There’s a major spotlight on how to make your home a greener, healthier and happier place to live in, but what about those other places in our lives where we sometimes spend just as much time - if not more? Simple changes in our office habits can help to save energy and inspire our co-workers do their part in saving the earth’s resources. Many times, these eco-friendly alterations can save time and money too. Check out the Sierra Club’s top ten ways to green up the office:

1. Energy-efficient computer use

Unnecessary computer use in the business sector wastes $1 billion in electricity per year. Start making it a habit to turn off your computer and the power strip its plugged into at the end of the workday. Setting your computer to sleep during short breaks can cut back on your energy use by 70 percent. Also, consider investing in energy-saving computers, monitors and printers, and make sure old equipment is recycled properly. Older computers that still work and are less than five years old can be donated, and possibly used as a tax deduction.

2. Print with the environment in mind

The average office worker in the US uses 10,000 sheets of paper per year. Try to use both sides of a page when printing, or recycle old faxes or scrap paper when possible. Chlorine-free paper of a lighter stock, with a higher percentage of recycled content is best. Keep away from color printing when you can, and make sure to recycle ink and toner cartridges: each remanufactured toner cartridge “keeps approximately 2.5 pounds of metal and plastic out of landfills…and conserves about a half gallon of oil,” says the Office Depot.

3. Avoid using paper when possible

Can whatever you’re about to print be read online? Employee manuals, departmental newsletters, and other similar materials can be posted online instead of distributed as a printed copy, and they’re easier to update that way as well. Also, be sure to ask to be removed from junk mail lists before tossing the unwanted catalog, magazine or newsletter.

4. Be smart about light

Artificial light accounts for 44 percent of energy use in office buildings. Turn off lights if you’re going to be out of a room for more than 15 minutes, and purchase Energy-star rated bulbs, which use 2/3 less energy than regular bulbs. You can also consider installing timers or motions sensors that automatically shut of lights when they’re not in use.

5. Revamp recycling

You’d be surprised at how much you can recycle: fax paper, junk mail, envelopes, scraps, even old cell phones, PDAs and pagers. Make it a policy to place recycle bins in high-traffic office areas, and post friendly signs illustrating what can and cannot be recycled.

6. Break the chain

Make it policy to purchase office furniture and supplies made from either recycled materials or even gently used.

7. Watch how you eat

When eating meals at work, bring your own mug and dishware, or make it policy to have reusable dishware available to employees. If you’re buying coffee or tea for the office, switch to Fair Trade and organic options, and purchase as much local and organic food as possible for company parties and other food-friendly events. Make filtered water available, rather than bottled water, in order to reduce plastic waste.

8 . Make a healthier office environment

Purchase non-toxic cleaning products, and decorate your desk with plants, which absorb indoor pollution. Be sure to purchase carpet, furniture, and paint that are free of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and won’t emit toxic chemicals.

9. Eco-friendlier work travel

Trains, buses and subways are more eco-friendly travel options for work than planes and rental cars. If you have to get a rental, try renting from agencies that offer hybrid models and other high-mileage vehicles. Consider investing in videoconferencing or other technical solutions to reduce company travel.

10. Reduce your commute

Consider carpooling, biking to work, or taking mass transit. Encourage telecommuting to the office, and make it easier for employees to use alternative means of transportation including subsidizing commuter checks, offer bike parking, or organizing an office carpool board.