Becoming eco-friendly often starts at home by saving energy and utilizing public recycling collections, but what else can we do to help our earth? By following the same practices at work, we can reduce our waste costs, energy usage and carbon footprint. Get everyone on board with a plan to become a little more eco-friendly at work.
Whether you are part of a business built for one, or a towering office block, becoming environmentally friendly can be simple and cost effective. Creating a greener workplace will reduce the company’s carbon footprint, save money and create a happy, healthy place for employees to go about their daily duties.
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Here are some simple tips for improving your workplace environmental impact:
1. Purchase natural cleaning products.
It doesn’t take a hospital grade bleach to sanitize a workplace kitchen, so why are we still using it? Some janitorial supplies are more harmful than helpful, with nasty chemicals that can be ingested causing irritation to our skin and bodies. Natural cleaning products do the same job without the negative side effects and you use less too.
2. Stick to an energy saving plan.
Get the whole team on board with an energy saving plan. Simple steps like using power saving features on computers and keeping air-conditioning units on a neutral level will save money with the monthly electricity bill and reduce unnecessary energy waste. There could be small bonuses for reductions in energy usage to keep motivation levels up with staff.
3. Cut down the paper waste.
Reducing paper waste goes further than cutting down on printing; we can also find ways to reduce the use of disposable paper towels too. Installing a quality hand drying system is an effective way to achieve this goal. The Dyson Airblade hand Dryer has been proven to be the most effective, eco-friendly and hygienic dryer on the market. Although the Airblade requires a one off payment and energy usage, it will eradicate the need for ongoing paper towel stockage while reducing paper waste, rubbish and tree felling. You can also look into options such as hand sanitizer which can also help to reduce your reliance on hand towels.
4. Ban the paper and foam cups.
Disposable cups are a waste of money and are harmful to our environment. They cost money to buy and to dispose of, it just doesn’t make sense. Have regular cups available for staff to use for coffee and tea, this will reduce your waste levels and protect the landfills.
5. Buy fair trade products.
Ever wondered where your coffee and tea comes from, and what its manufacturing process is like? Consider switching to a fair trade option; this will ensure your brew has been produced the correct way and most have eco-friendly packaging too.
6. Implement a thorough recycling plan.
Although most companies tend to recycle a certain amount of their waste, there are usually areas that could be improved. For example, provide separate bins for plastic bottles and cans to avoid them ending up in a general rubbish bin. Ensure all paper waste is sent to a paper bin and have them emptied regularly. Old electronics and phones that cannot be reused or resold should be disposed of via an electrical recycling plant.
Utilizing the above tips won’t require hours of time or a large budget, instead they call for leadership, planning and a team effort. Review your systems regularly to ensure the standards are being met and followed by your team. Remember to keep staff motivation levels high by rewarding any positive efforts. Enjoy the change and good luck.
For workplace cleaning options to fit with your business, talk to EcoCare and learn how we can help keep your workplace clean and green.
