What to do in the meantime
Unfortunately as of right now we don’t have a worldwide sustainable energy source but there are many things that can be done, including in the workplace that will definitely help make a difference in some way.
Some companies have altered the workplace and gone completely green and have become sustainable. Others have done some things on a smaller scale to reduce their carbon footprint. Either way both the company and the employees of the workplace have benefited from these changes along with the Earth itself.
A Green Building is a building with a design and operational practices that significantly reduce or eliminate its negative impacts on the environment and the people occupying it. The goals of Green Buildings are to reduce the use of material resources and waste, reduce the pollution of air, earth and water in the sourcing of materials and over the life of the building itself. Their aim is also to reduce damage to natural systems, be energy and water efficient and provide a high quality, healthy productive space for everyone. Some steps companies do to achieve these goals include using sensors and timers on lights, energy efficient bulbs, utilizing natural light instead of light bulbs when possible and using recycled water for bathrooms.
The benefits of a sustainable workplace are in my opinion overlooked and underused. Many companies would benefit greatly and I think we will continue to see more companies adopting these methods. Recent studies have shown that green workplaces; reduce the average number of sick days per employee, increase job satisfaction, improve retention and most appealing to owners of companies, improved productivity. It seems like a no-brainer with such great rewards.
