Revolutionary Ways to Celebrate Earth Day All Year Long

April 22 is Earth Day, but the staff at Transcription Plus celebrates Earth Day all year long. Here is a list of ideas that can save the planet, save some money, and make your office healthier.

1. Skip Rush Hour, have employees work from home. In the age of instant messaging, phone conferences, video conferencing, and other innovative technology, telecommuting is now a reality for 44 million Americans. This will cut down on the ecological damage done by commuting as well as eliminate commute time. Not ready to go to a full-time telecommute? Try one day a week, which will result in lower energy bills at the office. Or consider hiring Transcription Plus, LLC staff for your transcription needs.  We have the technology to offer complete off-site support.  With our state-of-art, toll-free dication lines, interview/telephone recording, and our HIPAA compliant secure webserver,Transcription Plus, LLC offers secure, easy and 100% accurate trascription services.
2. Baby your can drive my car! Perhaps the Beatles could have been singing about car-pooling? Companies can encourage a greener commute of those employees that need to go into the office. For example, they can subsidize public transportation, or offer prime parking spots for car-poolers, hybrid drivers, and others rolling in eco-friendly transportation. Offering a secure place for bicycles encourages employees to bike to work, saving the earth and their waistline.
3. Redesign with green in mind! If you are changing locations, updating the office, or increasing space, think about how your decisions now will affect the earth and your energy bills later on. Buy furniture from companies that are sustainable, and use eco-friendly paints and materials. This will reward your employees with healthier air. Replace lights with compact florescent bulbs or, better yet, LED lighting that uses small amounts of energy. Don't forget about the natural light of the sun; not only is it free, it will give employees energy burst as well.
4. It's not easy being green. Unless everyone is doing it too. Create a green committee of employees who can meet for an hour once a month to discuss new ways to improve the office's sustainability. This can be on-going, as technology and staffing changes over time. Additionally, once people begin to identify with their green committee status, they begin to change the way that they see themselves and behave accordingly.
5. On your mark, get set, go! How much money would your office save if the energy bill decreased by 35% or more? By creating a competition against a previous energy bill, a company can create incentives for employees to reduce their energy usage. The competition would be team-based, and the whole office wins. The prize can be anything: A dress down day, an afternoon off, a celebratory meal at a favorite restaurant. Reminders and gentle ribbing will work wonders!
6. Be an energy Scrooge.  Use energy settings for computers, printers, and other devices. Don't leave items on standby mode (which can draw 15-20 watts) overnight as they continue to draw energy. Use smart strips to turn off an entire workstation with one easy flip; unplug rarely used equipment; turn off lights, use motion detector lights, and post reminders about shutting things  down.  Use programmable thermostats and blinds to keep in warmth and cool. 
7. Suggest the entire office eats only raw organic food. That might not go over well, but there are still plenty of ways to make the office kitchen eco-friendly. Encourage employees to bring in their funniest mug from home, and supply biodegradable dish soap to wash them. Replace bottled water services with a simple filtration system, and the office can save even more money. Be sure the products that are used, such as coffee, dish soap and paper products are earth-friendly. Finally, keep a reusable bag for the days someone goes out for takeout.
8. Let's get digital. The more you digitize your office, the less paper you will need. Send emails instead of letters. Call catalogue companies and discontinue getting the paper version and shop on-line. This will also make it easier to find something within a backup instead of sorting through bulky file cabinets. 

   Transcription Plus, LLC will supply your documents in a Microsoft Word electronic format, providing you with easy in-office electronic access and archiving. We can produce your letterhead as an electronic template, which not only saves on professional printing costs, it also enables you to view and electronically file complete documents without printing them.

9. Get some green. Get some plants for the office. Research has found that indoor air is often more polluted than outdoor air. Plants, such as Ivy and Peace Lillies, can help filter pollution caused by carpet and particle board out-gassing toxins.

Not ready to make a big change? You can complete the following steps in less than ten minutes.

1. Lower the blinds for climate control.
2. Unplug rarely used items.
3. Send out an e-mail encouraging everyone to bring in their favorite mug.
4. Create reminders to power down/turn off and unplug at night.
5. Call the company from the bulkiest catalogue to get off the mailing list.
6. Partner with Transcription Plus, LLC to handle your transcription needs.

If you already are a Transcription Plus,LLC client, then you already know how we are doing our part to stay green.  For the rest of you, click here to see how!
 

Best,