Quick ways to make your office more environmentally friendly

While you may not have the time or resources to implement a full zero-waste office at your workplace, there are quick and simple steps you can take to do your bit for the environment. To celebrate World Environment Day, here are five ways to make your office more eco-friendly.

Go paperless wherever possible

Next time you’re about to print out a hard copy of a presentation or training manual, ask yourself, “Do I really need a copy of this?” While many offices are already moving towards being paperless, taking initiative and only printing when you absolutely have to might be just the kick start your workplace needs to do so as well.

Switch off

If you work in a business where you have control over the lights, make sure to switch them off before you go home if you’re the last to leave the office. The same goes for computers, printers and other equipment – if you and your team don’t need to use them anytime soon, leave them switched off or in an energy efficient mode. Remember, some appliances can use energy even when they’re in use it, so it’s best to switch off the outlet at the source if you can.

Reduce & reuse

Always be conscientious of the resources you’re using at work, from stationery to paper cups. If you need to use notebooks or post-it-notes, opt for recycled paper wherever possible, and use refillable water bottles rather than plastic drinking bottles or paper cups. Simply being mindful of your usage can go a long way toward being more environmentally friendly.

Recycle batteries

Unlike paper or plastic, which can usually be recycled in the office’s recycling bins, batteries should be specially recycled to ensure they’re kept out of landfills, where their heavy metals could leak into the ground. Find a battery recycling station near you, and start a battery recycling bag in your office where your colleagues can put batteries from wireless keywords and so on.

Turn off the A/C

Ever felt chilly in the office even though it’s scorching hot outside? If you have control over your office’s air conditioning, keep it off whenever you can to lessen the impact on the environment. Even setting it to turn on at a slightly higher temperature or turn off automatically when it gets cool enough can make a noticeable difference.

Consider green transport options

While technically not in the office, if you drive to work every day you should consider more green modes of transportation such as public transport, biking, or walking to work. If you have colleagues who live nearby, you could also set up a carpooling arrangement to cut down on your collective pollution impact.