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Going Green In The Workplace Essay

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Going green in the workplace is a new trend in business. In choosing to go green in the workplace you may be challenged by an elevated initial start-up costs, however savings earned from this investment will more than pay for those initial costs in the future. Many people see this as a controversial issue, and granted it does have its own unique set of pro and cons, but if a business makes careful choices going green can prove to be very rewarding. Companies are doing this to save money on energy expenses as well as deploying it as a means to help reduce the carbon foot-print they are leaving behind. Whether you are considering building new or simply renovating, there are many verdant options that a company can use to reduce expenses. …show more content…

After this is done, the customer can then choose which option they would like to go with. Another opportunity for saving is taking advantage of the available federal government or state tax credits. Using these resources can be very helpful when building or renovating green, as it guarantees the company a return on investment. The amount of credits or tax breaks you qualify for varies on the amount of eco-friendly supplies you choose to use in your building. According to the Energy Policy Act (2008), a company can get a deduction of $0.60 for each square foot for each of these areas in which efficiency is improved: the building envelope, lighting or heating/air conditioning which could total up to $1.80 per square foot of building if all three areas are improved. For example if your building is 10,000 square feet that would be a rebate of $18,000.00. One of the biggest motivators for choosing to go green is cutting company costs. The best recommendation I can give of this would be to start small. Here are some ideal fixes that will help reduce energy consumption. The savings can be colossal; all it takes is a little brain-storming. To start off, turn out the lights when leaving an empty room, turn off computers and other equipment when you will be away from your desk for a while or when you are going home for the day. Remember to unplug cell phone and PDA charges when you aren’t using them. Turn down the thermostat a few

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