More people are making a conscious effort to limit their waste and lead eco-friendly lifestyles. As a business, you too should be reducing your carbon footprint, as consumers are also looking to invest their time and money in companies that have an environmentally friendly ethos.
Why should you reduce waste?
- It conserves our planet’s resources
- It helps protect our planet from climate change
- It saves your company money
- It makes your company more appealing
- It looks good for your brand
Here are 4 ways to make the workplace eco-friendlier:
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1. Go paperless
While recycling is helpful, going paperless (or as paperless as possible) is even better when it comes to saving resources and company time and money. Programs such as Google Docs and Dropbox make saving files and sharing them with your peers simple and easy, streamlining business processes and keeping important data much more secure.
Of course, there is sometimes a need for paper, and if this is the case, ensure that you have clear recycling bins in place within the office. Sadly, the human race can be lazy, which is why you should place recycling bins within arm’s reach.
2. Recycle as much waste as possible
More materials are becoming recyclable, so be sure to double-check before you throw it in the wrong bin. What’s more, if you have a lot of one material that needs to be taken away and recycled properly, such as cardboard, investing in a baler rental will not only keep your office/warehouse tidier, but it can be taken away easily too.
3. Offer reusable water bottles and coffee travel mugs
Not only does a reusable water bottle and coffee travel mug make an employee feel valued and help reduce plastic waste, but it is also a branding opportunity. Think about it: your employees head to the local coffee shop and the owner sees that an employee works for your digital marketing agency – they may look up your company and request your services.
4. Have meat-free days
While this may cause a stir, it is a great initiative to include as the meat industry contributes to climate change on an exponential level. In fact, animal agriculture produces more greenhouse gases than all of the world’s transportation combined!
If the budget allows it, offer your employees lunch once a week. It could be that you have a catering service deliver a salad or variety of vegetarian or vegan sandwiches, or on a smaller scale, offer fruit and veg (e.g. apple slices with peanut butter and carrot sticks with hummus) for the whole office to enjoy. Not only will this help the environment, but it is also a form of healthier eating.
The world is becoming warmer and it is up to us to make a difference and help reduce the effects of climate change. Businesses have large carbon footprints, and while individuals will want to lead eco-friendlier lifestyles, corporations can make the biggest difference to our environment. Putting these measures into place can help save our eco-system.
