The Benefits of

Eco Friendly Office Furniture 

Not only is eco friendly office furniture durable and attractive, but one who buys this type of furniture is also doing their part to protect the environment. So, what is green office furniture? This kind of furniture is functional furniture made from refurbished or recycled material, or products that do not contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs), or are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.

The wood used in green office furniture has been screened to ensure that it has been harvested using sustainable practices. The materials that stand up to this scrutiny are not only wood, but aluminum and steel used for the frames of furniture and other office pieces such as file cabinets and desks. Methods of recovering and reusing these metals have improved as demand for recyclables has increased. Fabrics may in fact be recycled soda or water bottles.

One benefit is cleaner air in the office, whether you work from home or another location.  

People working in unhealthy offices have suffered from symptoms including; irritability, drowsiness, increased sensitivity to chemicals, irritation of the eyes and nasal passages, dry skin, and difficulty concentrating. None of these symptoms help to make a productive workplace, and can lead to increased sick time and chronic illness.

Going green using eco friendly office furniture means buying used furniture, or new furniture that has been manufactured with sustainability in mind.

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How Green is your Printer Ink? 

If you're looking for a green alternative to traditional printer ink, consider using soy based inks. Soybeans are used in a variety of other capacities, and now they can be used to help in printing.

Soy based inks are produced from soy bean oil, which is created from soy beans. Because soy is a renewable resource and is relatively easy to grow, these kinds of inks are very environmentally friendly.

Soy inks can produce brighter, cleaner printings. The colors produced from these inks are often much more vibrant than what is produced with regular inks. Since the colors are brighter, you can get better results with less ink, which leads to less waste.

In addition, soy based inks do not rub off as easily as traditional inks. This can also be an advantage to people who print professional media, such as flyers or business cards, on their own computers.

Soy based inks can be used in ink jet and laser printers alike. With the use of soy based inks, you can reduce your carbon footprint and help divert oil into other resources.

More Green Ideas for the Office

Place a recycling center in a prominent location in your office.

Encourage staff to use "real" mugs, glasses, dishes and cutlery rather than disposables. It takes just seconds to wash a mug.

Make sure your office has at least one large plant in it. They're not only green but great for recycling the air.

Make sure that your office is being cleaned using green products that are not damaging the environment.

Use a battery charger; using rechargeable batteries in equipment will save money over time and help reduce the amount of toxic materials sent to landfills.

Use recycled paper.

Replace CRT monitors with LCD flat screen monitors. Flat screen displays consume only about one-third the energy of a CRT monitor. Consider replacing one or more desktop computers with a laptop; laptops are the most energy-efficient computer/monitor combination. Keep computer equipment updated; current new computers and monitors are more energy efficient than those even just two years old.