Going Green in the Workplace

After seeing St Patrick’s Day rolls around with streets and bars covered in a sea of green decorations, closely followed by people dressed up in green - it’s got us thinking, if going green for a day like St Patrick’s Day is almost second nature to us kiwis, why aren’t we doing the same in our work place?

It’s pretty easy to identify opportunities in your workplace to make a few minor adjustments that will benefit the environment. From managing office lighting, to taking a closer look at office supplies you are using, there are many changes you can make to become more environmentally friendly.

Now, I’m not sure about you guys but we don’t have time to list off our top 200, and I’m sure you don’t have time to read them. So, here’s a carefully curated list of our top 5 changes you can make – and implement almost immediately. And, if you don’t have time to read that, here’s a quick process you can do in the office. E-R-R-R. This stands for Eliminate - Reduce – Reuse – Recycle. The first question to ask is “Do we really need this?” If not, eliminate it! If you can’t live without it, then look for ways to reduce (2-side print/copy everything you can), reuse (cut non-confidential, single sided A4 printouts into quarters and use it as a note pad). When you have maximised the use of the item as much as possible, recycle!

1. Switch offIt is estimated that people waste over $1 billion in electricity every year just in computer use! Turn off all computers, photocopiers, printers and other equipment that do not need to be left on over-night. And, if you can’t turn them off, check that they are all on the most energy efficient settings available.

2. Check your lightingHave a look at what light bulbs you are using. If possible, swap out incandescent bulbs for fluorescent ones. If not, have a think about when during the day you actually need the lights on. Natural light works amazingly and is far more flattering!

3. Reduce your paper wasteThere’s always someone in the office that comes into a presentation armed with half a tree’s worth of notes, accompanied by a medium-sized shrub’s worth of a printed version of the presentation to distribute amongst employees. Although this can be a great way to maintain focus during a presentation, it uses a lot of paper! If printing off emails, presentations and anything else is a must, try putting the paper in a scrap pile for people to make notes on once you are finished using it. If doing this is not a must, think twice about why you were going to print something off. Could you just look at in on your computer instead?

4. Opt for greener stationeryWith sustainability and the environment weighing heavily on the minds of most businesses, going green doesn’t just start in what you do at work – but also what you use. Have a look at what kind of stationery you are using and look for recycled alternatives. Many stationery suppliers now offer great products that have been recycled and reproduced. Check some great options out here.

5. RecycleOne of the fastest and best ways to make sure you’re doing what you can to make sure what you’re using in the workplace can be re-used. Recycling everything from your office products to your bottles and containers from lunch can have a massive impact on the environment. Set up some recycling bins around the office and get everyone in your workplace in the habit of recycling what they can. Some great recycling bins and other recycling products can be found here.

To read more about why sustainability is important in the workplace, check out this article from our friends over at OfficeMax.