Working in China often presents many challenges for foreign companies. So how difficult is conducting environmentally-friendly operations in a country that has notorious waste, pollution, and energy problems?

Not difficult at all. Managers of offices both large and small can take simple steps to "greenify"their China office and make a positive impact on China's environmental problems. Integrating green solutions into the office not only lowers costs, but it exhibits corporate responsibility,cooperation, and conscience towards growing environmental issues of concern in China.

Here are some guiding principles: recycle, reduce, re-use whenever possible; streamline use of supplies whenever possible; and, shut off power for computers, equipment when not in use.Computer: encourage electronic document storage and only use hard copies when completely necessary; and, switch off computers at night - standby still uses power.

Fax machine: use Internet fax instead of your fax machine. Saves paper, energy, and costs.
Printer: actively discourage the unnecessary printing of emails; and have a 'used' paper tray next
to printers and on desks.

Energy (equipment): unplug electronics not in use. The average computer consumes five watts of energy, just from being plugged into the wall; and, purchase new equipment with a high energy efficiency rating.

Carol Chen
is director of marketing for MyeFaxChina.com (www.myexfaxchina.com), based in Shanghai