A green workplace is a happy workplace, so here’s how to improve your surroundings
Being green is an important part of any business in 2019. Not only is it important to do your bit for the planet, but it can also help boost your brand and show your customers that you care about your impact.
Plus, putting greener measures into practice in your office can often lead to lower energy costs and therefore less business spending. Win, win!
So if you’re looking to make your office a little more eco-friendly, here are 15 smart ideas for your business.
Encourage a greener commute
Try advising your team to cycle, carpool or use public transport whenever they can rather than driving, and set a good example by doing this yourself, too. And with a number of cycle to work schemes on offer to help employees foot the bill for a new set of wheels, you can help to remove the initial hurdles that might stop a staff member from pedalling to the office.
Offer working from home
You can also give your team the option of working from home from time to time, reducing the overall amount of traffic on the roads. It also means your office gets a break from electricity usage.
Power down at night
All devices in your office should be shut down and switched off at the end of the day. If you leave them on Sleep or Hibernate mode, they’ll still be using up energy. For the sake of the extra 30 seconds saved in booting up each morning, we advise that you prioritise energy saving over the convenience.
Use recycled paper
Recycled or sustainable paper is much more eco-friendly and far less wasteful, so you don’t have to feel so guilty about printing.
Or go paperless
However, if possible you should try to avoid paper entirely. With sharing platforms and the Cloud commonplace, there is very little need to print hardcopies of your documents in 2019.
Install motion sensors
If you’re worried about remembering to switch off lights, motion sensors can help make things easier. These will activate lights only when necessary, and will switch off when the room is unoccupied.
Invest in energy efficient appliances
From fridges to microwaves to heaters, look for appliances that are marked as “energy efficient”. They may be slightly more costly upfront, but they’ll go on to save you significant energy costs in the long run.
Switch your bulbs
CFL (compact-fluorescent) and LED bulbs are known for having a long life and low energy consumption, so make sure you’re using them in every light source.
Make use of natural light
Also, don’t feel the need to switch on lights just because you’re in the room. If there is enough natural light, there’s no reason to depend on artificial lighting too.
Greenify your office
Plants and flowers are one of the best additions to any office décor. Not only do plants help keep the air clean, but they’ve also been shown to improve employee wellbeing.
Don’t use disposable plastic cutlery
Even something simple like using traditional cutlery and crockery rather than disposable alternatives can reduce your carbon footprint and reduce the plastic that heads to landfill.
Use the stairs
Don’t rely on the lift to reach your office. If you can, take the stairs instead to reduce your energy use while also boosting your fitness.
Spread the word
It’s hard to make a dent in your carbon footprint when you’re acting alone. Take the time to educate your team about the importance of being eco-friendly, giving them the chance to share their own ideas. You can even offer incentives and rewards for green behaviour in the workplace.
Consider a green tariff
Switching your energy tariff can be one of the most effective ways to make your business greener and reduce your costs. Green tariffs are specifically designed to help you reduce your environmental impact, using energy the smart way. And there are several available to businesses as well as domestic customers.
Need to find the best energy tariff for your business? The Energy Check can help. Click here to start comparing deals or get in touch with our team today by calling 0191 691 18 02.