4 Great Eco-friendly Office Gadgets

4 Great Eco-friendly Office Gadgets
Going green may seem overwhelming at times, but there are numerous options that offices can employ to reduce their carbon footprints and to utilize environmentally friendly gadgets while not sacrificing work quality. Technology is constantly improving, especially in the area of energy and resource efficiency. Eco-friendly gadgets of all types abound, and the following four great, green office gadgets will help businesspeople conduct business in an efficient and environmentally friendly way.


Hand-Powered Paper Shredder

cc licensed flickr photo shared by Sh4rp_i

Shredding once-important documents with sensitive information for disposal is a common practice in most offices, but using electric shredders can consume quite a bit of electricity. The Hand-Powered Paper Shredder offered by uncommongoods.com allows the employee to shred up to three documents at once without using any electricity. All a person has to do is to twist two end caps in the opposite direction in order to shred the documents as thoroughly as would an electric counterpart. This handy hand-powered shredder also allows its users to burn off some of that built-up office stress while working the end caps, leading to less tension in the workplace.

USB Cell Batteries
The use of built-in rechargeable battery cells has long been on the rise, but disposable batteries are still used in numerous office devices like mice, remotes, etc. Disposing of these batteries is environmentally unfriendly at the best of times, and most people simply throw the dead batteries in the garbage can. Fortunately, USBCell has released batteries that users can simply recharge over and over again using any USB port on a computer or charging station. Instead of throwing away dozens of batteries a year and leaving them to drip harmful, acidic chemicals into groundwater supplies, office workers can now simply recharge their wireless mouse or remote batteries when they get low.

Cables Unlimited Eco-Friendly Battery-Free USB Wireless Optical Mouse
Speaking of wireless mouse batteries, Cables has released a wireless mouse that receives it operating power directly from its mouse pad. The wired mouse pad plugs into a USB port, but the mouse itself is wireless and battery-free. The mouse works using RFID technology and features all of the buttons to which people have become accustomed to on their mice. Users can enjoy the freedom of a wireless mouse without having to constantly replace or recharge batteries for use in said mouse, helping the environment along the way.

EcoStapler
The stapler has long been an office staple, anchoring desk corners and attaching papers to one another for decades. Few people question the efficiency of staplers, and few people view thin, metal staples as a grave environmental threat. While staples themselves are unlikely to be responsible for overflowing landfills, using fewer staples will save on metal in the long run. The EcoStapler uses a folding technique to affix up to three sheets of paper together, reducing the need for staples and paper clips. This stapler is small and cheap, costing roughly the same in space and money as does a normal, metal-using stapler.
There are numerous other eco-friendly office gadgets out there; larger office equipment like computers and copiers are also often available in more economical designs. Employers and employees alike can investigate these and other alternative green equipment choices that can be used to help offices run more efficiently and in a more environmentally friendly way. Numerous office supplies are made of recycled materials, and many electronic devices use new technology to consume less energy than ever. The future is bright for eco-friendly office supplies; these four great examples represent only a small sample size of the numerous possibilities available to energy-conscious business people.


Hugh Rounder is an sustainable business executive director and guest author at Business MBA, where he contributed the guide to the Top 10 Best MBA Programs in Sustainable Business

Why User Generated Content is Putting Your Website at Risk

Why User Generated Content is Putting Your Website at Risk
Many companies are enlisting the help of user generated content for their websites, social media accounts or blogs. User generated content refers to content that is contributed by website users and not admin of the site. 

Wikipedia is a great example of a site that completely utilizes user generated content, and travel review sites such as TripAdvisor are a good example of sites that use partial user generated content.

Most companies are using this tactic because of its many advantages. User generated content is ensures volume, and if the content is quality, it can help improve a website's search engine optimization. But along with its advantages, there are a few disadvantages of using user generated content on your site, and it's important to know what they are before using it for your site.

1. You don't have much control over the content.
It's a good idea to put a user agreement and guidelines on your site, but it won't keep people from posting whatever they want. While you can do your best to monitor what is being said and remove any profanity or inappropriate content, you still don't have control over what will be said.

For example, you may allow user generated content on your site in hopes that your users will rant and rave about your products or share news about your industry, but it could end up becoming a hub for users to complain about your industry or your products, which will completely deter your efforts.

You also have to take the word of your users. Chances are you're not going to spend the time verifying that everything users are saying on your site is true, and if someone posts a large amount of false information, it could end up severely hurting your brand.

2. It requires massive database creation.
User generated content works best when it's for your own website, social account or blog. This means that you will need to either update your existing database or have one created that allows users to post content to your site.

This will require the skill of a programmer. Not only is the creation of the database time consuming, but it can also be extremely pricey, especially if a programmer is starting from scratch. Before you decide to use user generated content, you should first decide if revamping your site is within your marketing budget.

3. Your brand will be associated with the content.
Even though the content is coming from someone else, if it is sitting on your website, other website visitors will associate this content with your brand. If a user shares their opinion on your site, other users will see the opinion and connect it with your brand. Even if you do a great job reminding users that information on the site does not reflect your company's personal beliefs, it won't stop others from associating the two.

4. There's a bigger chance of vial mishaps.
When you put an everyday person in charge of your content, you have a bigger chance of having a major viral mishap arise. It's easy for a user to post the wrong comment, video or image to your site, and once it's posted, it is available for all to see—that is, until you are made aware of it and can take it down yourself, but by that time, it will have already spread. If one of your users accidentally uploaded a picture of him from his bachelor party instead of that infographic he wanted to share, your website will be gaining a great deal of traffic, but not for the right reasons.

Just like every other marketing tactic, user generated content has its pros and its cons. It's important for you to have a thorough understanding of the disadvantages and decide whether or not they're worth the risk.

Caleb Grant writes articles about marketing and user generated content for review trackers.

5 Reasons To Call A Professional Electrician

5 Reasons To Call A Professional Electrician
Performing repairs to the electrical wiring in a home or in an appliance is a task that is best left to a professional electrician. The wiring might seem very simple when it is first examined. The reality is that there are several areas where improper wiring can cause immediate problems and dangers in the future.

There are several reasons why a professional should be called in order to perform electrical repairs in the home.

Building Codes

Cities and states often issue a number of different building codes that must be followed when performing new construction. These same codes need to be followed when making repairs on existing structures. Some of these guidelines might seem obvious. Certain rules are much more arcane and are intended to prevent problems that only a professional electrician would understand. Hiring a professional is one way to ensure that a home is following all of the necessary building codes in the area.

Increased Safety

Electricity is dangerous to work with. Even a system with no power could be hazardous in certain situations. Professionals who work with electrical systems each day have the experience and training that is necessary to prevent serious personal injuries. These individuals will also have all of the necessary tools that are needed to ensure that the wiring, appliance or fixture is operating within safe guidelines. This can prevent problems that a do-it-yourself repair could cause in the future such as a spark that triggers a fire inside of a wall.

Better Efficiency

A professional electrician is equipped with the most current knowledge possible. This can help to make repairs to a home more efficient through better tools, practices and supplies. A trained professional is also aware of the newest technologies that are available. Installing new technology on appliances or in the walls of a home could decrease overall energy usage. Additionally, it might help to reduce any harmful emissions that could be coming from an outdated electrical system.

Guaranteed Work

There are very few options available if a homeowner fails to successfully repair an electrical problem in the home. The repaired area could be very dangerous and a professional will need to be contacted to fix the problem safely. Most successful electricians provide homeowners with a guarantee that covers the work that was done for a certain period of time. This means that problems that could arise from a conflict with a previous non-standard installation can be repaired very quickly by the same worker. It also means that any simple mistakes that were made can be repaired. This type of guaranteed work is one sign of a professional contractor.

Save Money
Calling a professional to perform a repair is actually much more cost-effective over time than attempting to constantly patch existing problems. New wiring or parts that are installed correctly will outlast do-it-yourself installations done by homeowners that have no knowledge of electrical repairs. Proper electrical repairs can also extend the life of appliances and fixtures in the home so that they will be able to last for years into the future.


This post is brought to you on behalf of Mr. Electric of Ottawa, your expert electrical contractors offering professional repairs, installation and upgrades of electrical systems. http://ottawa.mrelectric.com

Facebook Gets Involved in Organ Donation

The always-entrepreneurial creator of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, is widening the reach and use of Facebook even more with his latest change to the giant of social networking sites. Just when you thought Facebook was a place to simply connect with friends and look up businesses to find items like CJ Pony Parts mustang seats, he switches it up.

The latest change to Facebook is the addition of a new section of your page, which will be titled “Health & Wellness.” 

In this section, you’ll see the option to add your decision to become an official organ donor.

How Does This Work?
Once you’ve decided to not only be an organ donor but also share your decision with your fellow Facebook friends and family, you’ll be able to check the donor option and then provide in your own words why you are choosing to be an organ donor and what it means to you, if you decide to do so.

Does this Mean I Am a Legal, Official Organ Donor?
Actually, no. Facebook is obviously a public forum where you can express more than just your interest in things like parts to fix your CJ Pony Mustang. However, simply declaring your desire to be an organ donor on this social site doesn’t guarantee you are a registered, official donor.

If you are interested in becoming a legal donor via the National Donor Registry, a link to this site will be provided for you on Facebook. Clicking on this link will take you to the official donor registry page where you can sign up to be an organ donor in more than just pledge alone. Another simple way to become an organ donor is through the DMV when you sign up or renew your driver’s license.

What’s the Purpose? Is Facebook Finding Donors for Patients?
No, Facebook isn’t providing that type of service. It looks like Zuckerberg simply wants people to share their own important decision about becoming an organ donor, in hopes it will bring attention to the cause. According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, there are 114,000 plus people waiting for an organ right now.

Facebook has a massive reach and varied demographic, and it’s clearly already been known to be a great marketing tool. Since the organ donor tool has started on Facebook, over 100,000 Facebook users have expressed desire to register to be an organ donor or have already done so. This is a prime example of using the Internet in a meaningful way, which seems to be what Zuckerberg hopes to accomplish.

The Power of Facebook
Since young people account for most of Facebook’s one billion users, it makes sense to reach out to those people who might not have organ donation on the brain. Also, if someone sees their friend has pledged to be an organ donor, it might spur a line of thinking that wasn’t there before.
Since organs are always in need, it simply makes sense to use this type of powerful marketing tool to do some good in the world instead of just post photos and update statuses!

Shane, a guest blogger, regularly writes about Facebook advertising and marketing, including how to use social media to promote CJ Pony Parts mustang seats.