As the climate crisis continues, it’s more important than ever to adopt sustainable practices in all aspects of life – including the workplace. Here are 11 tips on how you can be environmentally friendly at work.
1. Bring Your Water Bottle
One of the simplest ways to be more eco-friendly at work is to ditch the disposable water bottle. That’s because making and transporting those plastic bottles takes a lot of energy and resources. Once you’re done with them, they end up in landfills where they can take centuries to decompose.
Instead, invest in a reusable water bottle you can fill at the water cooler or your office’s water filtration system. And to maximize your eco-friendly impact, opt for stainless steel or glass instead of plastic.
2. Bring Your Coffee Mug
Like water bottles, single-use coffee cups also end up in landfills where they’ll sit for years. And the manufacturing process for coffee cups is quite harmful to the environment.
So, bring your mug from home to fill up with coffee or tea. If you forget yours at home, see if your office has any reusable mugs you can use. Many offices now have ceramic mugs that employees can grab and return when they’re done.
3. Print on Both Sides of the Paper
Printer paper is another common item that gets thrown away after just one use.When you need to print something out at work, choose the option to print on both sides of the paper. You can also consider asking your boss if your workplace can switch to double-sided printing for all your office documents.
4. Use Rechargeable Batteries
Disposable batteries are bad for the environment because of the chemicals they contain. After the batteries are disposed of, these chemicals can leach into the soil and groundwater, causing pollution.
Rechargeable batteries don’t have this problem because you can reuse them repeatedly. So, if your office uses a lot of batteries, switch to rechargeables. Your office will save money in the long run, and you’ll be helping the environment.
5. Bring Your Lunch
Packing your lunch is not only healthier for you, but it’s also better for the environment. That’s because when you eat out, all the packaging and waste from your meal go into the trash.The next time you’re heading to work, pack yourself a lunch using reusable containers. You’ll save money and help reduce pollution and waste!
6. Use Public Transportation
If you can, take public transportation to and from work instead of driving. Opting for mass transit will help reduce pollution and traffic, with effects that will continue to multiply over time.And, if your workplace is close enough, you could even walk or ride your bike. Walking or biking is great exercise, and it’s completely free.
7. Turn Off Your Computer When Not in Use
When you’re finished working for the day, make sure to turn off your computer instead of leaving it in sleep mode. Leaving your computer on in any capacity uses a lot of energy. It would help if you also unplug any other electronics you’re not using, like your printer or scanner since they’re still using energy as long as they’re plugged in.
8. Choose Digital When Possible
There is no need to print out every document in today’s world. If possible, go with the digital version since this will save paper and reduce waste. You can read documents on your computer screen or tablet instead of printing them out. And when you need to sign a document, you can do it electronically. If you’re a fan of marking up documents, consider downloading a PDF reader that lets you do this on your computer or tablet.
9. Telecommute
If you can, talk to your boss about telecommuting a few days a week. This means you’ll work from home instead of coming into the office.Telecommuting is great for the environment because it reduces the pollution and traffic you contribute daily. And as a bonus, it can also be great for your productivity since you won’t have any distractions from colleagues.
10. Opt for Refillable Pens
Pens are one of those office supplies that always seem to run out quickly. And when they do, they often end up in the trash.To reduce waste, opt for pens that can be refilled with ink instead of throwing them away. Many office stores sell pens that come with a refillable ink cartridge. And some even have Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) certification, which means they’re made from sustainable materials.
11. Keep Natural Personal Products on Your Desk
While some office products, like paper, can’t be avoided, there are others that you can easily switch to more eco-friendly versions. For example, keep a stash of natural personal products on your desk.
Products like natural lip balm, plastic–free deodorant and natural dry shampoo don’t contain harsh chemicals and are often packaged more sustainably than their counterparts, all while offering comparable performance. Not only will you be helping out the environment, but you’ll also be stocked up to stay fresh throughout the day!
Final Thoughts
There you have it: 11 tips on how to be environmentally friendly at work! By making a few simple changes, you can help reduce pollution and waste. And as a bonus, you might even find that these changes make your workday more enjoyable.
Article Submitted By Community Writer