Green Work Spaces — at Home and in the Office

October 5, 2020

Caitlin Griffith, Sustainability Coordinator

Sustainability is a part of so many things that we do at UTD, and having a green office is a great way for employees to contribute to environmental stewardship, whether working on campus or remote! A green workspace can be mood enhancing, environmentally beneficial, and best of all, easy to create. Interested in becoming a Certified Green Office? Visit the Office of Sustainability website to get started! Working from home? Stay tuned to Office of Sustainability updates for an opportunity to become a Green Office from home!

There are many reasons why we all might consider going green at while at work, whether we are working remotely or on-campus:

• Green offices increase productivity and well-being

  We might forget that protecting the well-being of our planet is directly tied to safeguarding our well-being. According to a study done by Harvard, when working in an eco-friendly office, our cognition boosts by 26%, we take 30% less sick days, and 6% of us experience a rise in sleep quality. Additionally, greater access to natural light and greenery is proven to boost moods. Who doesn’t want to feel better at work?

• Green offices align employee and UT Dallas values

  Implementing green office practices supports UT Dallas’ strategy for growing a sustainable culture on campus (and off). Developing a green office may serve as yet another way to align personal and campus values.

• Green office practices lower bills

  Green offices use less electricity and fewer resources. Utilizing electronic correspondence saves money on paper and electricity. Offices with more natural light reduce the need to flip on light switches. Turning off all lights and electronics at the end of each day increases utility bill savings and the longevity of the light bulbs, which have a separate carbon footprint and price tag of their own.

• Green offices have less of an impact on the environment

  According to the EPA, greenhouse gas emissions totaled 5,903 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents after accounting for land sector sequestration (CO² absorbed by land). Of that, 27% was attributed to electricity, 12% to commercial and residential emissions, 22% to industry, and 28% to transportation. Green offices decrease an individual’s carbon footprint in each of these sources.

• Green offices make sustainability visible inside and outside UT Dallas

  When we talk about green offices, we are really talking about behavioral change. Behavioral change is difficult and can take time to instill. It requires patience, practice, and accountability. Once it becomes second nature (pun-intended), sustainable practices may be a point of pride for each of us. It may even inspire us to explore more ways to grow a more positive relationship with our environment and ourselves.

But… Where to start? Beginning can be the hardest part. Below we have provided 10 tips for how to “green” your workspace.

• Go paperless.

  This easily saves money and resources. Rather than printing out a form to sign, try using a program similar to Adobe PDF, which allows for electronic signing. Make sure you sign up for paperless statements for each of your bills.

• Bring a desk plant to improve indoor air quality and lighten the mood.

  Who doesn’t love a desk plant? Studies show that green environments improve both self-esteem and mood. From personal experience, we can confirm.

  We see you brown thumbs out there! You are not alone. 25 indoor plants are notoriously hard to kill! Pro-tip: keep an eye on lighting requirements.

• Increase natural light.

  Natural light reduces the need to use electricity. Natural lighting such as windows are proven to boost moods, improve sleep quality, and were more physically active.

• Set A/C to warmer during the summer and cooler during winter.

  In the typical home, air conditioning uses more electricity than anything else.

  You could save as much as 10% a year on heating and cooling by adjusting your thermostat 7-10 degrees for 8 hours a day from its standard setting.

  If you are working remotely like so many of us, adjusting your thermostat marginally warmer during the summer and slightly colder in the winter can add up to savings on your utility bills.

• Two words: Vampire power.

  Vampire power is sneaky energy used by electrical devices that are turned off but still plugged into an outlet. Phone and laptop chargers are common culprits of vampire energy. The best way to combat this is to unplug any device that you will not be using for a while or to turn off a power strip where multiple devices are plugged in simultaneously.

  Oh yeah – and don’t forget to turn off your lights and computers every day when you leave the office!

• Utilize reusable kitchenware.

  We already use “reusable” utensils at home. Why not extend to the office? Place one or two sets of your favorite utensils in your office drawer or your lunch bag. Use a reusable water bottle instead of using the vending machine. Travel mugs keep coffee warmer for longer.

  Talk to your office supervisor about getting silverware and dish sets for the department kitchen space. Consider purchasing some plates and utensils from a resale shop to minimize your carbon footprint! Setting out a dish drying rack will help normalize the cleaning process and is an eco-friendlier way of drying dishes than using paper towels, which are commonly located near office sinks.

• Switch to green cleaning products.

  Cleaning products present many health and environmental concerns. Cleaning products may contribute to health hazards in vulnerable populations, toxicity to aquatic species, and pollution in the watershed and outdoor air quality/smog. Buying green cleaning products are beneficial to the environment because the product may be biodegradable, have lower toxicity and volatile organic compound content, and have eco-friendlier packaging.

• Dodge plastic and recycle more.

  The best thing any of us can do with regard to waste is avoid generating it in the first place — especially plastic.

  Only about 10% of all plastic has ever been recycled in the history of plastic. It is essentially not recyclable, though oil executives wasted no time in convincing the public that the material so dangerous to Earth’s ecosystem was. Since China is cracking down on recycling imports, it is best to dodge using plastics #3 – 7. These are mixed plastics and are even more difficult to recycle.

  With that said, UT Dallas does accept cardboard, paper, steel and aluminum cans, unbroken glass, and plastics #1 – 5 & 7.

  UT Dallas also hosts a myriad of specialty recycling. UT Dallas recycling programs include batteries (must be generated from on-campus use), nitrile gloves, plastic bag and film, single-use masks, printer cartridges, clothing and shoes, used binders, and glass bottles. Find out more on our website about recycling at UT Dallas and specialty recycling locations.

• Compost!

  Did you know there are four R’s? Reduce, reuse, recycle, and rot!

  Composting can be intimidating for someone who has never done it before. There are many myths around composting, namely that it stinks and involves bugs. Half of these might be true, depending on your method of composting. However, UT Dallas offers a composting program that does not involve either.

  The Comet Composting program offers training and composting service to students, faculty, and staff. After attending a brief 15 minute training, trainees are lent a composting caddy. Compost gathered in the caddy is disposed of in one of our on-campus Organix Recycling bins. Organix utilizes this compost as animal feed, biofuel, and compost — according to the EPA’s Food Recovery Hierarchy.

  Service is currently paused due to COVID-19, but keep an eye out for updates on our Food Waste and Composting page.

• Embrace renewable energy.

  In many areas, renewable energy plans are becoming the default for homeowners in the market. Did you know that you could also opt into a renewable energy plan if you rent? Costs are generally marginal and you’ll feel good every time you flip on the light switch. Check with your provider to find out if there is a renewable energy plan right for you!

 

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