AC

Many offices have a tendency to overuse their AC system during the summer months which may necessitate contacting an AC repair firm (such as Brooks Heating and Air – AC tune up in Manassas, VA) for regular maintenance and tune-ups. Overusing cooling systems might decrease the appliance’s lifespan and may become prone to repairs. Additionally, the more such appliances are used, the more carbon footprint you are leaving in the atmosphere. Therefore, it is advisable to use HVAC systems when necessary.

Having said that, AC is more of a luxury than a necessity in an office setting. While you might not want to turn air conditioning off completely for the sake of your employees, just a one degree difference on your thermostat could make a huge difference. Just adjusting your thermostat to set off the AC at 75 instead of 74 could save you up to 30,000 kw per year. That’s a few thousand less to pay in electricity each year.

Go for Greener Cleaning Products

Did you know that indoor air quality is often up to 5 times worse than outside? This fact might seem shocking to many, but a lot of it has to do with the cleaning products that we use and their effects on the air around us. If you work with a cleaning company, make sure that you enquire them about their products. If they aren’t non-toxic and biodegradable, ask them if they can make the switch. And if they can’t, consider opting for a company that will.

Going green doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg and can be done by applying small changes gradually. Make sure that you start on your path to creating a greener office today if you want to make an impact.