In a world that is now dealing with a growing climate crisis, it has become increasingly more important that everyone does their part in reducing waste and attempting to be more eco-friendly.
Tips For Creating A Green Office Space
This responsibility doesn’t just rest on individuals but it’s a factor that all businesses should be considering. By making just a few changes, you can reduce your carbon footprint and make a difference.
Not sure where to get started? Here are just a few great ways you can increase the sustainability of your company and create a much greener space.
Recycle your cartridges
A recycling system is a great way to cut down on waste, but you may have forgotten about the seemingly small things. Printer cartridges, for example, do not disintegrate and will stay in landfill for years if not recycled properly.
You can’t put these in a normal recycling bin and they normally have to be sent off to a specialist company, who will ensure they are reused correctly. Order your ink cartridges from companies with a clear recycling policy so you know exactly what to do when they’re empty.
Introduce plants
With the ability to improve air quality and reduce humidity, decorating the office with plants is one of the easiest ways to go green – literally. They brighten up spaces and instantly improve the ambience, making it a nicer environment to work in.
If you’re worried about looking after the plants, set up an office rota so each team takes turns as well as choosing plants that need little care, such as spider plants and succulents.
Ban plastic utensils
Forks, knives, cups – while many offices need them, there’s no need for them to be plastic. Request that your employees bring in their own cutlery and reusable bottles, but make sure to supply some just in case people forget.
This may seem like a small, insignificant change, but there is a growing plastic crisis that is having a huge effect on the planet.
In fact, over 12 million tonnes of plastic end up in the ocean every year, which is dangerous to sea life. Plastic cutlery is often made out of materials that are extremely difficult to recycle, so this swap is an easy yet significant one.
Turn off everything
Many people forget to turn off the lights or their computers when leaving the office, but this is a waste of resources and energy. Not only will this have a negative effect on the environment, but also your bills.
Implement a strict ‘before you leave’ policy; this could be a step-by-step checklist of everything that needs to be turned off before you leave, as well as anything else that should be done when locking up the office.
People are far more likely to follow these instructions if they know you’re keeping an eye on it, plus a checklist will help the last person in the office remember everything that needs to be done.
Making just a few changes to the way you run your office can make a significant difference in your, and your employee’s, carbon footprint. These changes are easy to make and some will even save you money, which is a win-win for businesses.
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