workwise

Can you spot the compost container here at my office?

While I believe it's important to fully understand the failure of leadership in this country with regards to energy issues, posts like my last one really get me down. So this morning I'm following up with a quick bit about energy responsibility here at my place of business. The photo above shows the counter space where we keep our food and make our coffee. My compost container is the green Folgers jar in the middle. I bring it to work each Monday morning, fill it with coffee grinds, banana peels and stale brownies etc. during the work week and take it home on Friday to empty into my compost pile. The jar keeps in any smells. In fact you wouldn't know it was a compost container unless you opened it.

Included in this photo are two other ways I save energy and resources here at work. One of them is the introduction of compact florescent light bulbs into the office. They last between 6 and 10 times longer than conventional bulbs, and they use considerably less energy. The cost of these bulbs has come down and over the life of the bulb I save my employer money. How could he object?

The other item in the photo is our water pitcher. Instead of drinking bottled water throughout the day I fill a glass with water from the pitcher. This simple act eliminates the use and disposal of hundreds of plastic bottles per year. It also doesn't require the water to be bottled, shipped and then purchased by my employer again saving him money and reducing the overall amount of resources I use.

These are three ways I have reduced the resources I use at work. Any suggestions on others?