Small steps to a more conscious start:
Thinking your office needs to “Go Green”? Wondering where to begin? Overwhelmed by the
number of items, the types of papers and what can be done to help the
environment? Is it the furniture, the
office products, or ....
Well, take a deep breathe.
Not everything needs to be done at once!
There are small steps that you are already taking, recycling your paper
and any plastic or aluminum in your office. Encouraging reusable coffee cups and water bottles, watching your energy use when the building is empty, even watering the lawn less. But there are more steps that you can take to making an earth
responsible office!
Starting an Office Recycling Program: Taking Small Steps
Recycling
programs are often only a smaller part of a broader workplace program to
encourage sustainable business practices. Especially if you're looking to save
on costs, combining your recycling program with an effort to reduce office
waste and reuse existing products can be a smart business strategy. When you're
auditing what goes into the garbage, you might realize that you're wasting a
lot of paper. Try to find tasks that could be paperless, or products that could
be reused.
Recycle your computers, coffee cups, garbage bags, paper towels. Recycling, reducing, and reusing doesn't have to stop in the
workplace. Goldman reached out to his community by organizing biannual
electronics recycling days in a program called Bethesda Green. "Adding an
extra dimension to the program definitely increases the overall awareness,"
Goldman says.
Dig Deeper:
More Sustainable Initiatives for Your Workplace
How to Implement an Office Recycling Program: Start with making sure that all your approvals
for town, county, and building requirements are in place. Be sure to discuss financial benefits, and
contracts for dealing with paper and other recycled waste. Be sure there is budgeted monies to purchase
bins and equipment, and that the maintenance staff understands their new
responsibilities! Consider composting some of your paper, cardboard and food products! Find a champion who
will track and prepare an audit of the saving and amount of waste that is being
recycled! Most importantly, make sure
all employees understand the new policy, publicize and make it easy for them!!!
How about electric? Have you checked your bulbs in all your
light fixtures? Fluorescents are more
energy efficient but make sure that you are buying bulbs, or as we in the
industry say “lamps”, that are closer to Daylight in Kelvin temperature than
too cool or too warm. Have you ever
noticed that the lamps in the lights are different colors? That is from not purchasing the same Kelvin
temperature lamps. Having a Kelvin
temperature closer to daylight, or warm white, is easier on the eyes, closer to
natural color for the skin and more smoothing for the state of mind! It will
keep employees focused and healthier in your office space.
What about water?
Make sure your faucets and toilets are not leaking! Leaking faucets can
waste from 700 to 2000 gallons of water, and a toilet can waste up to 25,000
gallons per year. Check all faucets for aerators. These devices that are installed in all newer
faucets reduce the amount of flow that come from the spout to reduce waste
water. Change the handles out on your toilets
to dual flush! These handles can be
purchased separately and don’t cost all that much!
Are you in a State that can capture and reuse rain
water? Prepare now, and do your
homework! Get your landscaper on board,
and see what uses for gray water systems your site might have!
Want to take it up a notch higher? Investigate solar power! Either for a percentage of your building or
just for your hot water usage! Use solar powered landscaping lighting for your
pathways and main entrance! Provide bicycle
parking for those that can commute by two wheels, or encourage carpooling and
bus riding! Many cities provide incentives or grant programs for office buildings and homes, and the energy companies have "buy back" programs and other forms of support! Invest time and find a great local solar company that can help you through every step of the process!
As much as we get excited about products that are made with
recycled content, reuse other products in them, reduce their impact on the
environment, new carpet, updated lighting fixtures, and new toilets are not
always the best way method to choose.
Construction waste is averaged at 20-36% of the overall waste in
landfills, according to some States statistics.
So we encourage to take smaller steps, and find ways the will help your
impact while you are still in your office space. Helping the planet survive becomes a choice
to change not only your world but your methods of practice every day! Choose
what works best for you!
