In recent years we’ve all been bombarded with warnings about global warming and climate change and it seems like a lot of hard work to reduce our carbon footprint. However, it’s much more helpful to break things down on an individual level; there are things that we can all do to help our environment. Going green doesn’t have to take much effort and leaves you with a nice warm fuzzy feeling because you know you’ve done your bit!
Making sure your workplace is green means it’ll be a healthier and more productive environment too. I’ve taken the liberty of choosing some top tips for saving energy in the workplace that are really easy to do.
1) SWITCH OFF anything you aren’t using- lights, computers, printers, scanners etc
2) GO DIGITAL – Isn’t it weird that in this day and age when we’re all obsessed with computers, we still use lots of paper when it’s not necessary? You can keep files on computers rather than in cabinets, or store documents on a memory stick when you’re on the go and send emails instead of letters.
3) LOOK FOR RECYCLED PAPER – If you can, print on both sides of the paper and use any misprinted pages for rough notes. If your company ships packages you could use shredded paper as packing material.
4) GREEN TRAVELLING – If you’re feeling energetic you could walk or cycle to work, and burn off that morning bacon butty at the same time. If that isn’t an option there are hybrid cars that can significantly reduce your carbon footprint or you could share your car with a colleague or vice versa.
5) USE GREEN MATERIALS- There are plenty of recycled stationary products out there, such as envelopes, paper and even pens and pencils. Many of these products use eco-friendly methods to process and colour too! You can also recycle ink cartridges, and refillable ones are often much cheaper
6) GREEN YOUR SPACE- Try to use natural daylight where you can- it’s been proven to boost worker productivity and satisfaction and best of all, it’s free! If that isn’t an option, the next best thing is to use low energy light bulbs. You can also be recycled office furniture too
7) LUNCH TIME- If you bring your own lunch, put in a reusable container. If you all order lunch, place your orders together as there will be much less packaging! Also ask your employer to have fair-trade coffee and get everyone to bring in a favourite mug or glass to eliminate the need for paper cups.
8) PASS IT ON- It’s much easier to go green when your colleagues and employers are with you. It doesn’t stop there either, going green at home it just as easy!
