Going green at work is painless and takes only a second to remind yourself to reduce, reuse, and recycle daily. Find out how you can kick-start your eco-friendly journey and celebrate Mother Earth this month!

Reduce – For most people, there is almost zero need to keep papers laying around or stacks of files and folders. Regardless, most businesses are still plagued by this eco-epidemic. If you must print, try to focus on printing double-sided and recycling any papers you no longer need. Here at CIG, most departments have a small printer that is only used a few times a day. We try to digitize files and go paper-free when at all possible.

You can also practice power management by lowering the brightness setting on your monitor and powering down your computer at night and on the weekend.

Reuse – Coffee is a regular staple for early risers. Instead of stopping at your local coffee shop and picking up a disposable cup to go, consider the small investment of purchasing a travel mug that you can reuse again and again. A bonus is that your coffee will stay warmer longer.

Recycle – The best way to make sure that you are doing your part at the office to go green is to remember to recycle when at all possible. Paper coffee cups, Ziploc bags, and old papers are commonly used in an office setting and can easily be recycled. At CIG, we encourage employees to recycle by offering them larger recycling bins and very small garbage bins at each employee’s desk.

Clean Green – Keeping your workspace clean and organized is important, especially during flu season. Make sure you are using eco-friendly cleaning supplies when wiping down your phone, keyboard, and desk. This is a simple and inexpensive way to establish a green work environment. You’re also sparing yourself from the toxins that can be found in regular cleaning agents.

Earth Day is April 22^nd, and a great gift for you, your company, and Mother Earth is to cut back on waste. You’ll feel good doing your part even if you start with one small change at a time. Post these tips around the office to remind your coworkers to reduce, reuse, and recycle every day too!