How to Green Your Workplace
Posted on October 23, 2007 - Filed Under Mother Nature, Green Goods |
You have more power at your workplace than you realize when it comes to making it a more environmentally friendly place to work. If you’re lucky, you already work somewhere that participates in recycling paper, plastic, aluminum, and cardboard, but if you are like the rest of us, your office has a long way to go. So in an effort to empower my daily readers, I have compiled a list of simple actions you can take to help turn you coworkers green.
1. Bring your lunch to work in reusable containers. This includes silverware! Now this doesn’t have to be anything fancy; you can easily use the plastic reusable storage containers you use at home. For sandwiches, ditch the plastic bag and try a Wrap-N-Mat. These handy resuable mats with Velcro are a container and surface in one. I bought a set 3 years ago and they work great.
2. Collect coffee mugs that you or your friends don’t use and bring them to work. Over the years we collect quite a few coffee mugs, most of which we don’t use. So take them to work and put them next to the coffee machine with a note reading: please use. It also won’t hurt to take the Styrofoam cups and hide them in a cabinet, helping your coworkers to make the right decision.
3. Always carry a reusable water bottle with you. I admit, I am a thirsty person; I always have my water bottle with me. Whether your work offers a water cooler or a water fountain, choosing a reusable water bottle over a temporary plastic one prevents using unnecessary plastic and also ensures you get your daily minimum of 8 glasses of water. I fill mine up in the morning from my water purifier tap and take it to work with me.
4. Use a paper recycle box. Most offices at least recycle paper, or so they say. So get yourself a box to place all of your discarded paper in when you are finished with it. You can also place one by every printer. My office had trashcans next to all the printers that I promptly removed one evening and replaced with recycle boxes. Confirm with your office manager that your office does recycle paper, and if not, ask if they will or take your paper home yourself to recycle. I know that Northern Virginia, especially Alexandria, has great recycling facilities scattered around the area and the locations can be easily found through an Internet search.
5. Lead by example. This is perhaps the most important action I believe you can take when trying to “green” anything. If someone isn’t already recycling, reusing, or reducing their waste, chances are they are not going to like you telling them what they are doing wrong. So start simple and compliment those that are doing it right. If someone throws paper in an office wastebasket, ask if they mind if you recycle it for them. If your officemate constantly throws away her aluminum cans, the next time she has an empty one sitting on her desk, offer to take it to the lunchroom and recycle it for her. One year for Christmas I made my friends little gift bags with some of my favorites items in it, like a Chico Bag. Just as you would pick out a shirt, book, or perfume as a gift, you can also give the gift of green.
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