Work can be a tough place to stay warm – thermostats are often off limits, windows and doors can be drafty, and temperature zones don’t always make sense to the people actually working within them. So while my office is always toasty, my co-workers next door are always cold, regardless how high we set the thermometer.

Since most people aren’t able to control the temperature of their work environments, I’ve put together a list of clothes and cold-weather goods that you can use to keep toasty while dreaming of sandy beaches and flip flops as you work.

Keep Warm at Work With…

Hot Drinks for Cold Days – What better way to warm up your day than with a hot cup of coffee, tea or cocoa – especially Fair Trade, Organic, or locally produced brands. Make an effort this year to stick to your eco-habits at home and at work by keeping environmentally friendly drinks in your desk to warm you up on those chilly winter afternoons. Personally, I like the Organic and Fair Trade teas from Portsmouth-based White Heron Tea. White Heron Tea offers 16 kinds of tea that meet both Organic and Fair Trade Certified standards. In addition to their Fair Trade tea selection, White Heron Tea sells a variety of Organic teas that include Chai, Jasmine, Pu-erh, and White Teas (among others). You can purchase White Heron Tea in shops around Portsmouth, NH, or via the company’s website.

Cool Mugs for Hot Drinks – Once you’ve procured your Organically-grown, Fair Trade brews, you’ll need a mug to match. These $20 travel mugs from I’m Organic are made from corn and oatmeal (not plastic), and printed with vegetable-based inks. The mugs are 100% biodegradable, and will actually break down in 2 months if tossed into a functional compost pile. I’m Organic sells mugs with 3 different pictures on front, including one that says, Kiss Me – I’m Organic. If you’re looking for a more traditional vessel from which to drink your tea, you might like this Eco Tea Mug (shown at left) from Art of Tea. Made from 100% renewable corn plastic, this stylish mug is microwave-safe, manufactured in the US, and can be purchased for the bargain price of $4.95.

Warm Your Space with Portable Heaters – If hot drinks don’t keep you toasty enough over the course of your workday, you might consider bringing in a portable space heater to achieve a comfortable temperature while on the job. If you don’t need to heat a large space, the Honeywell QuickHeat Low Profile Convection Heater (HZ-617) may be an ideal heater for you. This $90 convection heater comes with an adjustable thermostat so you can maintain a consistent temperature. The HZ-617 has 2 heating options from which to choose – turn on the Quick Heat source for a blast of hot air, or use the natural convection heater to maintain a consistent temperature over time.

When All Else Fails Put on a Sweater – If you’ve tried hot drinks and space heaters to stay warm at work, but you’re still chilly, you can always layer up and apply Jimmy Carter’s words of wisdom by putting on a sweater. Made from 100% certified organic hemp, the Rainbow Hooded Sweater (shown at right) from Rawganique retails for $78-$84 and designed to suite both men and women. If you don’t have the cash for a new sweater, you can always just wear the ones you already own – regardless of how the fabrics they’re made of were sourced. You don’t always need to buy new eco-friendly items if you already own perfectly good products. Buying used sweaters is another affordable way to reduce the demand for new products and reuse those that already exist.

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This entry was posted on Monday, February 23rd, 2009 at 8:00 am and is filed under Green Buying, Green Goods, Mainstream and Green, Organic Food. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.