Many Americans are on a mission to "go green" in their personal lives – conserving energy and reducing their carbon footprint, among other efforts. As soon as they get to work, however, they leave behind this eco-friendly state of mind. If only these people were as conscientious at work as they are at home, companies could stop wasting resources and ultimately save a ton of money. Here are some simple ways to go green at the office without changing existing processes.

1.       Recycle everything you can. This includes everything from paper to plastics. Place recycle bins next to every printer and in the kitchen to make it easier for employees to follow this rule. Empty ink cartridges and toner cartridges, as well as other small office gadgets, can be recycled because they are made with high-quality materials which allows them to be reused.

2.       Reduce company waste. Do employees use disposable coffee cup every day? Do they print copies of documents unnecessarily before they're edited thereby wasting printer ink? Some people don't stop to think about how these small actions affect the environment, especially over time. Start by making small changes throughout the office; as they catch on, people will be more aware of their impact on the earth.

Implementing these two steps is an effective way to kick-off "going green" in the office. Once recycling ink cartridges and cutting back on unnecessarily generated waste becomes second nature, more environmentally friendly and increasingly cost-effective actions can be explored. Not only will these small improvements make employees feel better about their impact on Mother Nature, but business owners will revel in the company cash that is saved every month.