Everyone wants to do their bit for the environment and creating an eco-conscious office culture is a great way to influence those around you and change the behaviour of a number of people in a positive, pro-active way. Directors and office managers can implement a number of different practices both in terms of the way the office is run and their staff’s waste management plans. Read on to find out some of the most popular and easy waste management practices for your future eco office.
Centralise your recycling
A bin under each desk is too easy and everything (paper, plastic, cans, food waste) gets thrown in without conscious thought. With a central waste management area, your staff can sort through their own rubbish and kick-start the recycling process. Getting up from their desks regularly may also deter people from throwing so much away and instead they may choose to reuse something. Make sure you have clearly labelled bins for every possible recyclable material to minimise what must be placed into ‘general waste’. Paper, aluminium, cardboard, glass and some plastics can all be recycled.
Buy Eco
From buying recycled paper for your printers to industrial sized tea and coffee supplies, consider what you’re bringing into the office in the first place. Pens and printer ink cartridges can be refilled, cutting the need for plastic significantly. Eco paper is not only better for the environment in terms of the way it is made but also decomposes without releasing the chemicals used in regular paper. Individual sachets of sugar, coffee, milk and other staff room staples produce an exorbitant amount of plastic which can be significantly reduced by purchasing wholesale. The best waste management plan is one which involves minimal waste in the first place.
Power Down
So much of our waste management is more to do with managing how we act. Computers do not need to be left on overnight. Standby is not the same as off. The same goes for equipment such as printers and scanners which should not only be on timers to power down if they are unattended for any period of time but always turned off at night. You cannot create an eco office if you are running electronics unnecessarily with no one around to use them.
Digitise
Do you really need to print that? Change people’s mind-sets so less paper is used in the first place. So much communication within offices is digital now (email, instant messaging services) so why do we still feel the need to print out meeting agendas? Include eco office practices in your waste management plan to create an environmentally conscious culture. If you cannot avoid printing something, make sure you do so on the double-sided setting to cut paper use in half.
Provide parking spaces for cyclists
If you make it easy for people to be green outside the office, your eco office goes one step further. Install bike racks and a covered area for them to be stored during the day or even provide incentives for people who use public transport or cycle to work.
Waste management is something every office should be considering and making steps towards improving and streamlining. An eco office can easily be achieved with a comprehensive and well-implemented waste management plan. Get your staff on board by offering incentives to the greenest team member and see how much smaller your office carbon footprint can become.
