We see it all around us, businesses taking the plunge and pledging to become eco conscious and more sustainable. Whether that be how the products are made, the types of materials used and the general internal ethics in the workplace.
It’s a train, that large and small business seem to be jumping on and we’re along for ride. It’s not a quick journey and will take time for us all to get there. But if we’re all heading in the same direction & making changes where possible. It’s a good place to be.
As a business wanting to take a greener approach, how can you start the process?
Monitor Wastage
As an employee & employer are you aware of how much waste you create?
In the past, it might not be something that was considered an issue, but in this day and age we need to be more conscious of where the material will end up and if in fact it needs to be thrown in the bin or recycled?
Keeping a track of the paper you use; the office supplies we discard, and the water bottles you throw away, making individuals responsible for the waste they create.
Once you’ve been able to monitor and track the problems within the office, you can look at putting actions into place, to remedy the wastage.
One of the biggest usages in an office is paper. We’re in a digital era where everything is at the click of a button. Limiting printed pages, the notebooks used and the scrap paper floating around the office could lead to a near paperless office!
Office Furniture
Desks, chairs, office partitions – which ever your office possesses, there are ways to make a more sustainable decision.
There are several ways that you can look at the sustainable aspects of furniture and office screening. Firstly, looking at sustainable brands that are using reclaim materials and creating a new product from something new. Some (not all of time) this solution can be slightly more expensive.
Another way to view a sustainable product is to look at the life span, how long it can be used & how much of it can be recycled at the end of it’s life.
In general, office furniture is used for years and years, decades in fact. In that way, office furniture and office screens are an investment that will last. But in addition to the longevity, take a look at the breakdown of the fabrics and how they can be disposed of when they are no longer needed.
Opting for a higher level of recyclability is a great way to bring sustainable, yet effective objects into the work place.