Lets face it, there is a lot of waste going on at the workplace and you and your co-workers can make the biggest impact on savings by finding ways to conserve energy at work. It does not mean you have to make a new spreadsheet or sweat any harder. So here are just a few adjustments that really go along way.

• Turn off the lights

Lighting makes up a large part of the energy costs for a company so it just makes sense to get a handle on that first. Lights generate a great deal of heat and that has to be cooled off somehow, and we all know that means crank up the AC. To counteract this vicious circle just flip the switch.

Make sure that all lights are turned off at night when everyone leaves. And during the day turn off the lights in rooms that are not being used such as conference rooms, cafeterias, or storage rooms and closets.

Outside lighting should not be on during the day, and power down any television screens around the building not being used. Motion-detectors can be installed to turn lights on or off when people come and go, this helps when you drop the ball and forget.

It will save the company considerably if the old incandescent light bulbs in the building can be changed out to fluorescent bulbs. That alone will save 50% on lighting costs and they last a heck of alot longer to, up to ten times longer.

• Go the paperless route

Do you really need to print that e-mail or letter? Maybe you can make a shortcut on your desktop or put it in some other easy to access place. Long documents and manuals can be digital, and maybe have a central community location in the office, where everybody can share them.

Any documents you can move from hard copy form will save on paper costs and are much easier to keep updated with the latest versions and information. An interesting fact according to the Clean Air Council, the average American uses 650 pounds of paper annually. That is a staggering amount of paper and energy. So think before you print.

• Flex schedule options

Traditional 8hr days and 40 hr weeks should be reconsidered. Flexible work weeks can save both the employees on commute expense and the company when the employee is not at work.

Sounds a little counterproductive but actually its quite the opposite.

A 4/40 schedule for instance leaves the workers desk computer off, and any lights or driving energy at zero for one day a week. This can definitely help the utility bills if the workload will allow to switch such a schedule.

Telecommuting and remote access to company networks are ways to empower employees to work from home. Try to incorporate all of these ways to conserve energy at work and you will be surprised how they will make a difference.