The views of this article are the perspective of the author and may not be reflective of Confessions of the Professions.
Going Green At The Office
Things have changed a lot in the past few years. We have turned from a society blissfully unaware of our environment to one which is increasingly doing more to go green.
Our respect for the environment and the planet’s vital resources can be seen across a number of industries. For example, more car manufacturers continue to release improved electric powered models and recently in England a 5p charge was introduced for plastic bags in shops.
In fact, according to the Guardian, plastic bag usage dropped a staggering 85% once the 5p rule was introduced.
One place in which we could potentially always do more is the workplace. People tend not to recycle and adopt greener routines at work because, in short, they see it as extra effort.
However, it really doesn’t have to be. The guys at Reds Skip Hire have put together a really handy infographic which shows that you can turn any office into a green workplace with a few simple tweaks. Titled ‘21 Ways To Go Green At The Office’, the infographic has a number of actionable tips which not only ensure your office will be greener after you take a few on board, in many cases you’ll also save a good amount of money too.
The tips include printing guidance, kitchen supply advice, suggested cleaning products and electrical recycling among many others. Take a look for yourself below and see what you could change in your office.
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21 WAYS TO GO GREEN AT THE OFFICE
Going green is good for business and good for the environment.
Despite what many assume, implementing go green ideas and practices doesn’t have to mean spending lots of money and can even help to save a business money.
TO GET YOU STARTED, HERE’S 21 WAYS TO GO GREEN AT THE OFFICE.
1. ONLY PRINT WHEN ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY
Despite many companies reminding us to stop and think before printing in their email footer, many still don’t. Before you press print, ask yourself whether it’s really necessary.
2. USE FILE-SHARING OVER PRINTOUTS
A great way to reduce the need to print is to use file-sharing platforms such as Dropbox or Google Drive. This way, collaboration is easy without the need for physical copies.
3. SET UP A PRINTER-FRIENDLY EMAIL SIGNATURE
Similarly, ensure you’re encouraging others to think twice about printing emails by having your own signature which reads something like: Please consider the environment before printing this email.
4. USE DOUBLE-SIDED PRINTING
Use double-sided printing as the default setting on the office printer to save on paper.
5. CHOOSE ECO-FRIENDLY OFFICE SUPPLIES
Make the right decision and purchase green versions of your most commonly used office supplies such as paper, toner, and ink. It’s all about making small changes which, combined, can have a significant impact.
6. USE ECO-FRIENDLY CLEANING SUPPLIES
Always check that any cleaning supplies used in your office are both eco-friendly and non-hazardous.
7. TURN LIGHTS & ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT OFF AT NIGHT
It might seem simple but you’d be surprised how many offices don’t turn off their lights and electrical equipment at night.
8. LIGHT THE OFFICE WITH DAYLIGHT WHENEVER POSSIBLE
Again, it might seem simple but remember that you usually DON’T NEED to have the lights on in the office in the middle of summer.
9. RECYCLE OLD ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
Computer seen it’s last days? Rather than simply throw it away, look into your options for recycling and keeping such items away from landfill.
10. USE NON-DISPOSABLE KITCHEN SUPPLIES
Rather than relying on paper or plastic cups for at-the-desk drinks, go for the non-disposable options and simply draw up a washing up rota.
11. ENCOURAGE RECYCLING IN THE OFFICE
Make sure employees are recycling drink cans, bottles, and paper and not throwing them in the bin. Make it easy by setting up a simple recycling station.
12. DON’T HEAT AN EMPTY OFFICE
If you’ve got the office central heating set on a timer, make sure you’re not heating an empty office in the evenings or on the weekend.
13. ENCOURAGE CYCLING TO WORK
Encourage employees to cycle to work by offering the Cycle-To-Work scheme as well as providing facilities such as lockers, bike racks, and showers (if possible).
14. ENCOURAGE CAR POOLS
Do your best to encourage employees to carpool to work. This will both save each individual petrol money as well as reducing emissions.
15. CHOOSE LED LIGHTING
Replace inefficient, high energy light bulbs with LED lighting. Not only is it a nicer light to work under but you’ll save energy and need to replace bulbs less frequently.
16. INTRODUCE A SCRAP PAPER BOX
Encourage staff members to use scraps of paper for internal notes and jottings by giving each a scrap paper box.
Indoor plants act as filters that suck up all the pollutants created by your computer equipment while also cooling the air in your office.
18. GO GREEN AT LUNCHTIME
Bringing food prepared at home cuts down on the tremendous amounts of waste and packaging that takeaways and sandwich shops produce daily. Lunch brought from home also tends to be healthier, have a better serving size, and is a better value.
19. TAKE THE STAIRS
Make the right decision and take the stairs up and down teh building rather than using the lift. Health and energy efficient.
20. USE VIDEO CONFERENCING WITH REMOTE COLLEAGUES
Rather than meeting face to face with remote colleagues, use free video conferencing facilities such as Skype.
21. REMOVE YOURSELF FROM CATALOG MAIL-OUTS
Many supplies still mail out physical copies of catalogs, however, these are often ignored. Unless you really need it, request that you are removed from such mailouts.
![21 Ways To Go Green At The Office [Infographic]](https://cdn.confessionsoftheprofessions.com/infographics/21-ways-to-go-green-at-the-office-infographic.jpg)
