We can all be doing lots of things at home to be more sustainable, but why should we only be making changes in our personal lives?
Fast Skips, who provide Skip Hire in the UK, have three tips that we can all try to implement at the office to try and be more sustainable.
- Be green when you clean
Most standard cleaning products are very affordable and undoubtedly do the job for most office cleans. However, harsh chemical ingredients significantly contribute to environmental and health problems.
As offices are cleaned more regularly, it increases the likelihood of the air being contaminated with the chemicals, leading to air pollution and increased plastic waste from the cleaning product materials.
Where possible, consider using environmentally friendly cleaning products, which can be purchased from most supermarkets. They are slightly more expensive but are naturally derived, meaning they’re safer for the environment and our health. If you use an external cleaning company, try and speak with them about your concerns and see if this is a service they can offer to you.
- Be mindful of wasted electricity
Working in an office means it’s very likely that lights are always on and electricity is being used constantly for appliances and computers. However, there are still times where we can remember to switch off and save electricity.
Posters can be made to remind staff to switch off lights when they’re leaving rooms such as the bathroom and the kitchen, as well as turning computers off at the wall when going home for the evening.
This can be further implemented by creating a Switch Off policy that is rolled out with your expectations as an employer that your staff will follow in order to be more mindful of electricity usage.
- Consider a green energy supplier
Green energy suppliers are now more accessible than ever. Their energy differs from other generic suppliers as they get theirs from renewable sources, including solar and turbines. These are much more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly compared to fossil fuels which are most commonly used by other energy suppliers in the UK.
Green energy suppliers are also now very competitive with their prices and they can be compared on your favourite price comparison websites.
Although you might not be the decision-maker for things such as energy suppliers, it still goes a long way by speaking to the person who can make these choices and present them with your ideas. They might not have considered it before.
There are lots of small changes we can be making to be more energy efficient at work, what are other ones you can think of that can be easily rolled out?