It used to be that the idea of "going green" was simply a broad generality that sounded good but didn't have any real practical application. Today, companies all over the country realize the money they can save by going green, not to mention the positive PR they can get out of it, too. Most people want to live a greener lifestyle, but aren't quite sure how. Let's take a look at some common sense things you can do around the office to help make your workplace a bit more environmentally friendly.

Organized carpooling

Your office likely already has some people that are carpooling each and every day to work. What you may not know is that you might have dozens of other employees who would love to carpool if they only knew other employees who lived around them. Getting organized carpools going is simple. Send out a mass email to all of your employees and get a map posted with everyone's address who wants to carpool. Organize a schedule and before you know it, your employees will be saving a bundle on gas each and every day.

Recycle

If you work in an office environment, the amount of paper products you go through in a year can be mind boggling. Some offices have token recycling programs that no one really takes care of, so if you want to really make a difference each and every day, start a complete recycling program for not only paper, but also plastics and even a compost box for discarded food.

Four day work weeks

It may seem like a radical idea, but more and more companies, and even some municipalities, are switching to a four day work week. A shorter work week doesn't mean that your business is only open four days a week, it simply means that you have a partial staff on certain days. It has been shown to cut gas usage significantly and companies that have already started similar programs show a spike in moral and productivity.

Smarter office shopping

We may not realize it, but the average office uses a ton of resources. Some resources, like printer paper and envelopes we see, but other things like paper plates, cups and coffee filters, we may not take into consideration. It may cost a few extra pennies a month, but by switching to paper that is made from recycled materials and banning paper plates and cups in favor of glass or ceramic can make a much bigger impact than you think. You can even switch to unbleached, partially recycled coffee filters.

Clean smart

Since most offices are cleaned when we have all gone home for the evening, we don't think about the toxic and environmentally unfriendly cleaning products that are often used on our desks and workspaces. There are plenty of cleaning companies that give the option of using all natural cleaning products in lieu of regular ones. It may not seem like you're making a difference, but if every office environment in the country made the same switches, the results would be enormous.