In addition to being good for the environment, going green could also save your company quite a bit of money in the coming years. Here is a quick look at four simple tactics that will reduce the amount of trash that your company produces while increasing its overall efficiency.
Ban Single-Use Products
It is an unfortunate fact that many employees tend to use single-use products because those items can easily be thrown away when they are no longer needed. Unfortunately, single-use products are incredibly wasteful, and that is why you might want to consider banning them from your office. Gifting your staff reusable mugs and water bottles is a great gesture that will minimize how much waste your office produces. You can also set up a small station for cleaning reusable cutlery, plates, and bowls.
Go Paperless
You will probably always have at least some paperwork in your office, but a few small upgrades could greatly reduce how much paper your business uses. Instead of sending and receiving physical faxes, you can use digital fax software. You might also want to switch over to digital invoices and pay stubs. Converting to a paperless office is going to minimize overhead and make your office much less cluttered.
Minimize Phantom Loads
Even when the electronics in your office aren’t being used, they will continue to draw some power. Those phantom loads can add up over time, and that is why you should turn off most of your electronics when the office isn’t being used. At the very least, devices such as computer monitors and coffee makers should be turned off or unplugged at the end of each day.
Put Out Recycle Bins
Putting out green bins and encouraging your team to recycle will be one of the most important steps in this process. Those types of bins should be set up all over your office, and you need to teach your employees about which items can be recycled. You must also be very careful with your electronic devices when they are no longer needed. Instead of tossing those items in the garbage bin, you might want to contact a local electronics recycling company.
If you would like to make your office even more eco-friendly, then you might want to contact a local company that offers green audits. During one of those audits, an experienced inspector will look over every aspect of your operations and help you come up with a comprehensive plan to your office’s efficiency.
Kara Masterson is a freelance writer from West Jordan, Utah. She graduated from the University of Utah and enjoys writing and spending time with her dog, Max.
