The theme of this year’s Blog Action Day is water. That means that approximately 2,500 blogs around the world are, in some way, writing about all-precious H20. At FreelanceSwitch, that got us thinking. Aside from not having to drive to work, how can freelancers go green—and fluidly continue doing so?
There are a variety of simple things you can do as a freelancer to go a little easier on Mother Earth.
Choose an eco-friendly printer. You love your business cards and brochures, so why not choose a vendor that respects the globe as well? Some to check out include:
Another way to use eco-friendly printers is to refer your clients to them. And if you are responsible for marketing collateral fulfillment, promote the fact that you use a green printer and let clients know which one.
Select green vendors. Your clients probably know that you have low overhead if you work at home and naturally save energy. But you can go above and beyond by choosing an eco-friendly printer above, or working with other vendors. I would try not to go nuts here: your clients won’t care if your desk chair is made from organic cotton, but they may like the fact that you only use recycled paper.
Be aware of your electricity use. If you are working at home, it can be easy to shift from work to other tasks. That’s why it is important to pay attention to how many lights you leave on. If you are like me, you are multitasking, going from your office to other rooms. I often leave the light on my laundry room, and there’s no reason to. By being more aware of using only the lighting that you need, you can conserve energy—and your energy costs. Same thing goes with leaving the computer on when you’re not working. Try to put it on a lower energy setting or shut it down.
Recycle paper. I print out a lot of my content during the proofreading process because I do better checking it when I can hold it in my hand. The result? Well, for a large website that can be 30 to 50 pages of content. Instead, toss the paper in a recycle bin in your office and either reuse it internally or recycle it separately through a local program. Hint: The back of printed-on paper is ideal for a quick fax coversheet. And if you can read on the screen, you won’t have to worry about any of it.
Choose eco-friendly equipment and energy-saving appliances. Even smaller office equipment like printers and fax machines come in energy-saving models. Also, when you are running your equipment, set the power management features to their eco-friendliest (such as choosing standby) to make sure they run efficiently. A Lawrence Berkeley Lab study from 1999 estimated that one computer-and-monitor workstation left on after business hours is responsible for power plants emitting nearly one ton of CO2 per year. If you work at home, selecting smart appliances and a high-efficiency HVAC system can help—not only do you get the perks because you’ll save on your bills and enjoy new items, but you can rest assured that your office is running efficiently. I just replaced my HVAC system because the house needed it, but I feel more comfortable running the air conditioning in the summer if I need to. As a side note, make sure to recycle your computers, batteries and cell phones.
Skip the Starbucks cup—but never the latte. Like many freelancers, you may relish a trip out for coffee everyday—there’s nothing wrong with that. Why not bring a reusable cup? It’s one less thing to throw away and clog up your tiny office trash can. Similarly, if you work at home all day, use your regular dishes. Take time to prepare a meal instead of producing more waste from take-in or eating out. Using paper plates may mean no cleanup, but you may go through a few in addition to cups and utensils. Instead? Take a much-needed break from work to load the dishwasher or scrub the pans. You’ll stay productive and get a rest from work.
By making a few new habits, you can do your part to contribute to the eco-friendly efforts of others. Just because freelancers work solo doesn’t mean one person can’t make a difference!
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