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Every week in our Eco Memo series, we offer you practical tips on how to green your work life. This week, get some hints on staying comfortable and warm during the Winter months without cranking up your office thermostat.
As the days get shorter and the temperature drops, it's tempting to crank the heat up in your office to keep you cozy. Check out some greener ways to stay warm at your desk, and give your thermostat a break. By keeping your heating use to a minimum at work, you'll shrink your carbon footprint for 40 hours a week, and that's nothing to sneeze at.
Stay Warm by Keeping a Sweater in your Workspace
Regardless of how you dress for work day in and day out, plan on keeping a bulky, cozy sweater or sweatshirt in your cubicle or office. That way, when things get chilly in the afternoon, or if a sudden and unexpected cold front hits in the middle of the week, you'll be prepared with an extra layer that will help trap your body heat, keeping you warm and comfortable so you don't have to reach for the thermostat dial. For extra credit, keep a pair of fingerless gloves in your desk drawer, too. That way you can type freely while covering the pulse points on your wrists, which helps keep your body temperature up at a comfortable level.
Stay Warm with an Insulated Thermos
Nothing takes the edge off a brisk or blustery day like wrapping your mitts around a warm cup of coffee or tea. Keep soothing, steamy potables at your fingertips all through the workday with an insulated thermos full of your brew of choice. To keep from getting over-caffeinated, try a cup of ginger tea. Ginger is believed to be a mild stimulant that gently increases blood circulation, which will help keep you warm from head to toe.
Stay Warm by Closing your Blinds or Curtains in the Afternoon
When the sun starts going down, snap those Venetians shut. Closed blinds or curtains provide extra insulation around windows, which can be some of the leakiest spots for heat in the entire building. By pulling the drapes, you'll help keep warm air in your office where it belongs, and cold air outside where it can't touch you.
Want to know what you can do to reduce your carbon footprint? Find out on Planet Green TV's Wa$ted.
