Thinking about going green in the office? Tips on how to get committed to a sustainable workplace

TVGA incorporates sustainability, "Green Design," into many of our projects. We are working with clients to secure Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for both new and existing structures with our LEED certified staff members. TVGA is also supporting the implementation of renewable energy projects, pioneering in-situ remediation of contaminated soils and minimizing the use of chemicals and water in wastewater treatment.  We are also investigating additional green infrastructure alternatives and carbon offsets. Furthermore, we are expanding our sustainability initiatives into our offices, with our "Working Green" campaign.  This goal builds on the current recycling and energy conservation programs we already have in place and encouraged the identification of new initiatives. The "Working Green" campaign allows TVGA to reduce our impact on the environment and demonstrate to our clients and prospective firm members TVGA's firm-wide commitment to the global environment.  With the guidance of TVGA's "Queen of Green," Angela Keppel, the firm has adopted some economical and  practical ways to do our part in preserving the planet.  These small steps can be adopted by offices of any size. Here are some simple ways that you can be more green around the office: Reduce Electrical Consumption 1. Turn off your computer when you leave for the day.  Leaving the monitor on or putting the computer on stand-by mode still consumes significant amounts of electricity.  According to the Environmental Protection Agency, more than $3 billion is wasted annually in electricity for office machines left running when not in use. 2. Upgrade monitors to flat panels, which operate on significantly less electrical power.   3. Switch off your monitor if you are away from your desk for a meeting or lunch.  You can adjust the settings to automatically shut off after a few minutes, and your computer will do this for you. (Start>Control panel>Display) Putting the screen saver on isn't enough. They are designed to stop the image from being imprinted on the monitor glass, not to save energy. 4. The same goes for printers.  Turn off all printers, plotters and copiers at the end of the day.  Some are even equipped with power saving settings, so be sure that those settings are engaged. 5. "Turn out the lights," just like we've always been told while growing up.  Fluorescent bulbs should be used when possible. Use these as replacements when the incandescent bulbs burn out.  Reduce Paper 1. Make it a habit to print on both sides. The average U.S. office worker goes through 10,000 sheets of copy paper a year. You can change your print settings to default to two sided printing and use the back side of old documents for scrap paper, or drafts. Avoid color printing and print in draft mode whenever feasible. You can also include a statement on the table of contents of your reports and proposals that states, "This report has been printed double-sided on recycled paper as part of our commitment to the environment."   2. Use the back of old printouts for scrap paper instead of post-its and notepads. 3. Use recycled paper. Once you're done with using both sides, be sure to recycle all paper products. 4. Reduce the amount of printing.  Ask yourself if you really need a hard copy of a document. Can you save the message/attachments electronically instead? Whenever practical, try to read, review and edit documents on the screen rather than printing them.  Instead of printing a webpage, bookmark it or save the page. 5. Consider adding a statement to your e-mail signature that asks the reader to consider the environment prior to printing the e-mail. For example, "TVGA is Working Green.   Please consider the environment before printing this message and any attachments." 6. Don't print the entire document if you only need a few pages. Go to File>Print>and click on "Current Page" on the "Page Range" section. Reduce Waste 1. Bring your lunch to work in reusable containers. Bring in your own plates, cups and utensils instead of using paper plates, plastic forks and s.tyrofoam cups. TVGA purchased plates, cups, bowls and silverware to supply for all employees.  These can be purchased very economically at restaurant cash and carry stores, such as Sysco. 2. If you drink a lot of water throughout the day, don't buy bottled water.  Use a mug or water bottle and fill from the tap.  Approximately 2.7 billion tons of plastic is used each year for bottling water and 86% of it ends up in a landfill and will never fully biodegrade. Together, we all will improve our environment and send a message to our clients, competitors, vendors and the public that we are committed to a sustainable workplace. Angela Keppel is a planner and Edward Stachura, PE, is a chief engineer at TVGA, Elma, N.Y.