25
May, 2021

More Simple Steps to Make Your Office Eco-Friendly

We might be making some minor changes in our everyday lives to be more eco-friendly, but we cannot just turn a blind eye to the damage that offices are inflicting on the environment. So, below you will find some simple steps that can help your business to be more sustainable.

#1. Encourage Employees to Change Their Commute

Car, Traffic, Man, Hurry

Suppose there are 150 employees in a company. Now, imagine the significant amount of greenhouse gases that are released into the atmosphere when all these employees drive their vehicles to the office.

As a responsible employer, you can provide some great incentives to encourage your workers to either carpool, walk, ride their bikes or take public transit instead. For example, why don’t you organize a contest out of commuting and offer monthly rewards such as a cash prize for the employee who uses public transportation the most? And, trust me, this small change will have a certain impact on the environment.

#2. Adapt Your Dress Code

Meeting, Team, Workplace, Group

What does the office dress code have to do with the environment?

Let me explain: Wearing a suit with a shirt, a jacket and a tie during a scorching summer is not only uncomfortable and unpleasant, but it is also not very sustainable as you would most probably out on the AC.

This is why it is recommended for the management to be more flexible on the dress code and allow the employees to adopt a more climate-adapted dress code.

#3. Telecommuting: It’s Green and Better for You

Woman, Laptop, Office, Workspace

I think we have heard it enough, but teleworking is good! (Besides, with the current Covid-19 pandemic, I don’t think we have any other choice)

Teleworking, also known as telecommuting, is when employees work from home, using their internet, emails and telephones. And, this process has several advantages, including:

  • Reduce real estate costs
  • Decrease employee recruitment and training costs
  • Lowers personal costs
  • Saves times
  • Allows a better management of private life also
  • And, the most important one is that it benefits the environment (it avoids moving and fewer cars on the highway means a safer and healthier environment).

#4. Try Team-Building Events

Team Building - Ashorne Hill

When it comes to team-building events, there are more than just going to a lush restaurant and having a nice meal with colleagues. Instead, you can opt for these ideas:

  • Organize a tree-planting event
  • Have fun with environmentally theme board games
  • Organize a minimal waste competition
  • Litter picking activity
  • Outdoor activities

#5. Create Monthly “Green Challenges”

What Is Rewilding? Here's How It Can Help Sustainable Tourism | The Dope

“Monthly team challenges can be a fun way of combining competition and going green.”

-Andrew McCrea, a green team community events chair at Weber Shandwick

An interesting method to reduce waste in a fun way and to bring your teams together to participate in the sustainable activities is to make use of challenges. And, nothing motivates employees like an enticing prize.

Here are exciting eco-friendly challenges that you can try out:

  • Who will print the least in one month?
  • Which team can spend a month without using any plastic eating utensils?
  • Which department can recycle the most in one month?

Now, the winners of these challenges can be rewarded with a free dinner at a restaurant of their choosing, coffee gift cards, an extra day of paid time off, or a week’s worth of free lunches (believe me, this will surely attract all the foodies in the office). That sounds really great, isn’t it?

#6. Invest in a Bottleless Water Dispenser

Best Water Dispenser for Your Office or Home Use | Archute

Nowadays, many smart water coolers are available on the market that can help you to significantly lower the need for plastic bottles or cans in the office.

#7. Use Microfiber Cloths Instead of Paper Towels

Blue, Cleaning, Cloth, Kevlar, Lens, Microfiber

Tell me honestly, what is the go-to method for cleaning up a chili spill? I would say a few paper towels. They are quick, convenient and inexpensive. However, did you know that paper towels represent a big waste of forest resources?

So, it is better to opt for some eco-friendly alternatives such as some microfiber cleaning cloths.

Remember that every change you are implementing in your organization, it will benefit not only the environment but also your company. If you have some more green suggestions, why don’t you share them with us in the comment section below?

 

23
May, 2021

Simple Steps to Make Your Office More Eco-Friendly

Nowadays, many companies are focusing on corporate social responsibility and investing in green practices. If you also want to become a responsible business owner and make your office more environmentally friendly, this article will be of great help to you.

#1. Create a “Green Team”

Norco Green Team | Norco's Green Team | Norco Bicycles | Flickr

 

“Employees engaging one another is more effective than memos from the top.”

– Andrew McCrea

 

One effective way of raising awareness and getting your employees engaged about green practices is by organizing a sustainability team for your office. Rather than getting orders from the top, the team will be better positioned to educate the staff through informational lunch-and-learn sessions.

 

The tasks and projects of the team could include:

  • Determining and setting specific green goals that the company wants to achieve. One top priority could be decreasing the monthly energy usage by at least 20 %. And these goals need to be communicated to all the employees.
  • Starting a recycling program.
  • Conducting monthly inspections and checking the power/gas meters and the number of office supplies bought.
  • Scheduling regular meetings so as to evaluate the effectiveness of sustainable projects.
  • Distributing monthly newspapers (both to employees and customers).

#2. Embrace Renewable Energy

Photovoltaic, Photovoltaic System, Solar System

An old excuse for not using solar panels – it’s too expensive. But, this is no longer acceptable. Over the last five years, the cost of buying and even installing solar panels has reduced significantly. Plus, investing in solar energy promises a huge positive financial return in the long run.

 

Now, some more benefits of switching to solar energy are:

  • Solar panels are known to last for a very long period of time (at least more than 25 years).
  • Can drastically reduce your electric bills
  • Increase your property value
  • And, of course, protect the environment

#3. Maximize Natural Light

I'm thinking of upgrading my office | I was walking past thi… | Flickr

Approximately 25 % of the US electricity consumption is used to light office spaces. Relying on natural daylight can not only help to protect the environment, but it can also reduce the cost of your utility bills. And, as per the World Green Building Council, employees working near sunlit places tend to have a 15 % higher productivity rate.

 

Jennifer Walton, an agency principal at H. Hendy Associates, claimed that “Natural light sets the body’s circadian rhythms, which control awakening, falling asleep, synthesizing vitamin D and digestion while indoor light is a major work disruptor.”

#4. Turn off and Unplug Electronics at the End of the Day

Apple, Apple devices, Clean, Computer, Container

Our workdays are sometimes like this:

Sit down in front of the computer with a vague idea of what needs to be done and then you end up spending way too much time on unimportant tasks, get distracted by personal thoughts and have to bear the constant grumbling of your boss. And when it is the end of the day, you are all but ready to bolt out the door. You are either starving, worried about finding out what new mess your kids made while you were away or you are just eager to have some relaxation time. Honestly, we all know that feeling.

However, if you can take only ten additional seconds to unplug everything that will not be used overnight, there will not be any ghoulish spirit haunting the office at night (I am talking about some phantom power). And, if all employees adopt this method, I am sure huge amounts of energy waste will be reduced.

#5. Go Paperless

Writing, Writing, Person, Administrative Formalities

“The greenest paper is no paper at all.”

– Vince Digneo, a sustainability strategist

 

Business reports, financial documents or contracts – these printed documents can contribute up to 90 % of office waste in America. This is why Digneo said to go digital whenever possible. With cloud storage services and digital pay stubs, the need for papers or even printers at the office has significantly reduced.

 

How to go paperless:

  • Rather than storing papers in file cabinets, keep digital files on computers and mobile devices.
  • Review digital documents on a screen instead of printing them out.
  • Try to print as little as possible
  • Set up automated payments which will reduce the need for printed checks
  • Ask vendors to provide e-statements and invoices

The list is long and there are many more steps that need to be taken to have a green and eco-friendly office. If you find this article helpful, don’t hesitate to come back for part 2 and you can also share your comments below!