From Guest Blogger Olivia Jones: Five Ways to Go Green at Your Office
A typical corporate office is not exactly the epitome of sustainability. Energy-sucking equipment purrs the whole day, piles of paperwork lie around, air conditioning systems work extra hours. But it does not have to be this way: there are many opportunities to save energy and reduce the environmental footprint.
So, do not just talk about green principles, live and work by them. You should know that this is not just about saving the planet, but also maintaining a reputation and cutting operating costs. Believe it or not, energy-efficient office equipment can reduce electricity use up to 75%.
Together with other tweaks and changes, you will be able to take efficiency to the next level and elevate your business in more than one way.
Go for eco-friendly office supplies
When ordering and shopping around for office supplies, always keep sustainability in mind. Opt for products that can be reused and refilled instead of being sent to the landfill. Keep your eyes peeled for items that feature post-consumer and recyclable content.
Things such as staple-less staplers, coffee filters made from recyclable paper, organic cleaning products, as well as paper clips with post-consumer metal are the things you should be on the lookout for. Try to introduce modern computers and monitors that are much more energy-efficient than their clunky predecessors.
As for supplies that have no green alternatives (rubber bands, for instance), they should be eliminated if possible.
Cut electricity and water spending
Conventional lighting is energy-sapping and accounts for quite a large portion of your utility bills. Therefore, replace all incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) or LED fittings. They tend to use 75% less electricity, last way longer, and contain no toxic chemicals. Your habits make a real difference too.
First of all, do not leave lights on overnight or when there is no one around. Find a way to make the most of available natural light. Use motion sensors and smart tech to adapt the lighting patterns to the work habits of your employees.
Next, make an effort to boost water conservation by employing water-saving features such as low-flow aerators and low-flush toilets. Inspect the plumbing system to make sure that there are no issues such as leaky taps and continually running toilets.
Depending on the size of your organization, you can even look into database development for water conservation to keep track of usage and maintain lower consumption.
Optimize heating and cooling
The heating and cooling of the corporate space account for the lion’s share of energy consumption. Luckily, you have a multitude of energy-efficient appliances at your disposal. A smart thermostat is a great addition to your green office arsenal. In general, there is no need to heat your office to more than 21°C when occupied and 16°C when empty.
Furthermore, to decrease the unwanted heat loss and gain, improve the insulation of the office. Start by caulking and weather-stripping the windows and doors, the weak links of the building’s envelope. Another thing to do is to properly maintain your HVAC for optimum performance and energy-efficiency.
Less paper, more sustainability
The greenest way to deal with paper is to get rid of it altogether. In this day and age, this is certainly a realistic prospect. Digitize your operations and store digital files, emails and documents instead of hoarding paperwork. Encourage everyone to use laptops in meetings.
And if you cannot afford to go completely digital, do the next best thing: reduce the amount of paper waste. Namely, you can use an eco-friendly or draft mode on your printer and utilize both sides of the paper. Likewise, note that with label writers, you can print durable Dymo labels, cutting the amount of energy and paper needed for printing.
The cycle of eco-friendliness
The “reduce, recycle, and reuse” philosophy is the cornerstone of the green way of living and doing business. To translate it into practice, put a recycling center in your office: a full set of recycling containers is preferable, provided that there is enough space. Ditch the disposables and promote the use of real cutlery, mugs, glasses, and dishes.
Use rechargeable batteries and reduce the amount of toxic waste. Figure out how and where to recycle computers and cell phones. Remember that take-back programs can be very useful when replacing old, worn-out office computers. Finally, try to entice people to bring their lunch to work in reusable containers.
Every single decision counts and brings you one step closer to the thriving green frontier.
Make strides down the green path
Energy-efficiency is much more than a fad. It is becoming a standard across industry sector, a way to improve your financial picture, customer satisfaction, and your bottom line. Namely, there are various benefits of going green, from trimmed utility bills to better public reputation.
Studies have shown that companies that incorporate sustainable office strategies tend to outperform those that lag behind in the green department. Therefore, you have to keep pace. Pay close attention to how you use essential systems and office supplies. Create a greener workplace that echoes your values and mission.
All the small and big changes add up and bring forth fine-tuned business machinery that does not lay waste to everything around it.
Olivia is psychologist and entrepreneur from Brisbane. Mother of two beautiful children and proud owner of two silly boxer dogs. She is passionate writer, a traveler and conscious consumer, seeking healthy and sustainable products to incorporate into the lives of her family. Her motto is “Be the change you want to see in the world”.
