Going "Green" at UI&U

Have you heard the phrase “go green” and wondered how to get started?  There are many ways to begin living a more sustainable lifestyle that are easy, painless, and free.  Each individual has a level of commitment that he or she is willing to attain; however, that first step to attaining a better future for everyone may serve as the necessary inspiration to do even more. 

The following suggestions are easy commitments to make on the job.  Each of us spends a significant portion of our lives at work; these are simple ideas to reduce our ecological footprint at the office.

Bring a mug to work for your coffee. The energy consumed and pollution created to produce Styrofoam is bad; even worse, a Styrofoam cup will not degrade in the landfill.

If you must print that e-mail, spreadsheet, letter, or draft, recycle the paper when you are done with it. Recycle bins may be large, unsightly, and inconvenient; place a box by your trash can for paper to recycle, and dump it into the recycle bin weekly.

Turn off lights in your individual space when it is unoccupied. Allow natural light from your windows to light your space. During the winter, the solar convection will help heat your space and reduce energy consumption.

When/if you pack your lunch, consider using/buying individual containers instead of plastic bags. This simple idea engages all three principles of recycle, reduce, and reuse.

Take the stairs instead of the elevator when and if you are able. The exercise may be the only exercise that you get all day, and it will reduce the energy consumed to run the elevator.

Shut down your computer-- if not every night, at least for the weekend. Phantom loads are created by any electronic device that must maintain a memory, such as a digital clock, television, or stereo receiver. Power strips may be turned off at night or on the weekends.