Currently it is running the Small Change campaign for small and medium-sized enterprises and the Action at Work campaign for large companies.

Joanne Treacy, environmental scientist with Race Against Waste, says she is seeing many employers looking for advice because their employees want environmentally friendly practices at work.

"People are recycling at home and wondering why they can't do the same at work, " Treacy says. "We show employees and employers how it can be done. We go through everything with them, from assessing their waste to showing them how to check if a waste contractor is legitimate. We help them develop a recycling infrastructure and culture at work."

What you can do "Probably one of the main ways workers can make an environmental difference is changing how they get to work, " says Antonia Shields, marketing manager of Sustainable Energy Ireland.

"Employees could car pool or take public transport instead of driving to work every day. Ideally, employees should walk to work, but this isn't always feasible."

To cut energy consumption, employees should ensure they switch off all equipment, such as their computer monitors, when not in use. Lighting and heating should not be overused and employees should report if they feel the office environment is hotter than it should be or if more lights are used than necessary.

Other appliances such as photocopiers, kettles and toasters should be switched off when not in use. "The last employee to leave the office in the evening should ensure that all printers, electrical equipment and lights are switched off, " says Shields.

Paper trails can be cut if employees only print what they need and use both sides of the paper. "If people print out pages they don't need, they should use the other side as fax or note paper, " she says.

"Recycling bins should also be dotted around the office, with easy access from employees' desks."