Most of us try our best to be as environmentally friendly as possible. But, after the release of the latest UN Climate Change Report, we all need to start trying a lot harder.
You may be doing your bit for the planet at home, but what about at work? Office and admin work make up 16 percent of US employment rates, so that’s a lot of people spending time in an office.
It’s important to make your office as eco-friendly as possible. It encourages you to keep helping the planet and soon it becomes second nature.
Here are 10 of the best ways to make your office more environmentally friendly.
1. Reduce Your Paper Use
Paper is one of the most-used items in an office, and it’s not good for the planet. Even the most eco-friendly paper isn’t good for the planet, so it’s time to reduce the paper we use.
Instead, we should be going paperless. Most cloud-based systems are free or inexpensive and are perfect for going paperless. Start using systems like Google Drive where you can work together and store files online.
There are a lot of great ways to reduce the paper you use in your office space. Going digital is one of the best ways to do it.
2. Eco-Friendly Garbage Bags
The plastic we use is ruining our oceans and doing great damage to our planet. We need to start finding alternatives to plastic.
One easy way to do this is to switch out your garbage bags to eco-friendly ones. Compostable garbage bags are still strong and sturdy so they won’t split as easily. They decompose as well so they don’t do damage like plastic does.
3. Air Quality Ventilators
Offices can be stuffy and have poor air quality if left unchecked. Indoor pollutants cause poor air quality and can release damaging gases into the air.
A great way to reduce this is by installing an air quality ventilator. You can find air quality testing in Richardson which will leave your office a much cleaner place to work in.
4. Make a Recycling Plan
We’ve all forgotten to recycle things, but we should be trying to get better. One great way to make sure everyone is chipping in is to make a recycling plan.
Make a rotation and set tasks for people to complete. You could even set the office a weekly challenge to forgo plastics or recycle as much as possible.
Give incentives such as a half day off or longer lunch breaks for the teams that win. It makes recycling a fun task!
5. Turn It Off
There are a lot of appliances in the office which use a ton of energy. The computers, the printer, the microwave and so many more. Even when they aren’t in use, if they’re plugged in they are using energy.
Send a group email to encourage everyone to power off all devices at the end of the day. Not only will it help reduce energy but the boss will be happy with a reduced electricity bill too!
6. Reusable Coffee Filters
Having your daily cup (or cups) of coffee at work can help you make it through the workload. But disposable coffee filters aren’t great for the planet. They are single use like most plastics and will end up in a landfill.
Don’t worry, we aren’t telling you to give up drinking coffee! But instead, you can switch to reusable coffee filters. You can use them over and over again and they can help you save money as well!
7. Get Motion Sensor Lights
When you walk around the office each day, take note of how many lights you see turned on. Lots of them are on in rooms which aren’t even in use!
This uses up a lot of energy and can harm the planet. An easy fix is to install motion sensor lighting in the office. This means lights are only used when they’ re needed and reduces energy consumption a lot.
8. Reusable Water Bottles
Keeping hydrated throughout the day is important. But, plastic water bottles are terrible for the environment. Ninety-one percent of them end up in landfill sites, and they can damage habitats too.
Instead, invest in a reusable water bottle. You can get metal bottles which look great and are easy to clean. Thermal bottles will keep your water cooler for longer and you won’t need to use any plastic at all.
9. Leave the Car at Home
Carbon emissions are causing a lot of damage to the planet and we need to cut them down as much as possible. Instead of driving to work, leave the car at home.
There are lots of ways to get to work without the car. You can walk if it’s not too far or saddle up and get on your bike. Invest in a bus pass or ask around the office to carpool with others.
It can make a big difference, so it’s worth a try. Your office could even offer incentives for those who do to encourage more people to join in!
10. Bring Some Plants In
You can also help the planet by going green in a very literal sense. Bringing in some plants can help to absorb pollutants in the air and release clean oxygen too.
Plants also make the place look much better and can help us feel happier in the workplace too. The NASA Clean Air study tells you the benefits of plants and which ones bring in cleaner air.
It’s Time to Start Making Your Office Environmentally Friendly
When you start to incorporate green living into your everyday life, it becomes easy. Making simple adjustments can make a huge difference and these are the best ways to start. Before you know it, you’ll have the greenest, most eco-friendly office in town!
Are you looking to make your office environmentally friendly? Check out our blog for more tips and tricks.
