0816_TOEFL-Test-and-Score-Manual-1997

18 ● 201 Great Ideas for Your Small Business
recycled, nontoxic materials. Look for materials with a high R-value;
the higher the number, the better the insulating properties. Reduce
drafts with double- or triple-pane windows.
• Lighting:
• Take advantage of sunlight whenever possible. Buy motion sensors
that turn on when you enter a room. Replace incandescent and
fluorescent bulbs with LEDs. One LED can last up to 60,000 hours.
Use local, “task” lights rather than general overhead lighting. Install
dimmers to reduce energy use.
• Work with your local utility company or an independent energy
auditor. Ask about rebates and other government-funded financial
incentives available to business owners.
• Keep computers out of direct sunlight to avoid glare and tilt monitors
away from the window. Buy blinds with a silver coating on one side
to reflect sunlight. Whenever possible, install glass above partitions to
allow light to filter through the office.
• Equipment:
• Look for “Energy Star–rated” copiers, computers, and other equipment
that power down when you aren’t using them.
• When possible, print on both sides of the paper. Avoid printing out
e-mail messages or documents whenever possible.
• Check out the Energy Efficiency Rating (EER) and operating
costs of appliances. Purchase a model that doesn’t rely on chlorofluorocarbons
(CFCs) to operate. These chemicals deplete the
ozone layer.
• Office supplies. Whenever possible, buy nontoxic highlighters and drywipe
markers. Buy recycled paper folders, notebooks, pencils, and pens.
• Recycled products:
• Try using 50 percent recycled paper for everything from your printing
to restroom needs. Reuse office paper for scratch paper.
• Recycle all the paper you can: white paper, newsprint, and cardboard.
Experts say it takes one-third less gross energy to make one sheet of
recycled paper compared to “virgin” paper.
• Recycling programs. Paper is not the only office supply to recycle. You
can recycle carpets, computer batteries, computers, printer cartridges,
construction-site waste, floppy disks, glass, lightbulbs, holiday cards,
light ballasts, and packing materials.