Wherever possible, use greener lighting in your office. It's a great feeling to support the environment and you might even reduce your electric bill! Implementing greener lighting is also easy and affordable, and can be as simple as upgrading to more energy efficient light bulbs.
Go Greener With CFL Light Bulbs
Replacing incandescent light bulbs with those that are more energy efficient is a great first step toward creating a greener office. Compact florescent (CFL) light bulbs use approximately 75 percent less power than incandescent bulbs while producing the same amount of light. And, CFL light bulbs generally convert less electricity into heat than do their counterparts. As a result, you'll might be able to cool your office without running the air conditioning as often by using CFL bulbs.
These bulbs generally cost more than incandescent bulbs - about $3 per bulb higher. However, they last much longer; typically about 10,000 hours. As a rule of thumb, a CFL bulb pays for itself after approximately 500 hours. CFL bulbs, like all florescent bulbs, contain small quantities of mercury and should not be sent to landfills. Check with your city or waste management company to determine the best and most responsible way to best dispose of your CFL bulbs.
Go Greener With LED Light Bulbs
Light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs use 80 to 90 percent less power than incandescent bulbs while producing essentially the same amount of light. For example, a 12 watt LED bulb produces about the same amount of light as a 60 watt incandescent bulb. An LED light bulb pays for itself after approximately 30,000 hours, which saves an average of $140 over its lifetime, depending on the cost of electricity in your area.
In addition, LED bulbs don't contain mercury, although you should ask your city or waste management company about the recommended disposal method in your area. The good news is that you won't need to dispose of them all that often. These highly efficient bulbs last about 100,000 hours, which alone probably justifies their cost.
Go Greenest With Eco-Conscious Lighting Devices
Consider buying eco-conscious lighting fixtures for your office. Look for fixtures labeled as manufactured from recycled materials such as plastic, glass or metal. It's better to purchase lamps that use standard power cords and aren?t powered by wall warts, which are cube-shaped adapters that plug into power outlets and convert A/C power to D/C power. Wall warts are inefficient, as they power even when the lights connected to them are turned off.
Consider replacing ordinary light switches with programmable timers. Low in cost and easy to install and use, these devices allow you to program lights that turn on and off at specified times during the day. If you have areas that are frequently unoccupied during the workday, use motion sensors to turn the lights on when people enter and shut them off when there's no motion detected for a length of time. These generally cost a little more than timers, but they reduce the amount of electricity used more than do timers, especially in under-utilized spaces.
Another way to go greener is to plug your lamps into smart power strips. These inexpensive devices can detect when the lights are not in use and turn themselves off to save power. Last, don't forget to ask your power company if it offers a greener option. Typically, it means you pay a few dollars more, but that money goes toward expanding renewable power sources, such as wind and solar.
Switching to energy-saving light bulbs and devices, educating your employees about power-saving practices, and properly disposing of bulbs no longer in use are fast and easy ways to save money while being environmentally conscious. In this case, it really is the little things that matter.
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