Making a few simple adjustments to office habits can cut down on overall energy consumption and improve your practice’s eco-footprint. Best of all, these tips may even help your business save money each month:

• Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs. Making this simple change means your practice will be using up to 80% less energy than incandescent bulbs.1

• Adjust the office thermostat. Keep heat low during the winter: for every degree you lower your heat in the 60-degree to 70-degree range, you'll save up to 5% on monthly heating costs.2 In the summer, save anywhere from 1-3% per degree, for each degree the thermostat is set above 72 degrees.3

• Monitor energy output on office equipment:

Use energy-saving settings on PCs in your office.

Unplug other office equipment when it’s not in use.

Ditch any old equipment in favor newer, more efficient hardware.

Ask your employees to carpool or find alternative transportation to work in order to limit carbon emissions on their way to the office:

• Offer safe bicycle storage for employees who ride to work.

• Use a shared bulletin space or your company website to educate patients and staff about nearby public transportation options.

• Encourage ridesharing or start a commuter program.

These days, many practices are going paperless to reduce waste. Though most business needs can now be accessed online, such as insurance claims or patient records, check the tips below to see how else you can cut back on paper usage:

• Set double-sided printing on the office printer.

• Request journals and other trade publications by email to limit snail mail.

• Refuse unnecessary packaging from pharmaceutical companies.

Does your practice have landscaping that requires regular maintenance? You can make a few easy changes to limit wasted resources. For example, planting

drought-resistant foliage such as cacti or other succulents to save water and lower your bill each month. Also, talk to a gardener about integrated pesticide management strategies to help keep your landscaping both

sustainable and looking its best.

Show your commitment to the environment by adopting a reusable textile program for laundering your office’s medical uniforms, floor mats, towels, and mops. Look for a laundry chain, like Prudential Overall Supply, that uses less water and energy compared to home wash and disposables. Prudential Overall Supply is the first industrial laundry chain worldwide to earn Clean Green certification from TRSA (Textile Rental Service Association).

To obtain certification, laundries like Prudential must document their efficiencies in water and energy use and deploy best practices such as:

• Recovering heat from drained hot water and heat dispersed from warming water

• Recapturing and reusing drained water from rinse cycles

• Using environmentally-friendly detergents

• Removing solids and liquids from wastewater

• Implementing solar energy and energy-efficient lighting

• Rerouting trucks to save vehicle fuel

• Forming recycling programs

• Adopting spill prevention plans

Even your office supplies can be eco-friendly. Here are some “green” items to shop for during your next supply run:

• Environmentally-friendly paper with high post-consumer content and chlorine-free bleach

• Certified office products, such as those approved by EcoLogo and Green Seal

• Environment-conscious medical equipment, like IV solution bags and intravenous tubing that are 100 percent PVC and DEHP free

Conduct a water audit at your practice to see how much water is being used – or wasted. This includes:

• Checking for leaky faucets and installing low-flow faucets

• Monitoring how much water each toilet uses per flush

• Determining if your practice can go without hot water in certain areas

• Eliminating water coolers or bottled water and using tap water and a faucet or a pitcher filter

If you’re planning to move your practice in the new year, or are pursuing an eco-overhaul of your current space, consider using low-toxicity materials on any renovations. This includes:

• Floor materials like cork, hardwood, or linoleum (limit carpeting)

• Low-volatile organic compound paint

• Hardwood furniture, instead of particleboard or plywood which can emit formaldehyde

Family owned and operated since 1932, Prudential Overall Supply is a high-quality uniform and medical apparel rental company for businesses. In 2012, they were the first industrial laundry chain worldwide to earn Clean Green certification from TRSA (Textile Rental Service Association).

For more info about Prudential and their sustainable approach to reusable uniforms, call (800) 767-5536 or visit http://www.prudentialuniforms.com/.

1. http://energy.gov/energysaver/articles/how-energy-efficient-light-bulbs-compare-traditional-incandescents

2. http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/tips/winter.html

3. http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/tips/summer.html