Tips for more sustainable workplace

There is always room for improvement and when it comes to your workplace it becomes more and more important to think ecologically. Here are some tips to help you with that.

Choose your office products carefully

There may not be room in your budget to buy exclusively sustainable products, but you can focus on certain areas that have a huge overall impact, such as more efficient electronics. Low-energy electronics can have a huge positive impact on the environment as well as on your electric bill. Think about that next time you buy electronics, especially in bulk.

Embrace renewable energy

Green power sources, including solar, are more accessible than ever. Organizations of any size can make this switch. Almost every electricity supplier offers green energy plans that are generated by renewable energy sources, primarily wind and solar. These green electricity plans are priced very competitively compared to traditional electricity plans powered by natural gas so maybe they’re worth considering.

Approach thermostat with caution

Workplaces are often over-airconditioned in the summer months. Employees should be able to find a sweet spot to both allow for a more comfortable workspace, and to reduce energy use. Smaller businesses might not notice such a dramatic change, but little adjustments are done with the intention to build positive habits that make a difference over time.

Go paperless

The greenest paper is no paper at all. Corrections, revisions, and updates on printed documents contribute to 90% of all office waste. The remaining 10% is taking up space in storage facilities. Keep things digital whenever possible. It’s as easy as keeping digital files on on your computers and mobile devices, not file cabinets. Also, get in the habit of reviewing digital documents on-screen, rather than printing them out.

Other ways to go paperless include printing less in general, and asking vendors to offer e-statements and invoices instead of paper statements. Setting up automated payments further reduces paperwork by eliminating the need for printed checks. By using existing technologies to remove some of the paperwork burdens of the accounts payables process, companies would find that they’ve both reduced their carbon footprint and improved the efficiency of their business.

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