Promoting sustainability at home is great, but you might also spend a lot of time at the office. Does your workplace have green initiatives and programs to be more energy-efficient and sustainable? Let us help with some simple suggestions to make your office greener!
Eliminate Plastic Disposables
One of the most significant detriments to the environment is plastic disposables. Millions of them are everywhere, and they usually end up in a landfill or the ocean after one use, harming plant and animal life.
Offices are notorious for plastics as they accumulate in break rooms and lunch tables. Eliminate or ban plastic disposables in the office altogether, and you’ll be making an immediate impact by reducing tons of plastic waste.
Encourage Green Commuting
We’re all aware that cars and their carbon emissions harm the environment. So, encouraging green commuting options for the workplace is an excellent way to make an immediate change for the greener good.
Promote walking, biking, or carpooling as a greener alternative to everyone commuting separately every day. Educate employees about public transportation opportunities like the bus and train to try and get more cars off the road and fewer carbon emissions in the air.
Go Paperless
If your office hasn’t already, going paperless is one of the quickest and most effective ways to promote sustainability at the office. Employees go through tens of thousands of sheets of paper a year, but don’t have to in your office.
Using digitized documentation programs reduces office waste and can even help increase productivity. Paperless documentation allows office workers to easily share and access files on their computer or smartphone instead of rifling through old file cabinets and desks.
Promote Green Volunteer Opportunities
Perhaps the best way to get workers excited about green initiatives is to get them involved in volunteer opportunities as a company. Set aside an afternoon—or an entire day—to take part in a volunteer green initiative within the community:
- Clothing donation drive
- Tree-planting
- Park/beach clean-up
- Starting a community garden
Volunteering involves your workplace in the community, strengthens the camaraderie of the office, and promotes green initiatives!
Introduce Recycling Programs
Recycling is a simple way to reduce waste and promote a greener office. Offices use many recyclables, but they often wind up in the trash, like electronics or ink cartridges.
Introduce recycling programs with separate bins around the office for people to properly dispose of items that can be recycled and those that can’t.
Pro Tip: Leave signs of what should go into specific recycling bins so that people don’t get confused and misplace waste.
Invest in Renewable Energy
If you want to show you’re serious about sustainability and eco-friendly initiatives, investing in renewable energy is an excellent way to prove it. Installing solar panels promotes renewable energy and shows your employees, and others outside the organization, that you believe in protecting the environment. Plus, solar panels can save you money in the long run! It may cost more upfront, but consider it an investment in affordable, clean energy for your workplace.
