Women at work and their tips, challenges, advice, complaints, and experiences

Has your family already made changes that you found beneficial both to the environment and your wallet or your health?  Are you looking for more ways to help on any aspect of the issue?

As promised yesterday, here's the second installment of easy steps anyone can take to make things a little greener in the office or at home.  Better yet, you may even see more green in your wallets.  Let me know what's already working for you or what you're game to try.  Remember, baby steps are all it takes, and with the number of companies marketing to women these days, we Workerettes have a lot of buying power!

1. In charge of any office renovations?  Request that motion sensors be installed in less-used spaces such as restrooms, utility closets, and storage areas.  Why have the lights on if nobody's "home"?  Motion sensors will mean you don't have to nag employees to turn off the switch when they are done in an area as well.
2. Need to buy office supplies, groceries, or other products?  Consider ordering online and having it delivered right to your door, rather than running from store to store.  Your order will be delivered along a route that's being run anyway, and many companies offer free delivery.  Not over the minimum amount for freebie delivery?  Touch base with neighbors, friends, or colleagues in your office building and everyone can do a bulk order...less gas and time spent for you all!
3. Not willing to let the stores do the choosing of your tomatoes?  Have the urge to go wander the aisles to see what green office supplies are available?  Carpool with a friend or two on that run to your local Staples, Costco, or grocery store.  You're still keeping at least one vehicle off the road, and if you buy something heavy, well, you've got a helper!
4. Cut electrical use in the home by making sure your freezer is full.  More frozen items in the freezer means less work for it to stay cold.  If you invested in an extra freezer but don't have it fully stocked, place water bottles in the freezer for now.  (Remember, don't fill them to the top as the water will expand when it freezes - take them to about 3/4 full, then freeze.)
5. Here's the easy one for tonight: remember the full freezer above?  Cooking bulk meals is a great way to fill it, you'll be able to make healthy meals ahead, and you'll make the most of the oven already being on.  More effective use of your time, money and the resources your stove uses, right?  Not if you don't let the portions you plan to freeze cool down!  Make sure your leftovers or advance-made meals are cooled adequately before you pop 'em in the freezer and you won't force the fridge or freezer to work harder to cool hot foods.  Look!  It's a two-for-one EASY environmentalism whammy!