5 approaches to a greener office

/in /by

Building a greener office is an incredible way to simultaneously save money and help the environment. Some small businesses think that going green takes too much effort, but that’s hardly the case. Here are a few quick and simple ways to make your office greener.

1.    Use double-sided printing whenever possible

Set your printer or copier’s default mode to double-sided printing to automatically cut down on paper use. This is a simple step and if anyone requires single-sided printing they can easily change the settings.

2.    Use a water delivery service

Bottled water is incredibly wasteful, and unfortunately is prevalent in most offices. Using a water delivery service gives your employees the chance to drink clean water without wasting all that plastic and suffering from the possible health effects of bottled water.

3.    Turn lights and machines off when they’re not being used

This might seem obvious, but many people do not turn off lights and machines when they’re not in the office. Failing to do so can result in a lot of wasted energy and can cost your company funds. Encourage employees to turn off lights, computers and printers to automatically cut back on energy use.

4.    Use recycled and recyclable products when you can

Virtually any paper product is available in recycled versions at major office supply retailers. While they’re much better for the environment, they are generally comparable in price to non-recycled versions.

Using recyclable and compostable products is also important. These items are generally easy to find and can make a huge impact if they’re actually recycled after use. If you don’t implement an easy-to-follow recycling plan, you may find that employees aren’t actually recycling anything.

5.    Cut down on commuting

If you have a company filled with commuters, it can be very helpful to implement some sort of carpool matching service that connects employees who live near one another. Offering parking incentives or other bonuses to people who carpool is an excellent way to generate interest in the program.

These are all simple and inexpensive ways to make your office greener and to ensure that your business has less of an impact on the environment. If you’re interested in finding more ways to green your business, take a look at this article.