Why waste management is indispensable for a more sustainable workplace

We generally tend to consider our offices like neutral places, that we rarely call home, and because of that we don’t apply the same behaviour in terms of sustainability. By feeling less engaged our sensitivity is altered and we don’t pay the same attention to the impact that our physical presence has on the environment. Many employers, that have already embraced the philosophy of the green office, allow remote working in order to reduce the use of plastic, energy, paper, fossil fuels and energy. The latter is just one of the many strategies that can be adopted, but let’s find out more about the other ones:

Plastic-free office

Plastic waste is not just a hot topic in the office, as you know is a very challenging global issue. The footprint plastic waste that we leave behind us affects an entire ecosystem – and considering that we spend around 10 hours in the office, we are the first actors that can reduce the impact. The most basic thing to do is to “designate a commingled recycling bin for all of business’ containers, bottles, cans and jars made of metal, plastic or glass. For those you can’t recycle, choose to use durable items instead, like reusable water bottles, food containers, lunch boxes and reusable bags”.  According to National Geographic the production of plastic started around 1950, therefore there are 9.2 billion tons of material to recycle. Consider that “6.9 billion tons have become waste and of that waste, a staggering 6.3 billion tons never made it to a recycling bin”. A successful plastic-free office is a combination of the company’s policies and responsible employees that improve the quality of those policies. Set the example and follow sustainability guidelines offered by your company.

Use paper only when is really necessary

How many times did you forget to get from the printer your files? Or that time when you didn’t recycle using the right paper bin? According to the statistics “the average office worker generates about 2 pounds worth of mixed paper products every day and uses 10,000 sheets of paper per year!” There are three simple solutions in order to reduce the use of paper: print only if it’s really necessary and if you can use the double-sided option, print only if necessary, recycle the right type of paper using the designated bin.

When your pc and phone are fully charged unplug the charger

One of the most frequent energetic waste is device-related. Especially in case of portable ones, when they are fully charged, remember to unplug them. Enable the energy saving mode if you can.

Turn on the office lights and air conditioning only when necessary 

When it comes to office lights and air conditioning we enter into a very subjective sphere. Each individual has different perceptions when it is about finding a common ground. If you want to stay productive and have a positive impact in the office try to switch places and find the right compromise with your co-workers.

Don’t be lazy and use the proper recycling bins in order to avoid general waste and encourage your co-workers to do the same and provide feedback to human resources in order to improve your company’s sustainability policies. Read more about our sustainable-related blog posts!