Your office does not need to be a dull, dingy office space. Add some plants to your office or cube and not only improve your spirits but also your air quality. A 2010 University of San Diego study showed a green office not only improved productivity by 4.9 percent but also resulted in 2.9 percent fewer sick days per worker. Put these suggestions to work for you in your office.

1. Create a recycling program: Almost all kinds of office paper can be recycled. This is also true of plastic, aluminum, and cardboard. If your office doesn’t already recycle, contact your local recycling agency and find out what needs to be done to get started.
2. E-cycle: Those computers and printers are recyclable. Don’t toss them out, find your nearest toxic waste recycling center and take your old equipment there for safe disposal. Also consider using a service like Gazelle.com where those recyclables translate to money saved. Or check local schools or libraries which may be in need of a charitable donation.
3. Teleconference: Cut travel costs by using video technology like Skype , WebEx or Gotomeeting ; click these links to learn more. Web conferencing has gained a strong presence in the business world by connecting anyone, anywhere in real-time. Users can share desktops along with phone conferencing and video.
4. See the Light: Switch to fluorescent light bulbs and save yourself up to 30 percent on your energy bill which more than makes up for the higher cost of the bulb.
5. Buy a Plant: Modern office buildings spew out hundreds of chemicals from the new carpets, paints, upholstery, computers and plastics. Plants help to naturally filter out these toxins from our air and brighten the office on a dreary afternoon. Click here to learn which plants are best to buy.
6. Paperless Society: A paper prevention program provides twofold savings: paperless offices cut not only your supply costs but electricity usage as well. Shred your old paper and use it for packing materials in shipments offsetting costs. Save your used paper for scrap notes instead of buying sticky notes, which gum up recycling machines costing recyclers plenty in clean-up efforts.
7. Re-Ink: According to InkRecycling.org, 350 million ink cartridges pile up in our landfills each year. Many manufacturers and retailers now offer ink refilling or cartridge recycling. Check out InkRecyling.org and learn about how you can not only make money off that empty cartridge but also reduce your carbon footprint and perhaps even use these items as a school fundraiser to help your community.
8. Spread the Word: As you implement your company’s waste reduction program, let vendors and other business associates know you have new standards for yourself and are looking to partner with companies who are like-minded in their greening efforts.
9. Use Recycled Products: Support recycling efforts further by using recycled paper and toner in the workplace and keep manufacturers of recycled products in business. Using the service of a toner recycler can save consumers or companies approximately $50 per refill.
10. Recharge Your Cell Phone: Those old cell phones which sit in a drawer or closet gathering dust can be recycled and re-used by launching a corporate cell phone recycling program. Have employees turn in old phones which can then be sent to a recycling center for cash as part of a charitable donation. Or the phones can be refurbished and sent to troops overseas to call family back home. Click here for phones4charity.org or recycling.com to learn more about how to make this happen in your workplace or community. And again, Gazelle.com is a great place to recycle old phones as well.