Here, in part two of our green audit series, we're going to examine how we can 'green it up a notch' in our business practices, or simply in our home office!

Lose the paper trail

Can you minimize the amount of paper used by sending electronic receipts instead of paper ones? Do you print out emails for reference rather than using a program such as Gmail to label and archive them? Do you take copious notes in paper notebooks instead of taking advantage of electronic notebooks, in combination with free software, such as Evernote or Springpad? Or do you print backup copies of invoices, receipts, or databases, rather than using an online backup service such as Mozy or Carbonite?

Change your shipping methods

Are your shipping materials recycled post-consumer products? Can you employ a paper shredder in your home to create the packing material instead of purchasing it? Did you know that the masses of junk mail and mailers that enter our home can be repurposed as inner envelopes, shredded or crumpled, to line boxes? Perhaps there are ways you can lessen the weight of your packages, such as fewer samples, lighter weight paper or packing material, so the carbon output to ship it isn't as high. What about creating a special discount for your customers who live within your state or city, thus reducing the footprint even more?

Or, considering using a known 'green' shipper, such as ShipGreen which offers your customers a chance to offset the carbon produced when ordering from you.

What ends up in the dumpster

How much of what gets thrown away by your household or business could be recycled, repurposed, given away, resold, or repaired? Does the recycling company in your neighborhood pick up the bins? Sometimes it just takes a phone call! If they don't pick up, can you co-op with your neighbors to take turns dropping off everyone's recyclables at the recycling center?

Out with the old and in with the new

When upgrading your office equipment, furniture, or organizing do-dads, have you considering offering them up on Freecycle, for sale on Craigslist, or even eBay? Instead of purchasing new furniture, can you search garage sales, or the sites above, for pieces that can be refinished? There are even organizing materials that you can make from household items, or old cardboard boxes!

Next time, we'll be in the kitchen and bathroom. You may not even realize how much can be trimmed there!

For more in this series, check out the links below:
Performing a Green Audit: Trimming the Less-Green Aspects of Life and Work