March 2015 - Blog CED

What is Green Office ?

<h3>
<a href="http://blogceden.blogspot.com/2015/03/what-is-green-office.html">What is Green Office ?</a></h3>
<h4>
<a href="http://blogceden.blogspot.com/2015/03/what-is-green-office.html">The green office</a></h4>
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<a href="http://blogceden.blogspot.com/2015/03/what-is-green-office.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7egyOSCJA2M/VQk2rwHslQI/AAAAAAAAAoU/m75g3c0Q8p8/s1600/a1.png" /></a></div>
 
<h4>
<a href="http://blogceden.blogspot.com/2015/03/what-is-green-office.html">What is it? </a></h4>
In our present era environment plays a significant role in maintaining the homeostasis. However, growing issues with environment in regard to pollution are increasingly evident. In that regard science developed different kinds of approaches and solutions improve the situation on environmental problems. On of those approaches is the introduction of the concept “green office”. 
The expression “green office” refers to the practices and mentality at a given workplace that can help to reduce the negative impact of offices activities on the environment. It includes a structure that is environmentally responsible and resource-efficient. Green offices are designed to be energy efficient and often incorporate recycled content. The main aim is to raise awareness, to create a healthy environment, conserve energy and to reduce pollution. In applying green office practices a firm and its workplace get sustainable. 
 
<h4>
<a href="http://blogceden.blogspot.com/2015/03/benefits-of-green-office-for-ngos.html">Why go green? </a></h4>
There are several good reasons to become a green office: 
•    Buying and using energy efficient equipment saves you money 
o    Savings in electricity (air-condition bills) 
o    Printing double-sided saves money and reduces waste of paper 
•    Using energy-efficient equipment has tremendous environmental benefits 
o    Reducing the electricity use leads to a reduction of overall air and water pollution from power stations 
o    For each 1,00 killowatt-hour of electricity u save you simultaneously save a tome of greenhouse gas 
•    Making the workplace a “green office” involves awareness raising and active commitment by the staff, which enhances motivation an productivity of the office staff 
 
<h4>
<a href="http://blogceden.blogspot.com/2015/03/benefits-of-green-office-for-ngos.html">How to become a green office? </a></h4>
•    Using recycled paper 
•    Printing double-sided 
•    Reusing and recycling the materials used at the workplace such as office and kitchen (folders, padded envelopes etc.) 
•    No individually packaged sugar and cream is used in the kitchen 
•    Equipment and appliances are set to power-saving mode 
•    Turn off computers and other office equipment when they are not being used 
•    Waste recycling by separating waste in recyclable waste 
•    Sharing rides to the workplace or using public transportation 
•    Turn off lights when not needed 
•    Buy and use energy-efficient equipment, such as energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs 
•    Use blinds (especially during the night) and a fan rather then air conditioning  (fans use 98% less energy than air conditioners) 
 
<h4>
Bibliography</h4>
 
<a href="http://goo.gl/Fie7kI" rel="nofollow">http://greenoffice.cenn.org </a> 
(retrieved on 27th June, 2014) 
 
<a href="http://goo.gl/3LCbqw" rel="nofollow">http://www.environment.gov.au/archive/settlements/publications/government/purchasing/green-office-guide/pubs/green-office-guide.pdf </a> 
(retrieved on 27th June, 2014) 
 
<a href="http://goo.gl/VgNX4L" rel="nofollow">http://www.ehow.com/facts_7944028_definition-green-office.html </a> 
(retrieved on 27th June, 2014) 
 
<a href="http://goo.gl/m5tJdV" rel="nofollow">http://www.solarpowernotes.com/what-is-green-office.html#.U60jeo1_v6l </a> 
(retrieved on 27th June, 2014) 
 
By Anim

What is Green Office ?

What is Green Office ? The green office What is it? In our present era environment plays a significant role in maintaining the home...

01:19

Benefits of Becoming a “Green Office” For NGOs

<h3>
<a href="http://blogceden.blogspot.com/2015/03/benefits-of-green-office-for-ngos.html">Benefits of becoming a “green office” for NGOs</a></h3>
<h4>
 The “<a href="http://blogceden.blogspot.com/2015/03/what-is-green-office.html">green office</a>” : </h4>
In our present era environment plays a significant role in maintaining the homeostasis. However, growing issues with environment concerning pollution are increasingly evident. In this regard, science developed different kinds of approaches and solutions to improve the situation on environmental problems. One of those approaches is the introduction of the concept “<a href="http://blogceden.blogspot.com/2015/03/what-is-green-office.html">green office</a>”. <a href="http://blogceden.blogspot.com/2015/03/benefits-of-green-office-for-ngos.html" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yS9tOfmhnuU/VQkwfTvbVuI/AAAAAAAAAoA/ZdpEMcVCmBM/s1600/a1.png" width="640" /></a> 
The expression “<a href="http://blogceden.blogspot.com/2015/03/what-is-green-office.html">green office</a>” refers to the 
practices and mentality at a given workplace that can help reducing the 
negative impact of offices’ activities on the environment. It includes a
 structure that is environmentally responsible and resource-efficient. 
Green offices are designed to be energy efficient and often incorporate 
recycled content. The main goal is to increase awareness, to protect and
 create a healthy environment, conserve energy and to reduce pollution. 
In applying green office practices a company and its workplace get 
evidently sustainable in the long run. 
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yS9tOfmhnuU/VQkwfTvbVuI/AAAAAAAAAoA/ZdpEMcVCmBM/s1600/a1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a>
 
<h4>
<a href="http://blogceden.blogspot.com/2015/03/benefits-of-green-office-for-ngos.html">How can small organisations like CED (NGO) become a “green office”? </a></h4>
There
 are several ways for an NGO to become a “green office”. First of all 
there are a few easy tips and practices that every office can implement 
as first steps in order to become a green office: 
•    Using recycled paper. 
•    Printing double-sided. 
•    Reusing and recycling the materials used at the workplace such as office and kitchen (folders, padded envelopes etc.). 
•    No usage of individually packaged sugar and cream in the kitchen. 
•    Equipment and appliances are set to power-saving mode. 
•    Turning off computers and other office equipment when they are not being used. 
•    Waste recycling by separating waste in recyclable waste. 
•    Sharing rides to the workplace or using public transportation. 
•    Turning off lights and electricity when not needed. 
•    Buying and using energy-efficient equipment, such as energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs. 
•   
 Using blinds (especially during the night) and a fan rather then air 
conditioning  (fans use 98% less energy than air conditioners). 
 
<h4>
<a href="http://blogceden.blogspot.com/2015/03/benefits-of-green-office-for-ngos.html">General benefits of becoming  “green office”</a></h4>
Although it is 
evident that the approach of “green office” is beneficial for our 
environment, one could raise the question how an office can benefit from
 implementing the “green office” approach. In tis regard, there are 
several good reasons to become a green office. In general terms, buying 
and using energy efficient equipment has the potential to safe funds of a
 given company, through saving electricity and printing double-sided for
 example. Using energy-efficient equipment does not only saves money but
 also has tremendous environmental benefits. For instance, the reduction
 of electricity use leads to a reduction of overall air and water 
pollution from power stations. For each 1,000 kilowatt-hour of 
electricity you save, you simultaneously save a tone of greenhouse gas, 
which causes the greenhouse effect. Moreover, making the workplace a 
“green office” involves awareness raising and active commitment by the 
staff, which enhances the motivation and productivity of the office 
staff. 
 
Useful links regarding how to become a green office and the benefits of green offices: 
•    <a href="http://goo.gl/J7z1MC" rel="nofollow">http://greenoffice.cenn.org </a> 
•   
 
<a href="http://goo.gl/OT63yH" rel="nofollow">http://www.environment.gov.au/archive/settlements/publications/government/purchasing/green-office-guide/pubs/green-office-guide.pdf </a> 
•    <a href="http://goo.gl/4jdXuD" rel="nofollow">http://www.ehow.com/facts_7944028_definition-green-office.html </a> 
•    <a href="http://goo.gl/eK0SrB" rel="nofollow">http://www.solarpowernotes.com/what-is-green-office.html#.U60jeo1_v6l </a> 
 
However,
 the practices and benefits listed above are only one part of becoming a
 green office. One other essential part of going green regards more 
specifically the IT sector of an office. In order to be more energy 
efficient and “green” in the IT sector, the common practise is the 
introduction and usage of cloud computing, which means the introduction 
of web-based programs that run IT services online. The most common 
provider of this service is Google. 
 
<h4>
<a href="http://blogceden.blogspot.com/2015/03/benefits-of-green-office-for-ngos.html">The Google cloud </a></h4>
<a href="http://blogceden.blogspot.com/2015/03/benefits-of-green-office-for-ngos.html" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="145" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9kDzy06PR1A/VQkwfSoiQ2I/AAAAAAAAAn8/e5Jm85TlXec/s1600/a2.png" width="320" /></a> 
The
 Google cloud entails the service of Google Apps, which is a web-based 
program and storage. In making use of the Google cloud users outsource 
their hardware and applications using those apps in the cloud. In this 
sense, users do not have to purchase and install software such as 
Microsoft Office to run them on their own hardware but they can simply 
use the web-based program of Google.Users register for a Google account 
to make use of the programs and apps provided in the Goggle cloud (e.g.,
 Gmail, Google Talk, Google Calendar, Google Docs, etc.). 
 
These
 Google Apps are free for the purpose of education and for qualified 
non-profit organizations. Non-profits have the opportunity to create 
their individualized domain name for their Google account to reflect 
their brand identity. Additionally, Organisations are given the 
possibility to create customized email addresses: 
name.surname@companyname.com. 
However, this offer for free usage 
of non-profits is limited to the United Nations, England and Wales. 
Thus,local NGOs have to purchase the Google Apps for business, which 
costs US$5 per user account per month (for the first month a business 
can get a free trail version). Although, local NGOs would have to buy 
the Google services, in the long run the benefits outreach the costs for
 purchasing. 
 
For more detail information on how Google Apps work watch the video provided in this link: 
•    <a href="http://goo.gl/wTT56s" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doHnLiAzQ5M </a> 
 
<h4>
<a href="http://blogceden.blogspot.com/2015/03/benefits-of-green-office-for-ngos.html">The benefits of the Google cloud</a></h4>
 
The usage of cloud 
based computing can reduce IT capital costs, reduce labour costs, and 
enhance productivity. In that sense,making use of cloud based computing 
demonstrates to be highly efficient. In addition, transferring basic IT 
applications to Google Apps substantially reduces carbon emissions and 
energy consumption, which has positive effects on the environment. In 
addition, the usage of the Google cloud enhances the overall 
productivity of an office due to its wide-range accessibility (the cloud
 is accessible form any device with internet connection). 
 
How
 exactly is the cloud more energy efficient? Firstly, the usage of the 
Google cloud reduces direct energy for servers by 70% to 90%. This is 
due to the fact that operations require fewer servers. Secondly, the 
usage of the Google cloud reduces the energy usage for server cooling by
 70-90%. Through innovative technologies the Google data centres only 
need 0.13 watts of cooling for each watt of direct power.  In this 
context, Google presents a case study on the savings achieved by the U.S
 General Services Administration (GSA), a Google Apps client. Through 
the shift to Google Apps, the GSA was able to decrease server energy 
consumption by up to 90% and thus, carbon emission by 85%. When 
translating the reduction of energy useinto cost savings then the GSA 
was able save $285,000 per year. 
 
In general, Google 
states that such savings tend to be higher for smaller companies with 
very low server utilization rates. In this sense, the Google cloud is 
very useful for small NGOs that cannot afford a large amount of hardware
 because of its high costs for purchasing and maintenance.Additionally, 
Google suggests that energy savings are also to be enhanced by not only 
applying Google Apps in software but also by introducing and 
establishing energy power efficient devices, such as Chrome books. 
 
In conclusion the usage of the Google cloud holds a variety of benefits for local NGOs: 
•    It reduces IT capital costs since no hardware has to be purchased as it gets outsourced. 
•    Not having an own hardware enhances energy efficiency and reduces electricity costs. 
•    There is no need of an own IT department, which reduces labour costs and enhances economics of scale. 
•    Productivity of the office is increased due to wide-range accessibility of the Google cloud from different devices. 
•   
 Google Hangouts make video conferencing possible, which saves time and 
funds as one has not to be physically in a meeting room. Conferences can
 also be recorded and shared via YouTube for those, who were unable to 
attend. 
•    Collaboration with colleagues, who are working nationally or globally on NGO projects is made easier. 
•   
 Co-ordination of events and activities across different locations and 
with different partners is made easy though the Google Calendar, which 
is a shared real time diary uploaded to the web. It also provides 
reminders to any device. 
 
For more detailed information on the study view the document provided in this link: 
•    <a href="http://goo.gl/B7kIFz" rel="nofollow">http://static.googleusercontent.com/media/www.google.com.vn/en/vn/green/pdf/google-apps.pdf </a> 
For more general information on cloud computing view the information provided in this link: 
•    <a href="http://goo.gl/D0RkCs" rel="nofollow">https://developers.google.com/appengine/training/intro/whatiscc </a> 
 
By Zee

Benefits of Becoming a “Green Office” For NGOs

Benefits of becoming a “green office” for NGOs The “ green office ” : In our present era environment plays a significant role in mainta...