There is no doubt everyone needs to do their bit when it comes to the climate crisis the world has found itself in. There are some simple steps people can take which will make a big improvement to the crisis but are businesses doing enough to help the environment at the workplace? We outline 6 easy ways you can make your office greener and do your bit to help the environment.
1 – Encourage Green Commuting
More and more companies are joining initiatives that promote green commuting to the office. This includes the cycle to work scheme by Green Commute Initiative where employees buy bike vouchers for their employees and in return, your business gets reduced national insurance payments. This scheme has proved hugely popular and convinced thousands of people to ditch their car commute and jump on a bike.
2 – Add Plants To Your Office
A really easy way to make your office greener is by decorating it with plants. This is because plants release oxygen into the air and breath in co2 making the air cleaner. Plants have also been proven to increase employee productivity and wellness. You can easily rent office plants and displays from a company like Simply Plants who provide a quick and hassle-free service for businesses in the UK.
3 – Turn of Your Lights, Electronics and Heating Off Wherever Possible
Every company should ensure all lights, electronics and heating are turned off when not being used and definitely overnight. This should be strictly enforced as the electricity needed to power an office is vast and energy is very quickly wasted. The easiest way to enforce this is to put a lighthearted penalty in place where if someone forgets, they have to put some money into the ‘environment jar’.
4 – Switch to Renewable Energy
If you want to make your office more environmentally friendly then there is no better place to start than switching to renewable energy sources wherever possible. Renewable energy sources including solar panels and wind power are becoming more accessible than ever before due to improving technology. Businesses of all sizes are able to get solar panels on their roof which are capable of generating enough power for the office. If this isn’t possible, then choosing a green energy option with your provider can still go a long way to helping the environment.
5 – Utilise Natural Light
There is nothing more frustrating than walking into a room in the middle of the day, the sunlight is coming in through the window and yet the lights are on, despite making no difference to the level of light in the room. Or even worse, when it is sunny but someone has put the blinds down and has the room light on. Being aware of these things and utilising natural light wherever possible and turning off lights in the room will save a lot of energy over time. Natural light also has a positive effect on employee morale and gives people more vitamin D.
6 – Recycle More
Another way to make your office greener is to ensure you are recycling as much as possible; this can be made easier with a waste compactor or baler. More materials can be recycled than you may think and here at Collect & Recycle we can help with many waste materials including paper and cardboard, electrical waste and hazardous waste. If you want help with recycling for your business then we would love to hear from you!
