In this day and age, sustainability is at the forefront of most people’s minds. People want to help the environment in any way possible, even through something as simple as recycling when they can. However, offices aren’t always the easiest place to do that if they aren’t set up with sustainability in mind. Whether it’s replacing your office printer with one that’s more energy efficient or going paperless entirely, all it takes is a few little changes to lower your office’s carbon footprint drastically.
Go Paperless
Turning your office into a paperless one is probably the easiest way to improve your office’s carbon footprint. These days, there are a wide variety of document management systems ranging in price and capabilities, so you’ll be able to find a program to fit seamlessly into your already existing workflow.
By switching to a paperless office, you limit the waste of your day-to-day activities by not having to shred/dispose of papers. You also decrease the amount of energy your office uses because you’re not constantly running printers to get work done (which also improves your energy bill). Consider donating your printers to schools or non-profit organizations if possible to keep them out of the landfill.
Install Motion Sensors for the Lights
Motion sensors may have a higher initial cost than an online document management system, but they’re still a simple way to decrease your office’s carbon footprint and electric bill. This is a great option for larger office spaces that might have conference rooms or other gathering areas that aren’t regularly used. Keeping the lights off when they aren’t needed lowers your building’s strain on the grid and is an easy way to improve your carbon footprint.
Purchase Things in Bulk
Purchasing something in bulk might be an obvious cost-saving measure, but there’s an environmental benefit to it as well. You limit the waste from packaging for things being shipped to your office as well as in the physical box. If you’re purchasing something like sugar for your office’s coffee station, buying in bulk is the way to go. Purchasing a stash of individual sugar packets might seem like the easier solution, but when someone wants one and a half packets of sugar, they’ll waste the amount they don’t use. By having a communal jar bought in bulk, people can use as much as they want without wasting anything else.
Reduce Your Disposable Usage
Continuing with evaluating your office’s break room or coffee station, limit the amount of disposable things you keep in the office. Disposable cups or utensils might be easy to stock and maintain, but they pile up in the landfill quickly. Evaluate the areas where you rely on disposables to function and see if you can switch things out for a more sustainable solution. You’d be surprised how many options there are.
Designate Recycling and Compost Bins
Everyone says they like to recycle, but if there’s no obvious place to collect the recycling, no one can! Establish recycling bins in high-traffic areas, and make sure the signage is clear enough to alert people to what it is. This way, even if you switch to a paperless office, the few papers that do end up floating around can be recycled.
If you’re feeling really ambitious, you could also add a compost bin to your office’s breakroom. This adds another way to reduce your office’s carbon footprint and limit the waste headed to the landfill.
Establish a Team to Evaluate Your Workspace
The best way to make sure your office is always reducing its carbon footprint is to establish a team to keep an eye on things. This team doesn’t have to meet often, but it allows for things to change and new ideas to be brought to the table. As technology improves, people are always coming up with new ideas on how to reduce their carbon footprint, so this team can make sure your office is on the cutting edge of being green.
