Saving paper in the workplace

As a teacher, I often witness the huge amount of paper being wasted everyday.  I guess it will be the same in other work places. Printing out memos and notices just to be binned the next minute is a very wasteful practice. Some staff have folders upon folders of documents that they hardly look at for months or years.

Recently, there has been a widespread awareness among staff of the wastage and we are now resorting to emails a means of communicating with each other. The only problem is, there is limited storage available on the email system. We have to keep deleting emails and improtant attachments to get more space so that we continue recieving emails.  Does this sound familiar in your work place?

The solution is using online file storage. I have started filing away attachements and documents that I think I might need to refer back later. Another advantage of online file storage is that I can send links of a particular file to a colleague and he or she can access the file online. They can add, edit or make changes to the file and save it there. Thus encouraging collaboration. I don’t have to keep sending the file to various people. All of them can access the file and work on it and save it there.

Last but not least, online file storage can function as a back up storage should the office server fail. This has actally happened to me several times in the past couple of months and I was very fortunate to have my files and documents saved online and I can access it anywhere in the world.

Online file storage is a sure way to save the environment by reducing paper usage and a great way to share files and documents at the workplace.

What kind of Green Gifts are you giving this festive season?

Christmas and New Year are here again and one of the main feature of any festival is the giving of gifts. It is difficult to decide what to get for your loved ones. But have you considered whether the gifts you are getting are eco-friendly. Will it add on to the world pollution? I came across this topic on The Green group on Linkedin. Some of the suggestions this far include: Solar LED Christmas lights,   recycled greeting cards, recycled rubber tires turned into toys and play things etc.

If you have some ideas about green gifts why not share it with others here. I would love to hear from you.

How to save paper in your work place?

As a teacher I see a lot of paper being wasted almost everyday. There is some effort from some teachers to try and save paper but I think more can be done.

Most offices have photocopying machines and it cannot be denied that a lot paper is wasted through photocopying. Using both sides of paper is good way to save paper. A lot of office stuff can be reused including envelopes, folders, paper clips etc. Used papers can be used for drafts and as rough paper.

Using e-mail is a great way to save paper. Only print out letters or documents that need to be signed or posted. The school sends a termly newsletter to parents and this is about 3 or 4 pages long. Most often these newsletters end up in the bin as students don’t bother to take them home. I don’t see why schools don’t e-mail newsletters to parents either to their home or office email. Then the school only needs to send these newsletters by post to parents who don’t have email access. It will certainly save money and paper.

Bulletine boards placed at startegic points in the work place is a good way to dessiminate information rather then sending memos to each and every employee.

The use of LED projectors has cut down the amount of paper i use in the classroom. Any worksheet or notes i need to show my pupils is just projected on to the screen. And if my pupils need to refer to them again they can go to my blog specially set up for my classroom.

There are many little ways the use of paper in the work place can be reduced. If you have any ideas or suggestions then you most welcomed to submit them here.

Bio-degradable and reusable energy source legume

In an effort to save the environment, bio-degradables are becoming very popular. Some supermarkets in the UK are now supplying bio-degradable carrier bags. This is a positive step in the right direction towards improving the environment. Among the more popular sources of bio-degradable raw materials is the humble soya bean (somtimes simply known as soy). In China, the soya bean has been cultivated and used in different ways for thousands of years. Soy was considered as one of the 5 holy crops, besides rice, wheat, barley and millet.

Soya beans are very versatile: soya beans can be used as whole soya beans, soya sprouts, or processed as soya milk, tofu, tempeh, soya sauce or miso. Soya is also used as ingredient for non-food products, such as candle wax and biodiesel. Soy candles are becoming more popular because they burn longer and healthier and are environmentally friendly. Since the soy can be cultivated it is thus a renewable energy source. If you are thinking of purchasing soy candles then visit. Click here to become a soy candle wholesaler and optimise your earnings.

Shambo The Temple Bull

Shambo The Temple Bull, originally uploaded by pittan.

Shambo The Bull you see above lives in a monastery that upholds the principle of sanctity of life. All life at Skanda Vale is sacred. However, the Department for Food and Environment (DEFRA) has recently issued a notice to kill Shambo as they suspect he is suffering from bovine TB. Please visit Shambo’s website – We Value Life for more details and sign a petition to stop the ruthless salughter of an innocent temple bull.

Water shortage

Summer is upon us here in the UKand I wonder if we will face another water shortage like last here. It would be wise for the water authorities to start campaigning for saving water now rather than in the middle of summer when it is already too dry. Cutting down water usage now will help to slow down water shortage and people will have enogh time to get used to the idea of using less water.

Reduce and Reuse the only way out.

Looks like I am in the mood to write about saving the environment today. I have been thinking a lot about this lately and I have come to the conclusion that one major way to save this planet is to reduce and reuse stuff rather than recycle. There is a limit to how much can be recycled. If we reduce and reuse things that we use daily than there won’t be much to recycle. Don’t forget recycling costs money and in turn will produce other waste materials that could pollute the environment.

REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE in that order.

Is it too late?

I sometimes wonder if it is too late to safe our planet. All the talk about global warming, pollution, weather change and depletion of the ozone layer, makes it sound as though there is no hope for this planet. The burning of fossil fuel continues. Governments are still refusing to take a strong stand in combating environmental abuse that is going on every second. People around me are still oblivious of environmental issues and the worsening state of the environment. When will we all wake up and start really do something about the environment?