Detox Your Home: In the Office, Part 2

This is the second part of Detox Your Home: In the Office. To access Part 1, click here. To access the Detox Your Home main page, click here.[/i]

Stuff that makes it easy being green

1. Mind your business. HP was the first computer maker to launch a machine that achieved EPEAT Gold for energy-efficiency and low-toxicity with their rp5700. Toshiba has caught up quickly, however, and now has more EPEAT Gold-rated notebooks than any other manufacturer. Other companies are also working to up their eco cred.

2. Office space. Not only are some of the big office supply companies going greener, there are also a growing number of companies specializing in better stationery and office supplies. The Green Office, for example, labels products with helpful symbols that indicate whether products are recycled, save energy, or have reduced toxicity, and offers everything from pens with water-based inks to chlorine-free recycled paper to cleaner janitorial supplies.

3. Take a seat. Greener office chairs not only contain fewer toxins, many of them are also designed more ergonomically, thus ensuring healthy posture as well as clean air. Herman Miller's world-famous Aeron chair, for example, is vetted by third-party certifier Greenguard to meet indoor air quality standards and is constructed from 62 percent recycled materials. The Zody chair from Haworth, meanwhile, is made from 50 percent recycled materials, constructed using green energy, and is endorsed by the American Physical Therapy Association.

Did you know?

-Chargers for cell phones, mp3 players, and other gadgets still suck energy out of the wall when devices are fully charged and even when not attached to their mates. To save energy, unplug them or use a power strip, which can be turned off altogether.

-Twenty percent of workers believe that poor indoor air quality compromises their health.

-The paper industry uses more than 40 percent of all wood harvested for industrial uses, and paper is the most common material found in landfills.

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