Think Green
We all know how important it is to work on protecting the environment, and not just on Earth Day. There are a lot of ways that we, as writers, can do our part. If we all chose even a few of these, and made a commitment to stick with it, we could make a huge impact on the environment.
- Not working? Turn off your computer, printer, and whatever else you have turned on for work. Better yet? Unplug them. Even while you are working, keep extra pieces of equipment turned off unless you are using them.
- Replace the light bulbs in your office or work area with energy efficient bulbs. They last a long time, and save money on your electric bill. During the day, turn off the lights and open up your curtains to make use of natural, free sunlight.
- Do you plan out your articles or blog posts on paper before typing? Be sure to use both sides of the paper. Bonus if you can use most of the white space on the page. If you print anything, try to use both sides of the paper there, too. And try to buy paper made from recycled products.
- Pay your bills, receive payments, and do as much of your marketing and other business tasks as you can online. This saves gas and cuts down on the use of paper.
- Getting some new equipment? Don’t just throw out your old stuff. Give it to a charity, post it on freecycle or Craigslist, or check to see if there is an electronics recycling center near you. This goes for magazines and old books as well. And everything else that can be recycled.
- Remember the three key concepts: Reuse, reduce, and recycle. Find ways to apply all three in your office area.
- Educate others. Write a blog post or a few articles about the importance of Earth safe practices for businesses, homes, and in our communities.
As work at home parents, many of us have the added responsibility to teach our children the importance of protecting the planet. Following these green tips for writers, and explaining to our children why we are doing them, can model what we want our children to know. They learn from example; make sure you are setting the right one.
Want more green living tips for parents? Check out Growing up Green over at Writer Mom at Home.
Do you have any great tips to share? What are you doing around your home or office to celebrate Earth Day?
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Another way writers can be more green is to stop using disposable pens. About a year and a half ago, in an attempt to reduce what I toss into the landfill, I switched to fountain pens which I refill with bottled ink. The ink comes in glass bottles that can be recycled when they’re empty — although I still haven’t emptied one yet! I also primarily use vintage fountain pens, recycling and reusing pens that have been around for decades.
Great idea! I would have never thought of that.
Wow I never thought about fountain pens. That is a great idea.
I wrote an article over at Bright Hub about faxing via email. Though many of us with home offices don’t even use fax machines, there are still a lot of hanger-on-ers out there who insist on sending or receiving faxes. There are a number of great, free programs out there that allow you to scan items to your hard drive then send them to a fax number. A couple of them also allow you to receive a fax that you can either save to your hd or print. No need for paper in any step along the way!