10 tips on how to make your personal workspace more sustainable

Using natural light is one of the best ways to create a more sustainable workspace, as limiting artificial light can significantly reduce the amount of electricity you use day to day. Let natural light into your workspace and use mirrors to reflect the light and brighten your workspace.

Natural light should always be your first choice when it comes to light sources, but when not available:

• Invest in energy-efficient equipment:
  • Opt for LED lighting and appliances with high energy star ratings.
  • Choose tech like the Signature Slim Solar K980 Keyboard, which charges itself through ambient light—whether from renewable solar energy or other light sources. Say goodbye to battery replacement hassles and charging cables!
• Look at renewable energy options: Evaluate your home's energy needs and check if your utility provider offers renewable energy options.

Creating a more sustainable workspace starts with choosing more sustainable equipment, like durable furniture and tech made with recycled and low carbon materials. Consider the MX Master 4 mouse, MX Keys S keyboard, and MX Brio webcam, which all use post-consumer recycled plastic and low-carbon aluminum, and come in FSC-certified paper packaging.

You should also consider choosing products with power-efficiency modes and smart battery management to help decrease your energy-consumption, such as the MX Keys S keyboard which has smart battery management with backlit keys that adjust to the environment and turn-off when not needed.

It’s also important to consider the product packaging. Packaging designed with sustainability in mind will utilize responsibly-sourced, easily recyclable materials and avoid single-use plastic.

Looking at carbon footprint labels can help you make informed and environmentally conscious choices. Products like the POP mouse and POP Keys keyboard show the carbon footprint of the product right on the box, or the webpage if you’re shopping online.

Wireless peripherals like the Signature M650 mouse and the Signature Slim K950 keyboard reduce cable clutter and potential material waste from damaged cables while maintaining long battery life.

One of the best ways to reduce waste in your workspace is to avoid using single-use items. Everyday items like paper cups, paper towels, coffee filters, and plastic water bottles can have a significant negative impact on our environment. Swapping out single-use items for reusable products like machine-washable rags and reusable coffee cups can help you minimize your environmental impact.

We suggest powering off your devices when you’re not using them, as even in standby mode they use some electricity. This goes for almost all the electronics in your personal workspace, from computers and monitors to peripherals and other office equipment. You can use smart power strips to quickly shut off standby power of devices you don’t need at the moment. Power-saving settings can also help you reduce the amount of standby power these devices use. You can enable power-saving modes in your devices if available to optimize power consumption such as the power sleep mode of the MX Creative Console.

Peripherals with smart battery management such as the MX Mechanical keyboard can help optimize battery usage by adjusting backlighting when it’s not needed. For well-lit environments, you can manually reduce or disable keyboard backlighting to save power.

Adjusting your screen brightness can also help encourage sustainability in the workspace. Reducing screen brightness from 100% to 70%, can contribute to lower the carbon footprint of your workspace by cutting energy usage up to 20%.

The more often you replace the devices in your workspace, the less sustainable it is. Your devices can last longer when you take care of them, so following maintenance best practices is key.

Keeping your devices clean can help them continue to operate properly, but it’s important that they’re cleaned in a careful manner. Your devices should be unplugged and turned off before you begin the process, and cleaning liquids should not be put directly on them. Also, bleach, acetone, strong solvents, and abrasives should not be used to clean your devices. When cleaning a keyboard, you can use a can of compressed air to clear dirt and dust from between the keys.

Charging also matters when it comes to extending the life of your devices. Overcharging or undercharging devices can lead to premature battery damage, so it’s best to keep batteries charged to between 20% and 80%. With Logitech products, you can check the charge level of any device connected to the Logi Options+ App.

Repairing devices instead of replacing them helps reduce electronic waste and extend product lifespans. Logitech partners with iFixit, offering repair guides and spare parts for selected products to extend their life. Learn more about how to repair selected Logitech devices here.

When it’s time to get rid of old computers or peripherals, consider the recycling options available instead of just throwing them away.

• Explore trade-in programs: Some retailers offer trade-in programs, so you can dispose of your old electronics responsibly and save some money on the new electronics you’re purchasing.
• Recycle your devices: Logitech products and packaging have parts that can be recycled and used to make new items. Locate your nearest recycling center here. Recycling helps reduce waste and recover valuable resources.

Going digital can also help you create a more sustainable workspace. There are many ways to do so, here are two:

• Go paperless: Take notes and store records digitally. Print only when necessary, and consider double-sided printing to save paper.
• Reduce travel: Minimize commuting and business trips by holding virtual meetings whenever possible. By using quality tools like the MX Brio webcam for clear audio and video, digital meetings can be as effective as in-person ones.

While digital tools help reduce paper and travel, they still have an environmental impact. Every email sent, file stored, or video streamed uses energy and contributes to your digital carbon footprint.

• Be intentional: Limit unnecessary downloads, emails, and large file attachments. Only stream videos or audio when needed.
• Manage energy use: Turn off WiFi, cloud backups, or data syncing when not in use, especially at night.
• Optimize storage: Keep your digital files organized and delete what you no longer need to reduce energy used in storage and data transfer.

By using digital tools thoughtfully, you can enjoy the benefits of a paperless, connected workspace while minimizing your environmental impact.

Creating a more sustainable workspace has many facets. The tools you choose make the biggest difference. The Logitech portfolio is built with the goal to be more sustainable, inclusive, and responsible by design which means we design all our products with sustainability in mind: using lower impact materials and components, replaceable parts, less and more responsible packaging, refurbished devices, and accessible features. Together, we can make your workspace more sustainable, one conscious choice at a time. Visit the Logitech store to find more sustainable workspace solutions that meet your needs.