More of what we're doing

If you read our article in the Green issue, you know we print our magazine on paper products made with fibers from sustainable managed forests—and that we’re looking into printing regularly on recycled paper. It’s a complex issue. But there are some simple environmental steps we’re taking now in our office, with advice from Jayme Rosskopf of Great Forest Inc. (greatforest.com), a sustainability solutions company.

A few obvious targets—window ventilation, water flow—are out of our hands, since we’re tenants in another company’s building. But other trouble spots have easy fixes. See if they’d work in your own workplace.

RECYCLING

Like any office, we’ve got bins meant for recycled paper that people sometimes use, sometimes don’t. Workers share a skeptical feeling that everything ends up in the same place—a landfill. “Your recycling boxes are gray, and most people associate recycling boxes with blue—I know it sounds crazy but color helps feed opinion,” says Rosskopf. “Tell your staff exactly where the stuff goes.” From our office, the recyclable materials get placed into separate bags by a nighttime janitor and then lugged downstairs, where the city collects the bags. Besides better informing our staff, we’ll be transitioning to blue bins when they need to be changed (but not before, to avoid creating yet more plastic waste!)

WASTE

Rather than toss out folders and other office supplies, it’s now our policy to reuse them. Not everyone has to grab a used manila envelope—if some folks prefer a fresh folder, fine—but everyone will donate their items to a designated area when done. We’re also going to compost our coffee grounds with a worm composter, which will be placed directly on our editor-in-chief Brian Farnham’s desk. (Or at least in the back corner of the kitchen.)

BATTERIES

When tape recording interviews (and taking pictures), we go through more AAs than a kid at Chanukah. “They’re required by law to be recycled, but through a different vendor. The city isn’t supposed to take it,” says Rosskopf. We considered recycling our batteries through Northeast Lamp Recycling, a mailback program that provides a FedEx-ready bucket for us to fill and send. But then we realized that a battery recycling center was right around the corner from our office. Read about them here. (http://www.nyc.gov/html/nycwasteless/html/at_home/special_waste.shtml)

LIGHTBULBS

We use thin, energy-efficient Sylvania Pentron T5 fluorescent lightbulbs, which are “better because they’re more compact and don’t have a lot of mercury powder,” says Rosskopf. We also recycle the bulbs—carefully. “Breakage is a particularly touchy subject because it can affect the health of your staff—if it breaks, you’re releasing mercury into the air.”

ELECTRONICS

We sell our outdated electronics in-house to needy staffers, and also offer some to National Christina, a charity that provides computer equipment to people with disabilities, and The Pencil Box, which services city schools. Anything left over is driven to local recycling stations. Check here to find a center near you. (http://www.nyc.gov/html/nycwasteless/html/recycling/electronicsrecycling.shtml)

CHEMICALS

Our cleaning company, Majik Cleaning, is switching over to Green Seal certified cleaning supplies, like Butcher’s G-Force Multipurpose cleaner and Raindance floor cleaner.

ENERGY

It’s our policy to turn all computers off at night. “The idea that leaving them on overnight saves money is a myth,” says Rosskopf. “Also, if you’re going to be away from your computer for 20 minutes, put your computer in sleep mode.” The same goes for our copier. We also turn off all lights—overhead or otherwise—in any unused room. “Some offices like the visual look of lights on,” says Rosskopf. “Make sure yours isn’t one of them.”