Improve Conservation Practices

There are a number of very simple, free or low-cost conservation steps that any business can take to reduce its emissions. Perhaps the best way to identify these opportunities is to solicit suggestions from your employees. Simple energy saving practices to get you started can also be found through Portland General Electric’s Saving Energy: 12 Strategies and Bonneville Power Administration’s Workplace Tips.If your business is small, Energy Star for Small Business offers a wealth of information, tools and services to help small businesses improve their efficiency. The information is tailored to small business types, such as restaurants and home-based businesses.

Simple, immediate steps include:

• Switch to energy-efficient lighting solutions. Compact fluorescent lamps, for example, use about 25% as much energy as incandescent lighting and can last ten times longer. Add occupancy sensors in frequently vacant rooms. Remove excess lighting in favor of task lighting.

• Minimize heating and cooling. Heating and cooling can account for half of the energy use in an office building. Request the heat set at 65ºF and the air conditioning at 76ºF. Use a programmable thermostat to set back the temperature during off hours.
• Turn off elevators, computers, printers and other electrical equipment during off hours.
• Fax, copy and print only when really necessary. Use both sides of the paper. Reuse scrap paper. Go paperless.
• Reduce, reuse, recycle.