Working “Green”: Tips for Making Your Office Eco-friendly
Throughout the average work week we spend around one quarter of our time at the office. That means that if you’re interested in working toward a greener future for this country, your job can be an obstacle that keeps you from pursuing that goal. So why not start working for the environment while also working at your job? With just a few simple steps, some of which can actually increase productivity, you can help make the world a greener place all day, every day.
1. Recycle
It’s simple, effective, and we’ve all known about this for years. Rather than throwing your bottles, paper, and cans in the rubbish, throw them into a recycling bin. Nearly every city in the country has a recycling system that is just as convenient as the trash system, and you can arrange for them to pick it up from your office in much the same way. The only drawback is that in most places they require that you separate papers, plastics, and aluminums, but by just placing three clearly labelled bins next to each other, you can do your sorting instantly.
2. Turn the lights off in unoccupied rooms
Conference rooms, bathrooms, offices — just remember to flip the switch off on your way out. You can also install motion sensors on the light switches so that they’ll turn off automatically, though these can be inconsistent and certainly more costly than turning the switch off by hand.
3. Do away with paper, plastic, and styrofoam plates, cups, and utensils
By simply stocking your office with ceramic dishes, you can save money and the environment. Styrofoam isn’t even biodegradable, let alone recyclable, and paper plates and cups can add huge costs to your budget over the year, not to mention produce an amazing amount of waste. Besides, why drink coffee from a styrofoam cup when you can drink it from your World’s Greatest Boss Mug?
4. Stop drinking bottled water
Though you might lose the sense of personal ownership that comes with having a bottle filled with filtered water, the need is urgent. Recent reports show that the amount of plastic waste generated every year in the UK is estimated to be about 3 million tonnes, with 56% of that being from from packaging, and three-quarters is from households. Any reduce in that amount of waste would do wonders for the environment.
5. Use e-mail whenever possible
Thanks to the information age, we’re able to share ideas with each other without the use of paper. Take advantage of this. And if you’re a fan of printing out your e-mails for posterity, be sure to filter out your unwanted e-mails on the computer first.
6. Encourage working from home or energy-reducing travel
Fuel shortages have become an ever growing concern and by working from home, the UK could save millions litres of petrol every year. The UK’s Energy Saving Trust As fuel prices go up, this could not only help the environment, but help cut costs, especially once workers begin to demand fuel reimbursement be built into their salaries. If it’s impossible to work from home, encourage energy-saving travel methods like public transport, where necessary, such as buses. A more environmentally friendly option, double-decker buses can carry the same amount of people as 40 cars! They’re also up to seven times safer.