How to Go Green without Going Into the Red

You don’t have to “go bust” to go green, according to Farmington, Connecticut-based Bolt Insurance, a provider of commercial and business liability coverage. There are countless ways in which small (and large) firms and their employees can contribute positively to the environmental responsibility movement, Bolt claims – and it is offering a free infographic to prove it.Among the tips that Bolt offers are:

• Offer Incentives: Reward employees who participate in green activities, such as carpooling, using public transportation or biking to work.
• Think Beyond Recycling: Set your printers’ default mode to double-sided printing; scan to e-mail instead of printing and mailing; or find the paper supplier that offers the highest ratio of recycled paper.
• Combine Technology: Why do you need a fax machine, printer and copier? Get an all-in-one device.
• Refill Printer Ink Cartridges, instead of throwing them out.
• Donate out-of-date computers to charities or schools.
• Set Computers to go into sleep mode when employees are away from their desks or at lunch, and turn them off at night (which can reduce energy usage by as much as 75 percent).
• Turn off Lights: When you leave offices and conference rooms that will not be occupied again for at least 15 minutes, douse those lights!
• Company Fleets: If it is time to replace your company cars, get hybrids.
• Lights and Bulbs: Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents and update exit signs with high-efficiency LED lighting.
• Replace Heating and Cooling Systems with high-efficiency platforms that comprise rooftop units, a geothermal heat pump and programmable zone thermostats. If you are in a rural area, you may be eligible for grants and loans to help you purchase renewable energy systems, such as solar panels or wind generators.

 To feature a full-size copy of the infographic in your own office, click here.

Infographic above courtesy of Bolt Insurance.