10 Easy Ways to Go Green in the Office

We know that most of you are currently working from home but we want to take this opportunity to consider what our offices are going to look like once we get back in them.

Researches show that CSR (Company Social Responsibility) is quickly becoming one of the biggest factors for employees when choosing their preferred future employer. So here’s how you can include some small but valuable details to your everyday office life to not only help the environment but also attract and retain top talent.

1. Recycling bins

Easy to do and super effective- place 3 or 4 bins around the office where everyone can throw their plastic, metal, paper or glass waste.

You can also provide some tips and tricks on how to recycle properly and place them near each bin. Brand the bins, add stickers or whatever you want to make this experience fun and enjoyable.

2. Dishes and cutlery

Each office has access to a sink, some places even have their own kitchens so don’t be afraid to use some normal cutlery and plates. Provide dish soap with non-toxic ingredients and wooden reusable brush to wash everything with for extra sustainability.

3. Eliminate paper towels

Instead, use hand dryers in the bathroom, cloths and normal towels in the kitchen. Make a point to have a volunteer who will take home and wash all the towels once per week so you can include the whole team in this.

4. Replace plastic water bottle

If you’re usually delivering plastic water bottles to the office or you have a water dispenser which also needs a big water tube, replace this with individual glass bottles for each team member. The great thing about this is that everyone must actually get up and take a small walk to refill their bottle which is awesome for clearing your mind and getting some movement in.

5. Think about energy

If you haven’t already done so, get some energy-efficient light bulbs for the office. Although they can initially cost more than traditional incandescent bulbs, during their lifetime they save you money, because they use less energy. More efficient electronics are also very important in saving energy.

Another thing that we all forget about sometimes, especially if our space is located in a big office building, is to turn off all electricity in the evening. Place a small kind reminder near your doors for the last person to leave.

One extra way to save energy is by eliminating screen savers. Instead, set monitors to power off after the same amount of time; it's just as easy.

6. Office supplies

Think about everything you provide for the office and how you can improve it. Bamboo pens, recycled paper, energy-efficient electronics, options are endless.

7. Desk plants

An awesome way to turn your office into a cozier space and to improve air quality is to bring in some desk plants. This makes the space feel more like a home and also if you have some new office furniture, the plants will offset any chemicals released into the air by them.

8. Encourage green commuting

You can provide cards for the public transport like we in TechPods do, to encourage green commuting and to lower the carbon footprint that you and your teammates leave behind. Working from home is also a great alternative and as we all recently learned, there are enough great tools to make working from home possible for as long as needed so don’t hesitate to have a remote team every once in a while.

9. Cleaning supplies

Environmentally friendly cleaning products protect the health of not only your cleaning staff but also your employees, by eliminating harmful substances and odors from the office.

10. Make it FUN!

You can think of so many games and challenges related to becoming a more sustainable office. Order some veggies for lunch and use them for Meat-Free Mondays, make lunch in the office if you have the ability to, instead of ordering food; create challenges and think of some eco-friendly gifts for the winners (like a sustainable kit with some bamboo cutlery, water bottle, glass straws etc, all placed in a reusable shopping bag for example). If you replaced everything that was meant for one-time use only, the sustainable items you got are actually saving you money. So you can create a jar where you store all the saved money each month and use them for fun teambuilding activities.

Get creative with your initiatives and you’ll see how all of this will be greatly appreciated by your team!