How freelance writers can go green

It's time for all of us to do our part to help the environment. Being "green" or environmentally friendly is not only for naturalists or those "nutty earth people." As a freelance writer, I want to do my part. Following are four green tips for freelance writers that are relatively easy to follow.

It's the little efforts that we all put forth that will help Mother Earth. If you're a freelance writer who is or wants to be environmentally conscious, this is for you.

1. Recycle Electronics. Did you know that electronics equipment is one of the fastest growing segments of our nation's waste? It's called e-waste, and consists of popular electronics we all use, eg, copy machines, fax machines, computers, televisions, etc.

All of this can be recycled, reused and/or refurbished. To learn more, visit epa.gov and look for information on recycling. They have info on where to donate your old equipment, links to local organizations that participate in e-waste programs and a general FAQ section about recycling electronics. If you're in California, an excellent site to visit is erecycle.org.

2. Go to a Paperless Office. I've had a paperless office for years. It had nothing to do with being green, just being practical. It turns out though that it's one of the best moves I could have made to help the environment.

Creating a paperless offices is easier than you might think. In 2001 when I lived in NY, I moved my business from an office space into my one-bedroom apartment. As space was limited, I wanted to eliminate the need for a file cabinet. So, I started scanning and storing files electronically. I used email as much as possible instead of a fax machine and I only printed when it was absolutely necessary.

As I ran a staffing agency at the time, I had to keep all kinds of document son file, so you'd think it would have been difficult. I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to go - and remain - a paperless office.

3. Unplug Equipment. The carpenter on HGTV, Carter Osterhouse, said in one of his commercials about going green that appliances use as much as 40% of their energy when they are plugged in, even if they're turned off.

So, in addition to logging off, unplug your office equipment at the end of each day. While it may seem to be inconvenient to constantly plug and unplug it, think of the huge savings to the environment - we all share this planet. It's time for us to contribute even though it may be just a tad inconvenient.

Osterhouse also reminded us that we should routinely unplugged all appliances around the house when they're not in use, eg, the coffeemaker, toaster, microwave, etc.

4. Use Recycled Paper. Using recycled paper should become the norm. It's easy to find and does so much for the environment.

Consider this: Some experts say that recycling one ton of newspaper saves about 4,000 KWh of electricity. This amount of electricity can provide power to a 3-bedroom European house for a whole year, and/or enough energy to heat and air-condition the average North American home for almost six months. [Source: Wikipedia.com (look for entries on paper recycling)]

When you buy recycled paper, purchase the brand that has the highest recycled content as possible. For a product to carry the recycle logo, it has to meet federal standards which mandate that it be at least 30% pre-consumer content.

Going Green Adds Up

There are just a few green tips for freelance writers. With a little thought, I'm sure you could come up with many more. And, while a few of these may seem nominal, they add up.

Green tips for freelance writers are easy to follow, if being environmentally friendly is important to you.

Yuwanda Black is a freelance writer and the author of How to Make $250+/Day Writing Simple, 500-Word Articles found here. Ms. Black says, "You can work from home as a freelance writer in your PJs, getting assignments via the internet. I do it every day. All you need is a computer and an internet connection to get started." Click here for more green tips for freelance writers.

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