What makes an eco-friendly workplace? Employees who are aware of their responsibility in caring for our environment.
Everyone has a role in helping the planet.
What follows are a few ideas that can increase your employees’ awareness and also help make your workplace green.
1. Cleaning Can Be Green Too
If you want clean surroundings, try not to use standard cleaning products. It isn’t an overstatement to say that many cleaning products contain toxins.
If they’re extremely unhealthy to humans, what do you think they are doing to the environment?
Since you still have to clean your workplace, it’s best to go green when cleaning as well.
There are many green cleaning products that are now available in the market. If you have hired a cleaning service for your office, you can ask them to only use green cleaning products or those that do not contain any harsh chemicals.
There are some who are hesitant to use environmentally cleaning products because they are afraid that it’s costlier than regular products.
However, remember that these chemicals pay for themselves by not harming our environment and are, therefore, more cost-effective in the long run.
2. Uniforms To Rent
Some employers demand their workers wear corporate clothes. Why buy new ones? Consider getting a workwear service that provides uniforms to businesses and companies. Professionally washed and repaired rented uniforms last longer. Having uniforms that last longer is one way of conserving resources and taking care of the environment.
Consider getting Alsco’s workwear service that provides uniforms to businesses and companies.
3. Reduce, Reuse and Recycle
Waste management is one of the greatest environmental problems that we face today. Too much is garbage produced and it doesn’t just disappear on its own. It doesn’t matter how you get rid of it. Take it to a landfill, burn it or process in some other way, it is still an environmental problem.
It’s not like garbage would disintegrate when it hits the bottom of the trash container. Properly dispose of the garbage still has to take to a landfill, an incinerator, or to some other place where it can be processed. In other words, trash is still an environmental problem no matter how you get rid of it.
Image from: Flickr by Intel Free Press
So what can you do about the waste in your workplace? It’s not really possible for you to stop making waste, but there are ways that you can control it. This is where the three R’s come in and those are to reduce, reuse, and recycle.
The first step is to reduce the amount of waste being produced in your workplace. There are many ways of doing this. After you have done this, check the waste and pick the ones that can be reused or recycled. By keeping the three R’s in mind, the volume of trash coming out of your workplace should go down significantly.
4. An Office Can Become Almost Paperless
Are tons of stacked paper the first thing that comes to mind when you think of an office? Of course, some can be recycled, but that doesn’t solve the biggest problem. A significant component of total garbage an ordinary office produces is still – paper.
The aim is to have a paperless workplace. This is still hard to achieve because there are certain documents that must be on paper.
But people should try and cut down the amount of paper waste. Preserve only those files and documents that can be stored in a digital form.
5. Use Refillable Office Equipment
There are so many pens, markers or printers of various kinds in every office. All are easily refillable. Preserve their outer casings. Buy refills or cartridges instead of getting new ones.
6. Bring Your Own Mug
Reduce the use of disposable cups to a minimum in your workplace. Minor as this may seem, it adds to the workplace waste. Instead, employees should bring their own mugs to work.
That way, their morning coffee and other daily drinks can have a more personal note. Some employers might decide to give their workers an “official” work mug that they can use.
Image from: Max Pixel
7. Smart Use of Electric Energy
Constantly, every workplace thrives on electricity, sometimes without a single worker present in the offices.
After all the work is done, there are a few simple steps to follow before you go home. Turning off all the lights. Checking monitors for the most efficient power setting. Using only energy-efficient lighting around the offices.
8. Office Supplies Can Be Environmentally Friendly
Not every employer has already switched to eco-friendly office supplies. The reason is simple. They do cost more. How much more? Your workplace can become eco-oriented for only 5% more expensive supplies. That’s not too much to pay for the environment, is it?
If your workplace still uses worn-out uniforms, check out the uniform service options offered by Alsco. We are all about forwarding your business towards a more environmentally friendly future.
Photo: Marc Mueller
