The world is moving increasingly towards a more environmentally conscious lifestyle. Although every individual can only do so much, it is important to make small changes in our day-to-day routine that will have a long-lasting impact. One of the biggest parts of your life that may affect you could be at work. So this might be an area that you want to start focusing on, because everyone can do their bit in their own way.
By Team Savant
Image: Edward Howell
What is an environmentally conscious work environment and how can it benefit your company?
An environmentally conscious office is not just an idea for environmentalists. It can also benefit your company by increasing productivity, reducing costs, and boosting morale. A green office is made up of employees who are on board with environmentally conscious practices. Employees can help you cut down the cost by recycling items in your office and reduce your carbon footprint. An environmentally conscious work environment can also improve morale in your company because it helps people feel better about their work environment which, in return, improves productivity levels.
You can make your work space more eco-friendly by following these eight simple steps. The benefits of doing so will be beneficial to the planet as well as your own health and productivity.
Use Less Plastic
Many people have been advocating the use of eco-friendly products for a while now. With that comes the idea that we should reduce our use of plastic and plastic bottles in general. It could be the case of not buying lunch items in plastic containers and not bringing in plastic bottles or cups to the office. Can you invest in a reusable water bottle or even get your company to lead the initiative on this? If you’re able to avoid purchasing plastic, then you’re going to help with the lower consumption of it too.
Recycle
The best thing to do when you are in the office is to recycle everything that you can. This ensures that the environment is not messed up, too. Recycling is not just about helping the environment, but also helps decrease costs for companies. It's in the company's best interest to help their workers reduce waste in the office. Some of these ways include setting up recycling programs, adding in bins for recycling, training employees on how to recycle, and even offering incentives or prizes to people who recycle items that are not typically recycled.
Team Up
It can also be a great idea for you to research the right companies to align with. There are certain companies that are eco-friendly and environmentally conscious that create products and services, such as ultrasonic antifouling, that you might want to reach out to. It can be useful to team up with them to help them reduce their environmental impact. Why not let your work be one of them? This can be done by providing your company's services for free or providing your company's products at an affordable price, or by purchasing your company's products at wholesale prices. Or looking to work on things together, give back, or do something charitable!
Don’t Waste Electricity
One of the best ways to go green is by minimizing your use of electricity in the office. This can be done by making sure that desktop computers are not left on all day, reducing screen brightness, making sure that lights are turned off at night, and asking your colleagues to do the same. When it comes to saving money on electricity bills, there are three main things you should keep in mind: reduce consumption during peak hours, reduce consumption through energy-efficient appliances and equipment, and be willing to switch providers if necessary.
Be Careful Of Materials You’re Using
One of the ways that you can work on this first is to make sure that you’re packing your lunch in reusable containers or cloth bags instead of disposable ones like paper or plastic bags. It will mean that you’re being more mindful of the materials you’re using. Reusable containers are not only better for the environment, but they are also more affordable. By reusing the same container over and over again, you'll save money on expensive disposable ones and you’ll be making extra efforts to be eco-friendly too.
Minimise Your Waste
The office is a place where many people spend a lot of their time. It's a place where they work, mix with co-workers and share ideas. The office has plenty of things that create waste but there are ways to minimize this too. One of the most common wastes in the office is paper. Instead of having a ton of paper lying around, create a recycling bin for all your papers. This will be helpful to keep your office clutter-free and you won’t have to worry about cutting up pieces of paper for recycling. It might also be important for everyone to just be mindful of what they’re buying and from who too!
Minimize CO2 Emissions
The most effective way to reduce co2 emissions is to stop using paper and use digital materials. This can be done by switching to a paperless office. Here is how it can help you:
- Reduce your carbon footprint by cutting the number of paper-based materials used in the office
- Reduce your energy consumption by turning off appliances when not in use or unplugging them
- Make the office more environmentally friendly with LED lighting and waterless urinals
- Cut down on waste and recycle what you can
Save More Water
If you want to save more water you should start with your office's water consumption. Many employees have a habit of wasting a lot of water throughout the day - from constantly running toilets and showers, to using too much tap water while cooking or cleaning. There are also ways for employees to reduce their waste of water without reducing their productivity or efficiency. Only using water when you really need to is going to be the best for everyone here.
Start Using Less for a Greater Cause Today
And that’s all there is to it. If we all make small changes in our daily routines, we can collectively create an office environment that is more environmentally conscious and sustainable. From using less paper to recycling more, there’s a lot we can do. Just make sure that you’re doing your bit to make a difference and work towards a greater cause today.