7 Ways To Go Green At Your Office!

It’s human nature want to make a difference to the world and strive to be energy efficient and eco-friendly for the benefit of future generations. To live eco-friendly is nothing we’ve not heard before and slowly but surely, we are replacing some of our mass produced cleaning products with greener and environmentally friendly cleaners. So if you’re already doing so at your home, it’s only natural to extend it to your office. Considering you spend the majority of your day in the office, it’s about time you took certain measures as a team and company to save energy, costs to the office and above all create a healthier and productive office space. 

Image credit to A_stockphoto/shutterstock.com

Here are 7 ways to Go Green at your office!

Add life to your desk!

A study on ‘The relative benefits of green versus lean office space’ in 2014 concluded that workers will perform better when household plants are added to work spaces. Taken from The Guardian, Dr Chris Knight from Exeter University, had been studying the impact of offices with and without plants and found employees were 15% more productive when a plant was added to their workspaces, compared to a lean office space. Not only do plants make an office look more inviting, greener and productive, they also purify the air you work in day-in and day-out. Household plants are easy to maintain and look after and just by adding plants to the interior décor, a company’s productivity and mood dramatically increases. 

Image credit to Arthus Stock/shutterstock.com

Turn off what you’re not using

When you work among hundreds of people, energy costs begin to add up. It may sound very obvious to do, but remember to shut down all computers, printers, fax machines, coffee machines and lights when you’re ready to leave the office. If someone has forgotten to do it, make sure you take responsibility. 

Image credit to Gorodenkoff/shutterstock.com

Think about how much you print

Unless you work for a print magazine or newspaper, the amount of paper you print can be reduced dramatically! Jill Doucette, author of ‘Greening your Office’ and founder of Synergy, a British Columbia-based environmental consulting firm that helps companies go green has claimed that every employee in an office can cut their paper consumption in half just by being aware of what they print. If it’s not necessary to print, then find another way to read an article you’re interested in. If it’s a PDF, use the digital highlighter tool and save what is most important. If you have created hand-outs for your team meeting, put it into a PowerPoint presentation or on a shared drive for everyone to read beforehand. If you do need to print, then the cost of ink cartridges is something to be wary of. Consider using refillable cartridges as you will save a lot of money and go green in the easiest of ways! 

Image credit to FabrikaSimf/shutterstock.com

Recycle

Recycling is the number one rule of going green! If you’re not recycling at work, then be prepared to be judged in the eco-friendly world! Offices go through a hell of a lot of paper, waste, empty water bottles and tissues, so make sure you suggest to purchase recycling bins and enquire with your local borough council how to recycle your office waste. 

Image credit to ITTIGallery/shutterstock.com

Consider available light when purchasing office space.

To cut your energy costs by 50%, good lighting is a must-have and essential for a productive workplace. Not only does it cut costs during the spring and summer months, when there is a lot more daylight available, it helps improves the mood of your office. When looking for office space to rent and buy, make sure there are windows that you can open when necessary, open blinds to provide adequate light into the office without turning on the lights and consider using energy saving light bulbs during the winter months for more efficient ways of keeping an office lit up. 

Image credit to ImageFlow/shutterstock.com

Walk, don’t drive!

We’re not suggesting to walks the entirety of your commute, but think about how you get to work and how you can reduce your greenhouse gas emissions. Maybe your role is director and you have been given a permit to park your car outside of the office, but why not walk or cycle to work when the weather gets a little warmer. If you do wish to drive for convenience and you know there are others who do the same but live close by, offer to carpool. Even if you’re not a big shot guy at the firm, consider changing your mode of transport according to the seasons. During winter, opt for public transport, rather than taxis to reduce the number of extra cars on the road and during the summer months, take a short stroll in between tube stations to your office. 

Image credit to 4 PM production/shutterstock.com

Green lunches

We’re not insinuating you should be eating your greens all day every day, but when possible, try and prepare your lunch at home and put it in Tupperware to reduce the amount of plastic packaging you dispose of at the office. If you do like going out for lunch, choose ethical restaurants that source fair-trade products. Featured image credit: Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock