Typical office furniture, carpets, and bad lighting make for a toxic and uncomfortable atmosphere that's unfriendly to your health and the environment. Here are some ways to green it up.

Up-cycle Natural Furniture

Exchanging a particle board desk full of toxic glues and chemicals for a solid wood desk helps both you and the environment. Search second hand furniture stores and garage sales for great deals. While you're looking for a great desk, search for a comfortable chair made of natural materials. Then donate your old desk and chair to your local thrift store or put an ad online or in your local paper for someone to take off your hands for free. An expert from Lakeshore Recycling says keeping reusable items in use rather than throwing them out can help reduce landfill waste. If your furniture is damaged beyond reuse, find a recycling service to properly dispose of it.

Add Plants

Adding common houseplants to your office can have many benefits including better air quality, keeping us connected to nature, and remembering to let in the sunlight. Some houseplants, such as the heart leaf philodendron and the spider plant are easy to grow and can actually help remove toxins from the air. Whichever houseplant you choose, make sure it is appropriate for your lighting and temperature conditions in your office. You will also need to make sure it receives the appropriate amount of water or buy a small automatic waterer.

Put Down a Rug

Covering industrial grade carpet with a natural cotton or jute rug will cut down on the toxins being released from the carpeting. Not to mention it will give your office a more approachable feel. Search thrift and second hand stores first to see if you can find one in good condition.

Shoot for Zero Waste

Recycle everything possible from paper waste to office equipment. A little research will go a long way. If your local second hand stores won't accept donations of your outdated computers, printers, and fax machines, find a nearby recycling center that will take them for free. Make sure everyone in your office is on board to sort their recyclables in their respective bins and work towards eliminating garbage bins altogether.

Greening up your office doesn't have to be expensive or feel like a chore. You might even find you save money by up-cycling furniture and computer equipment. You'll find your health and the health of everyone around you improving, which will increase productivity and cut down on sick days. By changing a few daily habits and exchanging a few pieces of furniture, you'll be on your way to saving our environment.