Could Your Office Be Greener?
By Features Desk
Monday, June 11, 2018.
The use of single-use plastics is a hot topic at the moment, and many are looking to businesses and organisations to play their part. The truth is that there are many ways your office can go greener to be kinder to the environment and show that you’re a responsible, forward-thinking business.
Introducing some new green policies to your workplace is easy to do, and can make a huge difference to how much energy your business uses each year, while also helping to reduce your waste production.
Here are some handy tips to help you make your office greener.
Say goodbye to paper
It’s easier to get by without paper than you think. So much of what we do happens online now, and from sending emails to taking notes on your laptop – you can do your bit to reduce your paper use as much as possible.
While younger generations might ask ‘what is a fax machine?’ – you’ll be surprised to know that many companies still use them. Switching to an online fax system can be a simple way for you to save on paper, and allows people to continue to communicate with your business.
No more plastic cups
Waste from disposable plastic water cups could increase by a third by 2030, which is a frightening statistic to think about. Plastic water cups are an easy item to phase out, and by simply putting an end to further orders, you can encourage staff to buy refillable bottles or use glasses instead. Put signs next to your water points to remind staff to use a more environmentally-friendly container.
You can also encourage staff to reduce their paper cup use by offering corporate branded travel mugs to keep on their desks. It might require some investment by your business, but it’s money worth spending to reduce waste in the long-term.
Cut your energy use
You can put in all of the effort possible to reduce your material waste, but some of the biggest impact can come from the waste you can’t see. Reducing your office’s energy use is a good way to help the environment, but it can also help you to reduce your outgoings. Some handy energy saving tips for businesses include having automatic lights installed, using energy-saving light bulbs and encouraging staff to do a complete shutdown of equipment instead of just relying on standby. You can reward good practices to motivate employees while providing updates on the savings made can also prove to them how valuable their efforts are.
Dispose of food waste
While you might already be tackling food waste at home, you could join one of the many workplaces tackling food waste in the office too. Food waste bins are great for getting rid of coffee grounds, tea bags and unwanted food, helping to reduce your overall waste. Encourage lunch clubs where people take it in turns to bring in lunch and try to be less wasteful when ordering catering for meetings and events.
Image: Pxhere
Invest in electric fleet cars
It’s estimated that half of all fleet cars will be electric by 2027, so why not get on the bandwagon now? Electric fleet cars are ideal if your staff tend to make short journeys, and are much more environmentally-friendly. They’ll save on fuel costs in the long run, and you can benefit from the increasing number of charging points appearing at locations such as supermarkets, petrol stations and even shopping centres. Having electric fleet cars for your business is a modern green policy which will make a great headline, as well as demonstrating to your employees and clients that you’re serious about reducing your carbon footprint.
Travel less
With video conferencing services as effective as they are today, you don’t need to travel as much to meetings for them to be beneficial and productive. Limiting travel can really help when it comes to reducing your company’s emissions, and is an effective money-saver too. Start limiting company travel and make better use of technology instead.
Making your business greener should be up there at the top of your priorities list, and should be an important value for your employees too. In the same way that you want to make your business more efficient, a focus on adopting greener policies can also change processes while saving you money. Being a forward-thinking, green company puts you ahead of your competition and is attractive to prospective investors or clients. Start making changes to your business today to provide a better tomorrow for others.
