8 Ways Real Estate Appraisers Can Go Green

Image by Ria Dis

Earth day celebrated its 40th anniversary last week.  In its honor, REbliss has put together a list of 8 things real estate appraisers can do to go green.

1) Go Paperless

a) Convert web pages to PDFs and store them digitally instead of printing.  You can use PDFmyURL to convert web pages to PDFs in one click.  There are also several Google Chrome extensions (Web2PDF and html2pdf) that will convert web pages into PDF documents.  There are also free programs available for creating PDF documents like CutePDF Writer.

b) Export your MLS data as PDF or excel documents instead of printing.  Many MLS services have the option to export your search results in several different formats.

c) Do you still use a fax machine?  Faxes can be both sent and received online.  You can forward your fax number to a service like eFax.  eFax will deliver your faxes to your email as a PDF document so you can store them digitally and not have to print them.

d) Does your appraisal company have documents each employee needs access to like a company manual?  Consider storing them on on a network for everyone to view online.

e) Buy an external hard drive to store your appraisal files digitally instead of keeping a hard copy.  You can use a product like Pogoplug to access your data remotely when out of the office.  You can also store your appraisal files in the cloud.  Here is a list of 10 free websites you can use to backup your appraisal files.

2) Use Recycled Paper and Remanufactured Ink and Toner Cartridges

There will always be something you have to print.  If you must print, use remanufactured toners and recycled paper. Business cards can also be made out of recycled materials.

3) Turn off your office equipment and lights at night

You can save energy and money by switching off your computers, printers, and lights at night.  During the day, be sure to turn off lights when you leave a room.  You can even set your monitor to power off rather than use a screensaver.

4) Recycle old computer equipment instead of throwing it away

Best Buy will recycle your electronic equipment no matter where you bought it.

And we’ll take just about anything electronic, including TVs, DVD players, computer monitors, audio and video cables, cell phones, and more. Most things are recycled absolutely free, with a few restrictions.

Staples also has a recycle program.

5) Use glass or ceramic coffee mugs instead of paper or plastic

Do you make coffee or tea in the office?  Use glass or ceramic mugs to help reduce waste.

6) Replace halogen lamps with compact fluorescent bulbs

Fluorescent light bulbs use approximately 75% less energy than traditional bulbs and last about 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs.

7) Recycle

Set up a recycle station in your office to collect trash, paper, and plastic.

8) Raise the A/C

You can save on energy costs by raising your air conditioner by just one degree.

Now go tell everyone about it!

Going green not only helps the environment and saves money, but can be used as leverage with current and potential clients.  Would going green help you gain your clients trust?

Do you have any tips to help real estate appraisers go green?

If you liked this article, you might also like:

1. 7 Ways Real Estate Appraisers Can Use Evernote
2. Convert a Web Page to a PDF With One Click [Paperless Office]
3. 7 Last Minute Gift Ideas for Real Estate Appraisers
4. 10 Free Websites to Backup Your Appraisal Files

Tagged as: Cloud, Earth Day, Going Green, Paperless Office