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CONTACT US 

greenoffices@austin.utexas.edu

Green Office Sustainablity Tips

Green Information

Enabling office members to share and access information about green events on campus or in the community helps build a culture of sustainability. 

 

  • Create an office Green Information page on Facebook, or another social media platform, where office members can post information they come across. Place the board in an accessible, visible location in the office

  • Designate one office member to send out weekly email blasts containing information about green events. Throughout the week office members can email this designated person with information they come across

  • Create a Green Board, using our pre-made fliers, which you can download from the checklist and resources page, you are also encouraged to create your own forms of green information!

Alternative Transportation

A large portion of our daily carbon output comes from our vehicles. Below are some options to help you get around without getting in your car.

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Bus

  • UT Shuttles & CapMetro - free for all UT students, faculty, and staff

 

Bike

  • B-Cycle 

  • Orange Bike Project

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Carpool/Vanpool

  • Offices can earn points for organizing a carpool or vanpool within their participating members

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Temporary-Use Vehicles

  • ZipCar 

  • Car 2 Go

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Find information about long distance travel here.

Wellness

The Green Offices program aims to encourage all forms of sustainable change, including personal wellness. Listed below are some measures that can improve personal health and wellbeing by improving diet patterns or increasing exercise with a broader sustainable goal

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  • Use the stairs instead of the elevator (if you are able)

  • Aim to offer only locally-sourced or organic options when providing food in the office space

  • Participate in campus-wide wellness-related programs by visiting

  • Try a walking meeting instead of meeting at a table

  • Stay hydrated by bringing a reusable water bottle

  • Refrain from using tobacco and respectfully approach and inform those seen smoking on campus of UT’s tobacco-free policy

  • Participate in Farm-to-Work or purchase other locally sourced produce

  • Bring a homemade lunch in a reusable container

  • Consider gardening at home or renting a lot (can be done through UT Microfarm)

Waste Reduction

Waste output is an essential area of improvement for many reasons, one of them being the common misunderstandings associated with recycling. The entirety of UT’s campus, including all office spaces, participates in single-stream recycling. This means that any recyclable material can be placed in all recycling bins on campus. Single-stream recycling is not unique to UT’s campus – it’s a service offered by the City of Austin in all residential areas.

 

Below are a few ways to reduce waste in the office:

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  • Purchase office supplies (including kitchen and party supplies) that minimize packaging waste

  • Participate in E-waste, battery, and lightbulb recycling programs instead of throwing them away

    • ​E-waste recycling is offered at the main desks of many residence halls throughout campus, and additional E-waste drives are held on campus during the year

  • When eating on campus, participate in the Housing and Dining Eco2Go program that offers reusable containers at all on-campus dining locations with a 5% meal discount

  • Switch to electronic documents and forms when able

  • Use reusable bags in place of plastic bags

  • Bring and use reusable coffee mugs and other dishware in the office

  • Use natural lighting or adjustable lights to minimize the need for multiple sources of artificial lighting

Water Conservation

​Try these water-saving measures to decrease your daily water impact.

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  • Report leaks in bathrooms, break rooms, and water pipes to 1-2020 as soon as you spot them

  • Turn off faucets while washing dishes in break rooms and kitchens

  • Only use dishwashers when they have a full load of dishes  

  • Recognize those who make an effort to initiate water-saving procedures   

Green Purchasing

When looking for new office purchases, there are many practical and sustainably efficient options that are easy to implement in the office space.

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  • LED lightbulbs instead of CFL or Incandescent bulbs

  • Smart power strips to replace those that may produce energy waste

  • Biodegradable, non-toxic, petroleum free dishwashing soaps

  • Washable dishtowels instead of paper towels; if paper towels are necessary, try unbleached paper towels with high recycled content

  • Reusable dishware instead of disposable products; if disposables are necessary, try recyclable or compostable products

  • Appliances with a high Energy Star rating

  • Refillable pens and dry erase markers made using recycled plastic 

  • Paper products with high post-consumer recycled content (+50%)

    • ​Copy Paper

    • Notepads

    • File Folders

    • Post-it Notes

    • Envelopes

Document Sharing

Working towards a paperless office will save costs, reduce waste, increase space, and encourage efficiency. The steps below will help boost your office’s productivity, making information easier to share and store  

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  • Send out office memos and information via email or on a communal social media platform

  • Instead of printing, save webpages, attachments, or documents as PDFs  

  • Use a digital signature service to sign documents digitally 

  • Use an internal shared drive or an online web server such as Dropbox, UT Box, or the Cloud to store and share information

  • Think before you print - preview documents prior to printing them to fix errors and avoid re-printing

  • Try fitting multiple pages or slides on one sheet of paper, when possible 

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