5 Ways To "Go Green" (And Save Money Too!)

Whether your motivation is to save the planet or save some money, going "green" with your office I.T. is a smart move. After all, who doesn't want to save a little money, especially when it's so incredibly EASY!

1. Go Paperless! The concept of the paperless office was introduced years ago with the invention of document imaging. However, one look around your office will surely prove that was a bit of a pipedream. There are a lot of really smart reasons why you should consider converting some portion of your paper documents to electronic format IN ADDITION TO the fact that going paperless is a much greener solution.

Firstly, finding documents will be so much easier and faster, and you won't run the risk of important documents being misplaced, misfiled or damaged (e.g. spilled coffee on a critical document).

Additionally, considerable cost savings with regards to paper, ink and storage are possible.

Another is efficiency or convenience in that employees working remotely can access contracts or other paper documents in seconds, any time, day or night, from any location.

2. Power down your network at night! The computers in your office are the largest drain on electricity in your office; and considering you're only using them for approximately 9-10 hours a day, that means you're paying for 14-15 hours of unnecessary power. Turning off power in the office overnight and turning it back on in the morning alone can save thousands of dollars on electricity costs.

3. Go virtual! Virtualisation allows you to "run" multiple computers or servers on one "super computer". Sometimes this is accomplished by replacing your complex, power-sucking, expensive workstations with much less expensive "thin-client" machines that require very little power or maintenance to operate. Thousands of businesses are rapidly trading-in their traditional networks for virtualisation because of the incredible cost savings in hardware, software and maintenance. Plus it offers instant disaster recovery, the ability to securely work from home or the road AND it drastically reduces the amount of power needed, making it far more environmentally friendly.

4. Allow employees to work from home!  More and more businesses are creating virtual workspaces for several reasons. First, allowing employees to work from home perpetually or for a couple of days a week cuts down on gas and emissions. It's also a great retention strategy for your star employees. Additionally, allowing employees to work from home reduces the amount of office space needed, lowering or eliminating rent costs and utility bills. Finally, it's a great disaster preparedness plan. In the event of a fire or natural disaster, employees can keep the doors open by working remotely.

5. Dispose of old electronics responsibly!  Your computer is made with a wide variety of components, many of which are toxic. When old computers are disposed of improperly, these substances can enter the environment, causing pollution and associated plan and animal death, along with birth defects. Many of these components are also produced in unsustainable ways, causing even more environmental harm. Because these components can be recovered and recycled, throwing out an old computer is simply irresponsible. If you have old equipment, you can often donate it to a charity for a tax break. Not only will that solve the disposal problem, but you'll save a little money too!

At the urging of manufacturers, the Federal Government recently announced a new recycling scheme for TVs and Computers as part of a National Waste Policy. For more information, go to:

http://www.environment.gov.au/wastepolicy/

See the following checklist for ways you can help to curb the growing e-waste problem:

AVOID:  Buy or lease products that will last and are repairable.

REDUCE:  Repair your old appliances and gadget wherever possible instead of buying new ones.

REUSE:  Check if local schools or charities can use your old appliances, and always buy rechargeable batteries and refillable ink cartridges.

RECYCLE: Take your old appliances to be recycled - most councils provide e-waste recycling services.

Note that Clean Up Australia offers a free service for mobile phone recycling - go to their website www.cleanup.org.au for a satchel.