There are various sensitive issues which are related to the environment as a lot of environmental damages are caused by failure to address the issues at hand. A lot of companies are now focused on creating environmentally friendly offices — not only to help have a good healthy place to work, but also reduce the overall damage that is caused to the environment.
So, if you are aiming to make your office more environmentally friendly, then you need to adapt a few changes. With social causes becoming such a popular trend, something as simple as going green to an extent or making a cautious effort to be eco-friendly as a company, can be used to help position your brand in a positive light and also contribute to making the world a better place.
Waste Management
If the office doesn’t have on-site recycling then you can buy bins and make it an office initiative to do your own recycling. “Whether you separate plastics, paper and waste and then bring to the landfill or have team members take it home to recycle through their personal trash, is up to you,” says Luqman Khan, Founder of Wireloo. When your entire team is onboard and dedicated to making a difference, it because a non-issue and they see it as helping and not an inconvenience.
Eco-Friendly Office Products
There are various office products that you can switch to that are eco-friendly. While the cost may be 5% more, it will help cut down on pollution and waste. You can opt for 100% recyclable paper, ink cartridges that are refillable, highlighters which are nontoxic and many other choices. While there is a cost associated to switching to more environmentally office products, it is minimal.
Cleaning Products
You have to clean the office or hire a company to handle the task — so make sure that your company is using products which are non-toxic in nature. It is very important for maintaining and environmentally friendly atmosphere in your office. “You should use environmentally friendly cleaning supplies not only for the health of the planet, but also for the health of your staff. You don’t want to subject them to harmful and toxic cleaning agents,” says Jake Braun of ChopperExchange.
Telecommuting
Cars and vehicles cause a lot of pollution nowadays. So, you can encourage your teammates to not opt for those options if they live nearby and they can walk to the office or use a ride-share app. They can also use public transportation in order reduce the pollution. Every little bit helps, so come up with a fun way to reward carpooling within the office.
Paperless Office
The concept of having a paperless office seems unrealistic, but when you think about it, it’s very doable. “Most teams use a collaboration tool like Slack, which stores all notes and data, and all documents are usually stored in the Cloud for easy access by all. There really isn’t a need to print materials when they can quickly be accessed from any computer,” suggests Christopher VanDeCar, CEO of Optimally Organic.
Electricity
An office cannot operate without electricity. But, you can turn off the computers or any other electronics if they are not in use. This not only helps you to save energy but it will also reduce the overall cost that you will have to pay for the electricity bills. “If you happen to own your commercial office space you can even look into solar panels – not only is there a huge energy savings, but there are many tax advantages as well. Also, try to use natural sunlight as much as possible as well,” says Darryl Howard of NuWays MD.
Bring Nature Indoors
Keeping plants in the office will help you to create a green environment. It will not only help you to reduce the overall carbon dioxide levels in your office, but it will also help you to purify the air. You can keep a small plant at every desk in the office and make sure that your corridor has enough green plants to keep the air refreshed and healthy.
