More and more offices are providing opportunities to become green with modifications in the lighting system to the quality of the office supplies. Ideally, there are several things you can do to make your office more environment-friendly. You can begin with simple approaches and move on to more serious options to create a green and sustainable office.
If you are eager to make your office greener, note the general points mentioned below.
- Encouraging the staff of your office to use glass or porcelain mugs, dishes, and cutlery instead of using disposable stuff as it does not take much time to watch these utensils and the office environment stays green.
- Including one live plant in a good position inside the office.
- Using coffee filters made from recycled paper. However, you can also invest in a coffee maker that eliminates the use of paper filters.
- Placing recycling containers in specific locations inside the office, especially near printers. Emptying the recycling boxes regularly is one of the most prominent ways to stay sustainable.
- Using green and environment-friendly products for cleaning the office instead of chemical cleaning agents can prevent damaging the environment.
- Several customers may not require paper receipts, so ask before you print them automatically.
- Try to avoid using paper as much as possible, and instead go for electronic inter-office communications.
- Recycling used batteries and cell phones takes you a step ahead with green approaches.
- Following green procurement and using mobile devices for displaying the agendas of meeting instead of printing them is a good option.
Starting a sustainability team
Beginning a sustainability team within the office can create awareness and result in better accomplishments. For instance, the tea can begin with a recycling program and focus on purchasing energy-efficient for the office and natural cleaning supplies. Apart from this, the sustainability team can also educate and inform the staff about the necessity of sustainable approaches and how it can save the planet.
Using VOC-free paints and energy-efficient devices
If you are creating a new office or renovating the present structure, you might want to paint the walls. Whether you have a color scheme in mind and know what suits you better, using low or VOC-free paint is a green solution as it does not release harmful or volatile compounds into the atmosphere.
Moreover, when equipping the office, you must look for energy-saving options, such as using laptops. However, the way of using the devices can also create the difference. Therefore, you must turn off the devices when not using them or unplug all those electrical devices you do not use frequently to save energy. Here are a few tips to follow for printers and computers.
- Using a multifunction printer instead of separate machines makes your office greener as it allows you to copy, print, scan, and fax from the same machine.
- Using recycled paper or avoiding printing as much as possible. Putting a big sign in the office to remind the users is a good idea.
- Printing on both sides of the paper and using the eco-mode of the computer can help.
- If you want to create a green atmosphere in the office, recycle the toner and cartridge instead of refilling them.
- As far as the usage of computer is concerned, turn it off when not in use.
- Checking the settings of computer if it stays unused for long periods.
- Updating the computer equipment is necessary as the present-day computers and monitors are more energy-efficient.
- Recycling old computers is an activity that contributes to a sustainable environment.
Using better office supplies
When it comes to corporate sustainable development, you need to focus on using sustainable products as they tend to lessen the impact. For instance, purchasing greener electronics can avoid the disposal of tons of hazardous waste.
Associating with eco-friendly vendors
In order for an office to turn green, choosing the vendors can also impact the decision. If your vendors are not eco-friendly, you are not contributing to a sustainable environment. When finding vendors, do your research adequately to find out whether you have sustainable goals in common. If the vendors do not practice eco-friendly approaches, you need to switch to those who favor sustainability.
Heating and cooling
If you can access the thermostat of your office, set the heating and cooling temperatures as ideal, especially when the office is empty so as to maximize the energy savings. Apart from this, the furnace, heat pump, and the AC must undergo regular servicing to function properly. Finally, using caulking and weather stripping to reduce heat loss from the doors and windows make real sense.
Using washrooms
In the washrooms, you can include hand dryers or cloth towels instead of paper towels. The installation of low-flow faucets can reduce water flow from the tap. Use eco-friendly cleaning products instead of sand-filled bottles inside the tank can help.
From using renewable energy sources to energy-efficient devices, there are several ways to make the office green and eco-friendly. Applying the sustainable approaches mentioned above can help.
