The United Nations designated 5 June as World Environment Day to highlight that the health of our Planet and protection of the environment is the major issue which affects the well-being of people and economic development throughout the world. The celebration of this day provides us with a great opportunity to broaden the basis for responsible conduct by individuals, enterprises and communities in preserving and enhancing our environment. Therefore, we prepared 12 tips how to make your office more eco-friendly.
1. Keep an eye on the thermostat, especially in the summer
Even in the warmer, summer months, it’s fairly common to see office-dwellers wearing sweatshirts and jackets. You do not have to keep the office as cold as the company fridge. The higher your thermostat reads in the summer months, the more energy — and money — you’ll save in the long run.
2. Bring your own bottle, tumbler, or coffee mug
Bringing your own bottle, tumbler, or coffee mug to work is one of the easiest and healthiest eco-initiatives to institute in the office. Every person can have their favorite mug, cup or glass. These personalized mugs or special glasses are fun and almost a form of personal expression. In short, a own mugs policy encourages your employees to express themselves and stay hydrated at the same time.
3. Donate or recycle old electronics
Wolrd Enviroment Day is the perfect occasion to do some spring cleaning, sustainability style! Remove unnecessary clutter from your office by recycling or donating old electronics. Most electronics are made from valuable resources and materials — such as plastic, glass, and metals — that require a significant amount of energy to mine, process, and manufacture. Do your part to conserve natural resources and reduce air/water pollution by recycling that old keyboard that’s been in your desk drawer for 2 years.
4. Clearly label trash, recycling & compost bins
While most people know recycling is a good thing, many folks are still confused as to what can, and can’t, go into the recycling bin. Help your employees become veritable eco-warriors by clearly labeling which type of waste goes where. It’s also helpful to send out a quick refresher email or video every now and then so that employees — new and old — stay mindful.
5. Keep the shades open during daylight hours
If you let your office space with closed window blinds all the time, this is really useless. Cut your environment and financial losses by opening the blinds and letting the natural daylight pour into your workplace in an easy way.
6. Go paperless
This tip almost seems trivial given the digital age we now live in. Diminish the temptation to print by reducing the number of printers in your office and donating them to a local school or non-profit organization in need.
7. Install motion-activated light switches
This is good solution for conference rooms, since they are often separated from the central office space and are less frequently used. Rather than relying on employees to switch-off the lights as they leave or enter, motion-activated lights are human proof: they save energy automatically.
8. Celebrate company birthdays with investing in reusable silverware and serving utensils
Similarly, the more ecological and relatively inexpensive solution is reusable silverware which is easy way to cut down on plastic and paper waste during catered company lunches. Whether you’re celebrating birthdays or promotions, keep the environment in mind when buying new products.
9. Use micro-fiber cloths instead of paper towels
In most offices, paper towels are the go-to method for cleaning up spills of any kind. There are, however, many inexpensive, eco-friendly alternatives. Get yourself a stack of microfiber cleaning cloths and attack that chili spill with some eco-minded enthusiasm!
10. Enable power-saving or sleep mode
While most devices these days optimize CPU speed and battery life on their own, enabling power-saving mode or sleep mode can help further preserve battery life and reduce power consumption when these devices are not in use.
11. Set-up a bike rack for employees
Whether you’re moving offices or have occupied the same space for a decade, a bike rack is a relatively easy, one-time investment that can have a huge impact on how your employees commute into work. It will not only encourage your employees to be more active but also get folks to reconsider the environmental impact of driving into work each morning. You can organize your company cycle competition!
12. Don’t ignore the leaky faucet
Believe it or not, fixing a leaky faucet or toilet could save you up to 10% on your monthly water bill. Yep, it’s time to make a call to a plumber. And while you’re waiting, keep a bucket, pan, or some sort of container underneath the leaky faucet and use the excess to water the office’s plants.
It’s up to you what space you give to a healthy environment in your office space. So let’s take a step together for our future with nature!
