Greenpeace's top three ways to green your work life - Part I

Say goodbye to bottled water

Why would bottled water be number one on this list? It's counterintuitive, we know, but bottled water is hard on the environment in a number of ways.

Clean water is a human right, a life giving force that should be universally available and commonly owned and managed. Right now, corporations pump billions of litres of water - water that belongs to everyone - out of underground aquifers each year and sell it back to us at a profit. When you buy bottled water, you are participating in the privatization of our water supply, which is happening in a number of ways around the world.

In addition to charging money for a public resource, bottled water companies are also responsible for hundreds of millions of virgin plastic water bottles each year. According to the Earth Policy Institute, manufacturers use 1.5 million barrels of oil each year to produce plastic bottles for the U.S. bottled water market alone.

If the tap water in your community is safe to drink, say goodbye to bottled water. Carry a reusable water bottle with you and fill it up at home and on the road. One caveat:  avoid polycarbonate hard plastic bottles, which are usually labelled with a number seven. They contain the chemical bisephenol A. Environmental Defence provides more information on polycarbonate plastic and alternatives.

For more information about the issue of water privatization, visit the Council of Canadians at website at: www.canadians.org.

Go waste-free

If you've said goodbye to bottled water, you're already well on your way to reducing work-related waste.

Now let's deal with your coffee (or any hot beverage you use to get yourself through the day). Choose a reusable mug to go with your reusable water bottle and make sure your beverage is organic and fair trade.

Put the finishing touches on your green work kit with a lunch box (or the grown-up equivalent), a cloth napkin, a set of eco-chopsticks, cutlery and washable and safe food containers.

One you've got your kit together, keep it stocked and clean and take it with you every day. Remember to carry a canvass bag for impulse purchases on the way home. For extra credit, bring home organic items to compost and kick-start a monthly waste-free lunch day at work.

Get there green

The method you use to get to work each morning might be a determining factor in your daily eco-footprint. Our recommendation: if you can avoid it, don't drive. In Canada, road transportation accounts for roughly half the average person's annual five tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions and plays a large part in Canada's total contribution to global climate change.

Find alternatives to driving. Take public transportation. Many municipalities offer a monthly transit pass. Some even offer bulk rates for workplaces. If your area doesn't have comprehensive public transit, contact your representatives at every level of government and demand it! Biking is also an excellent option (just wear a helmet). You can also take an occasional taxi and, of course, walk.

If you must drive, there are many ways to reduce your impact. Some of the best: carpool, choose fuel efficient cars, avoid sports utility vehicles,  stop idling, practice fuel efficient driving,  and keep your vehicle in good condition.

For some great green driving resources, visit www.carpool.ca and www.oee.nrcan.gc.ca.

For a whole book full of green tips, check out the fabulous Greenpeace Guide. And stay tuned for part two of how to reduce your work life impacts in February.