ecomodding your workplace

[igo]

So what is everyone doing to be environmentally cautious at work? Small steps can save a bunch at work.

I work for forms + surfaces and ship metal samples to architects and salesmen for the company. The company does use some recycled materials and is one of the few companies to do eco-friendly metal etching. I do a few small things to try to reduce waste.

- Try to reuse padded mailers, paper, boxes. instead of trashing them
- Try to avoid air shipping (use ground instead).
- Turn off computer at the end of the day.

[GenKreton]

Although it was forced through government mandates, most of my design engineering work for NASA was produced and signed for electronically into their database system (EDMS). The old system (VMDB) took a lot of printing, walking drawings around for signatures, sometimes traveling between contract locations and the space center to get it all sorted out. It really has reduced paper work and senseless travel around the satellite contractors in Houston/Webster.

Unfortunately, updates are pushed at night, so turning the computer off was never an option...

[metroschultz]

The Gubmint entity I work for has Federal Mandates that Dictate how we re-use, re-cycle, purchase, etc ad infinitum.
I have lots of ideas to be more eco-friendly at work.
I have no authority to implement anything.
I do as much as possible within the stringent standards we are allowed to use.
It is not much.
They even tell me how to deal with trash.
I am currently working up a proposal to send to D.C. for the aero modding of trailers to reduce drag on the highway and thereby reduce fuel consumption as a whole.
Similar to WalMarts new ideas.
Whenever I suggest a new approach or idea to my superiors I get a recitation of the Government Regulations concerning that particular area of interest.
I Love my Job.
I am not so thrilled with the rules.
I will run for President so I can push legislation to make the Gubmint more Eco-Friendly and reduce our Carbon Footprint.
I would believe it if someone were to find documentation saying the Gubmint is the biggest waste organization in the country.
.......S.......
Soapbox

[Ryland]

I work as a granite counter top fabricator/installer.
I try to use my car insted of the 10-15mpg work truck to go to job sites to do take mesurments.
I've turned the thermostat on the water heater (5 gallon) for the handwashing sink down from about 160F to 110F, along with adding a programable thermostat on the furnice so the heat drops at night and kicks back up in the morning.
I've started to bring home the rock sludge to use as a soil aditive for the garden.
I've eliminated standard incondecent light bulbs.
I've taken the Kill-a-watt meter in and found that things like the amplifier for the CD player draws 200 watts just for being turned on (tools get loud, music gets louder) so I started turning that off when I leave.
It's a difficult place to cut back on electricity used, because the small hand held polishers draw around 500-600 watts, and the saw we use the most has a 3.5 hp motor and can draw up to 4,000 watts (I've triped the 20 amp 220v braker), of course it only gets used for 5 minutes to make a cut/30-45minuts a day.

[mopo3]

I work at an oil refinery, I turn off my computer when I leave unless IT sends out an e-mail of an update, and I bring up every steam leak up in every morning meeting until it is scheduled to be fixed and finished, then I always praise the guys that fixed it and get donuts for the guys that found it. I also try to use the same Styrofoam cup all week to reduce the number of cups made/trashed.