Business and home offices

use a significant amount

of electricity for heating

and cooling, lighting, and

operating equipment

Here are a number of easy

ways to reduce greenhouse

gas emissions and help

make the air cleaner.


Resources
ENERGY STAR:
www.e ne rgysta r.gov

Federal Fuel  Economy Guide:
www.fueleconomy.gov

EPA's Green Vehicle Guide:
www.epa.gov/greenvehicles

EPA's Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle
Web site: www.epa.gov/msw/
reduce.htm

EPA's Electronics Recycling Web
site: www.epa.gov/eCycling

ENERGY STAR Buildings Web
site: www.energystar.gov/
buildings

EPA's Climate Change: What You
Can Do at the Office Web site:
www.epa.gov/climatechange/
wycd/office.html
1. Manage office equipment energy use better
    Office equipment and electronics use energy even when idle or on stand-by. To save
    energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions at work, always activate the power
    management features on your computer and monitor, unplug  laptop power cords when
    not in  use, and turn off equipment and lights at the end of the day. Consider using a power
    strip that can be turned off when you're done using your computers, printers, wireless
    routers, and other electronics.

2. Look for ENERGY STAR qualified products for the office
    When  buying new products for your office at work or at home, get the features and
    performance you want and  help reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and air pollutants.
    Look for ENERGY STAR qualified office equipment, such as computers, copiers, and
    printers, in addition to more than 50 product categories, including ighting, heating and
    cooling equipment, and commercial appliances.

3. Ask your office building manager if your office building has
   earned the ENERGY STAR
    ENERGY STAR-labeled buildings provide safe, healthy, and productive environments that
    use about 35 percent less energy than average buildings. Their efficient use of energy also
    reduces the total operational cost of the building.

4. Use less energy for your commute
    Switch to public transportation, carpooling, biking, telecommuting, and other innovative
    ways to save energy and  reduce greenhouse gas  emissions on your way to and from work.
    Encourage your employer to offer commuter benefits that address limited or expensive
    parking, reduce traffic congestion, improve employee recruiting and retention, and
    minimize the environmental impacts associated with drive-alone commuting. If you do
    drive, find out the fuel efficiency of your vehicle using EPA's and DOE's Fuel Economy Web
    site, and make more environmentally  informed choices when purchasing your next vehicle
    by using EPA's Green Vehicle Guide.

5. Reduce, reuse, and recycle
    Recycle office paper, newspapers, beverage containers, electronic equipment, and
    batteries. Reducing, reusing, and  recycling in your office helps conserve energy,
    and reduces pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.
    You can reduce,  reuse, and recycle at the office by
    using two-sided printing and copying, buying
    supplies made with  recycled content, and
    recycling used printer cartridges. For your old
    electronics, investigate leasing programs to
    ensure reuse and recycling or donate  used
    equipment to schools or other organizations.

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