4 Simple Ways to Make Your Office More Environmentally Friendly

More people are expressing an interest in sustainability than ever before. Even a number of businesses are looking to go green. According to Harvard Business Review, over 2,000 businesses around the world have set a formal target to reduce their carbon footprint. Over 90% of businesses feel that sustainability is important.

While the growing number of companies expressing a desire to practice sustainability is encouraging, many are still not making enough inroads. The number of companies that are actually taking the steps to go green is only two-thirds of those that feel sustainability is important.

If you are trying to run a green business, then you need to find ways to lower your carbon footprint and minimize waste. The best place to start is by setting up a green office.

Create a Green Office to Become a Sustainable Business

Making your office more eco-friendly isn’t as difficult as you might think. Whether you work in a medical care facility or in an office conducting employee training from the Health & Safety Institute, swapping out a few products and developing more eco-conscious habits in the workplace can go a long way in protecting the planet. Here are a few simple things you can do today to make your office a more environmentally friendly place.

1.     Go Paperless

One of the biggest changes you can make around the office to help protect the environment and increase efficiency in your workplace is going paperless. Cutting down on physical documents and doing all business electronically will not only cut down on paper waste but will allow for work to be done as efficiently as possible. If you are not sure where to start, we shared six steps that you can take to go paperless.

2.     Cut Out Single-Use Products

Plastic waste is one of the biggest harms to the environment and one that is a common issue in the workplace. Single-use products such as plastic cutlery or paper towels might be convenient, but it can have a severely negative impact on the planet. Swap single-use, plastic items in your office for reusable options such as plastic cups or mugs, and swap paper towels and napkins for washable, microfiber cloths.  Don’t forget to keep a recycling bin handy in your office, for instances where single-use products are unavoidable!

3.     Conserve Energy

In an office space, energy is typically overused when computers, kitchen appliances, and other electronic devices are left plugged in overnight or on weekends. In order to help the environment and reduce your office’s electric bill, consider unplugging all electronics before heading out of the office after a day of work, and make sure that kitchen appliances such as the office coffee maker, toaster, and more are unplugged over the weekends.

You can also try to use renewable energy if possible. Renewable energy has made up 20% of all utility energy consumption in recent years, but we can do better and use it more.

4.     Cut Back on Meat Consumption

Animal agriculture contributes to a large majority of greenhouse gas emissions, meaning that meat consumption is one of the worst things that humans can do for the planet. While you might not be able to control what coworkers or employees eat both in and out of the office, there are ways to incentivize employees to go meatless while in the office. Try ordering out from vegetarian friendly restaurants for lunch or start a friendly competition by challenging employees to follow a vegetarian diet for a month.

Take the Right Steps to Create a Green Office

You can do your part to lower your carbon footprint if you take the right steps. The tips listed above can go a long ways.