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A recent Newspoll phone survey of almost 400 office workers has revealed that most Australian offices are not implementing simple practices to reduce energy use, greenhouse gas emissions and landfill waste.

The survey – commissioned by stationery supplier Pilot to promote its ‘BeGreen’ pen brand – found that:

• 74 per cent of respondents say their offices always have air conditioning operating
• 14 per cent work in offices where lights are not turned off at night
• 25 per cent use recycled paper only
• 85 per cent say they unnecessarily print copies of documents rather than proofreading them on screen
• 35 per cent do not turn off their computer every night
• 20 per cent do not have bins for recycling paper in their workplace
• 50 per cent do not have a bin for recycling aluminium cans, plastic bottles and other recyclables.

‘Air conditioning is a major contributor of greenhouse gas emissions and often accounts for almost half of an office building’s energy consumption,’ said Arron Wood, environmental campaigner and the 2001 Young Australian of the Year, who is promoting the Pilot Office Audit.

‘Leaving electrical equipment like computers on all the time attributes to around 280 tonnes of greenhouse gases annually.’