With increasing business and energy expenses it is easy to question whether we can justify the choices we make for protecting the environment. The good news is that you do not need to choose between your bank account and the environment. There are several easy steps you can take that will help you to save money and reduce your environmental footprint.

The first step of a “green” strategy is to evaluate how your activities impact the environment.

1. Can you recycle everything that cannot be reused?
2. Are your new purchases recyclable?
3. Are you able to move to a paperless environment?
4. How do you dispose of used batteries, old computer equipment, ink cartridges, paper, etc?
5. How can you reduce energy consumption?

You can save money and electricity by adopting a few energy saving strategies in your law office.

• Consider using laptop computers, laptops use 50 per cent less power than desktop computers
• Look for the ENERGY STAR® label
• Specify 80 PLUS power supply when ordering computers
• Turn off computer equipment, lights and photocopiers during off-hours
• Use software to automatically power off workstations

Please consult the links below to learn more about energy efficiency and reusing and recycling products.

• Energy Efficiency
• Environmentally Friendly Products
• Recycling Resources in British Columbia

CBA PracticeLink
Greening Your Law Firm: A Practical Guide to Creating an Environment-Friendly Law Office
Many forward-thinking lawyers want to know how they can reduce their ecological footprint, beyond using a recyle bin. This practical guide will help you on your way to greening your practice, from getting partners and staff onside to easy tips, suggestions and a checklist for implementing environmentally sustainable policies and practices for your law firm.

Tips for a Greener Conference

• Use email and a conference website to promote the event.
• Use online conference and hotel registration.
• Publish conference materials on a website.
• Ask the venue to provide recycling stations.
• Choose hotels that are in walking distance of the event.
• Provide bulk water instead of bottled water.
• Order banquet meals from a 100-mile menu.
• Choose eco-friendly delegate gifts and name tag holders.
• Turn off lights and shut down equipment when not needed.

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