For those hoping to embrace a more eco-friendly future where the environment is treated with the respect it deserves, the workplace is a great place to begin. There are plenty of simple and achievable adjustments that can be made in any office to help preserve conserve resources and even cut costs for your business. If going green is part of your business plan this year, consider these 6 easy steps.
- Take a look at your suppliers. Many of your office supplies probably come from third party sources. Make sure the suppliers you’re using are committed to sustainability, and support businesses that make eco-friendly policies a priority. For example, when you’re ordering bulk toilet paper for your office bathrooms, choose a supplier that sources its paper in a manner that doesn’t have a negative impact on the environment.
- Seek out devices that save on energy. There’s no need to have a ton of different devices with their own individual functions in this day and age. With so much technology at our fingertips, it’s easy to access devices that serve more than one function. If you’re still using separate printers, photocopying machines, and scanners, it’s time to invest in products that can multi-task. These products will save valuable electricity – reduce your business’s energy bills, make your office neater and less cluttered, and help to reduce the amount of energy your business burns through on a daily basis.
- Change up your water system. There are several ways you can change the way you use water in the workplace. For one, you can reduce the heat of the water in the bathrooms at your business. There’s no need to have extremely high temperatures available for the regular hand washing that goes on throughout the day – this only requires the geyser to use more energy than is necessary. You can also implement water saving devices on your taps, showers, and toilets to prevent excess water usage.
- Set up an energy-saving timer device. If your computers, temperature-control systems and other devices are left on throughout the night or when nobody is in the office, you’re wasting a huge amount of energy without even realising it. Set up a timer system that automatically switches off the power in the office when it’s not needed.
- Change to eco-friendly cleaning products. When you’re looking to make your business more sustainable, it’s not all about using less paper and setting up a recycling bin. Even steps like changing the products you use to clean the office can have an impact. Plenty of modern cleaning products are packed with ingredients that pollute the environment. Stock up on eco-conscious alternatives instead that keep your workspace clean without harming the earth.
- Use natural options as much as possible. There are plenty of offices that keep their artificial lights switched on throughout the day while the sunshine is streaming in through the windows. Is this really necessary? Consider switching off lights that are already fully lit by natural sunlight, and turn off all light switches in corridors or rooms that aren’t in use. This goes for temperature control, too – if the weather isn’t too hot, simply opening up the windows may be a more effective and less energy-dependent cooling system than switching on an AC.
