Today, sustainability in the workplace is a hot topic. Many companies are looking for simple ways to improve their sustainability efforts. A good way is to start is to choose a couple simple things and slowly incorporate more difficult options overtime. Here are a few small things to do around your office that will have an impact within your company while also making a large impact on the globe.
Recycling
Recycling is not a new concept. Recycling improves the environment, economy, manufacturing, and reduces waste in the oceans. According to Recycle Across America, recycling conserves fresh water up to 95% in the mining and manufacturing process for many materials. Recycling is beneficial so offering your employees the option to recycle is a great way to make a difference. Place different colored bins around your office that symbolize the material to be placed in the container.
Keeping that in mind, the most popular label options are paper, plastics, and glass products. You will slowly see improvements in your offices recycling abilities and lead to less items thrown away every day.
Install Motion Sensors
Turning off lights is very easy to do, but still, many individuals forget to turn off the lights in the workplace. Install motion sensors in offices and conference rooms to combat wasted light energy. When no one is in those rooms, the lights will always be off and you will no longer be wasting electricity to power a room not being used. According to an article on The Eco Guide, installing motion sensors in your home can reduce your energy consumption by 35% to 45% on average, but can go as high as a 75% reduction. Imagine what it can do in the workplace, if your office was to install motion sensors.
Reduce Paper Usage
Try to reduce the amount of paper you use in the office daily. Take notes on a tablet, laptop or desktop instead of a notepad. Share internal items by utilizing your email or a cloud based document-sharing software like Google Drive to reduce the amount of paper used. If printing is needed, try and print double sided; it will use less paper than printing single sided.
Encourage Cutting Back on Meat Consumption
According to an article published by the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, “meat consumption is a major contributor to global warming”. Reducing the amount of meat consumed in your office is difficult to do. To help, try to implement a meatless day once a month to or have a vegetarian themed potluck. Implementing a meatless day will raise awareness in your company about the global effects meat consumption causes.
Volunteer with Organization Committed to Sustainability
If your company is beginning the process to become more sustainable, volunteer with an organization who is committed to sustainability! The organization will teach your company a lot about being sustainable and may give you insight into what your company can do to improve its sustainability efforts. In the end, you are learning to be sustainable while volunteering with a great organization.
There are many steps your company can take to improve its sustainability efforts. Remember, it is a marathon not a sprint. Start with a couple ideas and build on those. The more willing your employees are to commit and educate, the more successful your sustainability efforts will be.
