Workshop: How to Make Your Office Equipment Greener

Office technologies – think computers, monitors, printers, external hard drives and copiers – are among the fastest-growing energy sappers at U.S. businesses, according to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. And that’s just a piece of their carbon footprint: What happens to all that bulky equipment after a business gets rid of it? And what about the huge data centers that support the information technology?

Minnesota Waste Wise, the nonprofit that oversees Energy Smart, is hosting a workshop on Jan. 26 to help businesses make eco-conscious decisions when it comes to their electronics and information-technology systems. The workshop – “Green Electronics/IT” -- will be at 400 North Robert St., Suite 1500, in St. Paul, from 8:45 a.m to noon. Registration is $20 for Minnesota Waste Wise members and $30 for non-members. Coffee and pastries will be served.

Speakers will address how businesses can find and purchase electronics made with eco-friendly materials and in sustainable ways, easy steps for reducing the energy consumption of these technologies, and the array of options for recycling or reusing them once the business no longer needs them. The event will also explore the environmental toll of data centers, and answer any questions from attendees.

Read the full agenda and register for the event here.