According to the guide Greening Your Office, by John Clift and Amanda Cuthbert, using an air conditioning unit adds an average of 50 percent to your annual electricity bill.
Here are some ways to reduce your need for air conditioning:
• Reduce internal heat sources. If you change your light bulbs to compact fluorescents, you’ll reduce the amount of heat they emit, which will help lower the temperature in your office.

Consider buying your work clothes from a resale shop, says treehugger.com. Just think: You'll probably find some great deals, and then you'll have extra money to treat yourself to something nice.
Or: Invite a bunch of friends over and have a clothing swap. It'll give you an excuse to socialize, and you'll all walk away with a new wardrobe.
And if you buy new, look for opportunities to buy clothes made from organic or recycled fibers. The best way to deal with dry cleaning is to avoid it, and buy clothes that don’t require it. If you can’t avoid it, look for a “green” dry cleaner.

Who says saving the world has to happen on your own time?

Meet the Green Team at the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund (www.theloanfund.org), a nonprofit that helps low-income people gain long-term economic stability: Its Green Team members have helped bring about a lot of changes at work, both big and small. Here are just a few of their recent victories:

* Employees recycle.

* They print on double-sided paper when possible

* The organization’s outside lighting is on a timer.

* Copiers shut down between 5 p.m. and 7 a.m.

The New Hampshire National Guard held an Earth Day event at the State Military
Reservation in Concord on April 22.

The folks who hosted the event were nice enough to send us this photo, and some details about the event:

• Recycle office paper, newspapers, beverage containers, electronic equipment, batteries and used printer cartridges.
• Collect paper that’s been used on one side and use for taking notes. Use a clipboard to hold it in place.
• Try to see to it that everyone has a small recycling bin, to make recycling easier.
• Try to use biodegradable soaps and recycled paper or cloth towels in the bathroom and kitchen.
• Ask your employer to consider donating used equipment to schools or other organizations instead of throwing it away.