Here in the Cortazu office, we try to take all the steps we can to protect the environment. We create outstanding outerwear because we want people to get out there for the better, however, people can’t get out there for the better if there is nowhere worth getting out to. This is why we find it so important to protect the environment!
Is your office trying to be more environmentally friendly or sustainable? If so, we compiled a small list of ideas for how you can turn your office more green!
Go Paperless or More Digital
The average office worker uses about 10,000 sheets of paper per year! That is a lot that eventually all gets thrown out. The more your office can rely on simply digital communication and work, the less gets wasted on paper products. Here you can find a simple guide on how to make your office paperless.
Incentivize Green Commuting
There are a lot of different kinds of green commuting: biking, carpooling, or public transit. These options are much more sustainable than everyone driving their individual cars into the office. Find ways to incentivize your employees to use these ways of commuting. If they are biking, allow them to come in a bit later or earlier so they can avoid rush hour traffic. If they are carpooling, find a way to reward the employees that are putting in the work!
Use Silverware and Reusable Utensils
In the United States, 100 million plastic utensils are used a day (and then normally disposed of as well). This adds up incredibly quickly! Your office should be making use of reusable utensils. Back to the basics: a metal fork and a metal knife. You may have to institute a policy on dishes! We have all seen a messy office kitchen once in our lives.
Encourage Recycling
Create an area where all your co-workers can recycle easily! The bins should be quickly recognizable and easy to understand what goes where. That means you need to make sure you have a sign explaining what goes into what bin. CleanRiver recommends that you make it so all waste is in one centralized area, as opposed to having bins at each desk for recycle and waste. This way people consider their waste and recyclables more than just simply pitching it in their convenient bin under the desk.
Kick the Keurig/Nespresso
According to The Story of Stuff, K-cup waste could wrap the Earth 10 times. That is a ton of waste to be creating just over coffee. Think about, do you really need to be creating so much waste for a single cup of coffee? Drip coffee with recycled filter paper uses much less waste. However, if you single coffee urges are so strong, Keurig also developed reusable cups for their machines.
Bring Your Own Bottle (BYOB)
Continuing on the silverware and K-cup ideas, drinking water in your office doesn’t need to produce any waste whatsoever. Instead of plastic water cups, everyone could bring their own water bottle.
Allow Work From Home Options
You can incentivize your co-workers to commute in a more sustainable way OR you can give them the option to not commute at all. Luckily remote workers aren’t only more sustainable, but also more productive!
Turn Off Computers Fully When Leaving the Office
Not just computers! When you leave the office, especially on the weekends, make sure to fully turn off the power to your office. There are tons of appliances that draw power even when they are “off.” Though, the energy usage is not much, think about all the appliances out there that is just drawing a bit of power for absolutely nothing.
Switch LED Light Bulbs
LED light bulbs are up to 80% more effective than traditional light bulbs. All in all, they are brighter and use less energy. A must do for making your office more sustainable!
Use Environmentally Friendly Cleaning Supplies
Hopefully your office is using cleaning supplies and you are working in a clean place, however have you thought about the environmental friendliness of the cleaning supplies you use? The Good Trade has put together a list of environmentally friendly cleaning supplies to help you out!
