No matter what we do to limit our waste, our individual carbon footprints grow on a daily basis. The average American produces just under 5 pounds of trash daily. Since so much of our day is spent at work, here are some ways that you can make your office space more eco-friendly.
- Reduce your energy dependence by installing or requesting that your building manager installs the following:
– LED light bulbs
– Motion sensor light switches that turn off after a few minutes of stillness
– Programmable thermostats and that shut off after hours
Turn off (and encourage others to turn off) lights, power strips and computers each night. - Reduce food waste
– Offer recycling and include a label to show which types of items can be recycled.
– Offer employees healthy snacks like fresh fruit instead of individually-wrapped snacks.
– Get a compost bin that can be emptied at farmers markets or picked up by a compost curbside service. This is great for coffee grounds and fruit peels. - Think before you print. Try to avoid printing, but when printing is needed, look to print double-sided or only the pages needed.
- Commuting
– Incentivize employees for taking public transportation by subsidizing bus and metro rides.
– Provide showers for employees who might bicycle or walk to work. Make a bike rack available.
– If possible, encourage telecommuting for at least a few days out of the week to reduce employees’ carbon footprints from traveling to/from the office.
– Install a few EV chargers for employee use to encourage the adoption of electric vehicles. - Reduce plastics
– Use a traditional coffee maker instead of single-serve K-cups, and a reusable coffee mug.
– Use washable dishware and silverware.
– Invest in a SodaStream instead of buying individual cans of soda. - Source office supplies and equipment from sustainable vendors. Think about purchasing computers and work phones that are recyclable. Research which product brands have strong corporate sustainability goals.
- Use hand dryers instead of paper towels in the bathroom.
- Use eco-friendly or plant-based soaps and cleaning products.
- Organize tree-planting or park clean-up volunteer activities that support local environmental initiatives.
- Attempt to track and offset the company’s carbon footprint by investing in reforestation or environmental projects.
Keywords: #carbon reduction #energy efficiency #recycle #workplace