Green England Tips

Ditch those nasty polystyrene cups at work, and bring in your own mugs instead. While you're at it, keep a supply of plates and cutlery to hand to use instead of plastic ones.

Cycle to work once a week. Summer's here - why not try the bike? You can buy a bike up to half price through the cycle to work scheme.

Many companies are now offering good quality business cards, leaflets and office stationary made from recycled paper at no extra cost. Gives your company a good image too.

As you leave your place of work, switch off appliances and lights that are not needed again until the morning. You will be saving the company money as well as reducing electricity useage.

Before you print out an email or document - ask yourself whether you really do need to print it. Can you use it online or file it on the computer rather than a hard copy or email it someone rather than posting it or giving it. When you do print, print double sided where possible.

Turning your computer screen off when not in use saves more energy than a screen saver or power save mode. Get into the habit of pressing the button when you leave your desk for meetings and lunch and turn the computer off when you go home.

Driving between 40 mph and 60 mph is the most fuel efficient. Increase to 65mph and this is increased by 6% and 12% at 70mph. Saves petrol - and money and is generally safer. Try it and arrive more relaxed!

Re-use paper that has only been printed on one side by cutting in half and stapling pieces together. Cuts down spend on notebooks and reduces waste. Ensure they are recycled when finished with.

Manila envelopes are usually made from recycled paper and are the cheapest on the market.

A fountain pen, refillable from a (recyclable) glass ink bottle can last years. Use instead of all those 'disposable' plastic pens.

Don't throw away your used printer cartridges - recycle them. There are organisations to which you can send your empty cartridges who sell them on for re-use and use the proceeds for charity.

Buy printer cartridges that have been recycled and refilled, re-using the plastic and supporting the market for recycled goods to further encourage recycling.

Five parts water to one part white vinegar in a re-used spray bottle for sparkling windows. Saves money too.

Lift useage can be between 5 and 15 percent of a company's electricity useage. So get some exercise and use the stairs.

Encourage people to recycle their newspapers, paper plastic and glass in the workplace by having boxes nearby to use instead of the bin.

On your next few car journeys to work, to socialise or to the gym, consider if you could share your car with someone else making a similar journey. Friendly, cost-effective and reduces carbon emissions.

Take your own sandwiches to work in a re-useable container rather than buying pre-packaged sandwiches. And use delicious organic fillings. Save money and packaging.

Check your tyre pressure regularly. Having them at the wrong pressure can increase your fuel consumption. Save fuel and money - pop into a garage and check them today.

Next time you set up a meeting where people are travelling, consider the option of a tele conference saving time, money and CO2.

Over the next month, try to use the train or bus at leaset once where you would have ordinarily taken your car. Its a break from driving as well as reducing your carbon footprint. You may even save money too.

Tell your colleagues about Fair Trade and persuade the person responsible for buying decisions to purchase fair trade tea and coffee. By doing so you support the tea and coffee workers and help to ensure they get a decent wage.

A photocopier left on overnight uses enough energy to make 1,500 photocopies. Make sure someone in your workplace is responsible for turning off the photocopier, lights and other office equipment at night.

It's freezing outside. Don't be tempted to overheat the house or office. Wear layers of clothing, woolly hat and chunky knits and turn the thermostat down by 1 degree. Save money, save the planet and keep cosy warm!

If you post documents and letters in your office, consider whether an email will do instead. Saves paper and transport energy as well as saving the cost of a stamp. It gets the message to the recipient much quicker too.

Batteries are full of chemicals, need replacing and cost money. Use a solar powered calculator wherever possible.

Logon to Liftshare to find someone going your way who is keen to share a car - save money, reduce your carbon footprint - and make a new friend!

It takes 28% less energy to recycle paper than to produce paper from scratch. Recycle all paper, newspaper, packaging etc. And then buy recycled paper wherever possible.

The millions of web sites on the net are all stored on computers which have to be switched on 24/7, resulting in a huge carbon footprint. Green England's host Eco Web Hosting (www.ecowebhosting.co.uk) offset the carbon emissions produced by their servers by planting trees in Nottinghamshire. We've negotiated a 30% discount on a year's hosting with them if you sign up before the end of February - just use promotion code 'green england'. They also offer a 50% lifetime discount to charities and not-for-profits - email them for more details.

You drink Fair Trade Coffee and Tea at home but what about work? As part of Fair Trade fortnight - starting on February 25th - can you change your workplace to fair trade products?

The air conditioning or climate control in your car can use up to 10% more fuel - hurting the environment - and your pocket.

Taking your lunch to work is much greener and economical than buying sandwiches in packaging. Pack them in an air tight re-useable container rather than using plastic sandwich bags. Or re-use packaging from other food such as bread.

When driving, switch off your engine when you anticipate needing to stop for more than two minutes. Save CO2 emmissions and money.

Open your post carefully so you can re-use the envelope - and sort and file the envelopes in size so you can easily find the one you need.