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The Many Benefits of Using Green Office Products

31st August, 2010 - Posted by health news - No Comments

As people are becoming more eco-conscious in many aspects of their lives, one place that has been affected is the office. Because so many people work in offices, the amount of office furniture and products that are made and purchased each year is truly astronomical. Everything we do to help make our environment more friendly and healthy is work the effort and people are finally starting to realize that.

It is becoming easier to buy products that are eco-friendly, as schools, corporations and even government agencies are asking for them. Although it has taken awhile for the “green” theory to become reality to many people, it is becoming more and more evident that definite changes need to take place. With office furniture alone, the glues, stains and polishes of manufacturing the furniture is anything but healthy for workers. This does not include the fact that many older pieces of furniture are not able to be recycled due to their dangerous by-products .

Choosing green office products requires having an idea of what you want. There may be some eco-friendly specification that you are more interested in. There are many different options that are eco-friendly, so you have to decide what you want. In most areas, being “green” has not been much regulated, so make sure that the products you are considering are indeed friendlier for the environment. As time goes on, the regulations and specifications for exactly what is “green” will become clearer and people will be able to trust labels more. In the meantime, ask questions and make sure that the “green” label really does mean something.

Another concept that often goes with environmentally safe products is products that are safer for the body. Called ergonomics, these products reduce strain on the body by providing the support that is needed. In other words, computer ergonomics would apply to people who work at a computer all day, using their hands, arms and fingers most of the day. These workers will often strain their muscles day by day with no relief. These ergonomic office equipment help workers by giving them the support they need to get their work done, and also be more productive because they are not hurting their bodies in the process.

Another popular eco-friendly idea is recycling. While many people recycle their paper, glass, and aluminum cans, not many stop to consider recycling their office furniture. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated that businesses throw away about three million tons of furniture every year, paying disposal costs of about one hundred million dollars.

Using recycled office products can be done in many ways. One of these ways is to buy furniture that has been made from solid waste, rebuilt and put on the market to be sold to the public. Re-used, refurbished and re-manufactured products all fall within the category of recycled products. Re-used office furniture has been recycled and returned to the market to sell, without repairing or improving the furniture. Refurbished office furniture is recycled, “touched up” to improve the look, and then put back on the market. Re-manufactured office products are ones that have been disassembled completely, then inspected, cleaned, repaired, put back together and refinished. Only then will this “like new” product be put back on the market to sell.

Going green has never been easier. Rather it’s an ergonomic office chair, paper products, or light bulbs, anything that we do to help make people and the environment healthier is worth the time and effort. Soon, being ‘green’ will become a way of life for more people, especially as they realize the long lasting benefits of saving energy and natural resources.