Recycling is not a new concept, but the number of ways in which we can recycle is increasing faster than ever. Nowadays, everything from printer toner to food waste can be reused, recycled, or composted. Recycling in the office just takes a little extra encouragement and dedication. Here are some simple suggestions to keep your office green, just in time for Earth Day next month!
9 Ways to Keep Your Office Green
1. Offer paper recycling.
Put a paper-recycling receptacle next to each printer, copier and fax machine. Just don’t forget to discuss recycling with your cleaning crew or appoint a person to bring your paper to a recycling center each week!
2. Switch to recycled office supplies whenever possible.
For example, try using high post-consumer recycled content paper instead of standard paper.
Top Tip: For an added challenge, you can aim to go completely paperless! For example, adopting a paperless onboarding process is a great place to start!
3. Recycle your ink and toner cartridges.
Some office supply companies like Staples and Office Depot will even take your old cartridges and give cash incentives for recycling them!
4. Donate old equipment.
Encourage the “reuse” part of “reduce, reuse, recycle” by donating functioning old laptops, printers, and other office equipment to charity organizations.
5. Reduce your consumption.
Buy higher-end office equipment so you need to replace items less frequently. (Cost per use is a useful financial metric!)
6. Power off.
Encourage employees to shut down their computers when they leave the office for the day.
7. Find a greener way to clean.
Use environmentally-friendly cleaning products, which help protect the health of your employees and cleaning staff (as well as the environment!) by eliminating harmful substances and abrasive odors from the office.
8. Craft environmentally-friendly transportation policies.
Encourage telecommuting, biking, and other green transportation. Although these decisions may seem small at the time, your transportation policies can make a huge difference over time.
9. Go green — literally!
Make your office green with plants! They absorb airborne pollutants (which are widespread with off-gassing office furniture!). Additionally, these also emit healthy negative ions and oxygen into the air.
Let’s Talk
If you’re looking for information on recycling options and programs, we recommend checking out sites like Recycler Finder for comprehensive information about recycling in your area. And if you’re looking to save some green while going green, ask us about how to go green with payroll to save money and the environment!
Let’s talk to find the solution that’s best for your business. And don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn for even more tips and tricks to make sure you never miss a beat!