This is not the case and in fact there are many small things an office manager can do to make their workplace more environmentally friendly. The main thing is to realise that you probably won't see results overnight and also that this will be an ongoing process.
Earth Day: Appreciating our Earth
Why should your company switch to greener alternatives in the first place and why now? Earth Day will be celebrating its 45th anniversary on Wednesday 22nd April, and their aim is to promote sustainability in combination with economic growth.
So what a perfect time to start, and to help with this campaign we've decided to share some of our ideas to help you create an environmentally friendly office situation.
1. Always Choose Post-Consumer Recycled Paper
Did you know that for every tonne of 100% post-consumer recycled paper used by a business, 24 trees are saved. The material (defined by percentage) is made from recovered paper or glass otherwise headed for landfill and is then repurposed into making paper.
The content of every product is verified by the supplier, so if you're aiming to turn your office 'green', using paper containing a percentage of recycled content would be a great start in that direction.
2. Choose Biodegradable or Green Cleaning Products
Some people wrongly believe that the effectiveness of green cleaning supplies is less than their chemical counterparts: not so - there are no obvious differences. It's true that they may add a little extra cost to your cleaning routine but the great benefit is that you drastically reduce the harmful effects of conventional cleaning products and other chemicals.
Anything you could normally buy to clean commercial and industrial sites such as floor cleaner, glass and wood solutions or antibacterial soap you’ll be able to find as a green alternative and typically most suppliers will stock a wide range of products specifically formulated for particular cleaning tasks.
3. Replace Inefficient Light Globes with LEDs
According to the Technology Report released by the Office of Environment & Heritage in 2014, making the switch to light emitting diodes (LEDs) can constitute a 33 to 78 percent reduction in energy use.
Of course it makes economic sense when we understand that traditional incandescent bulbs last for only 750 hours, while LED’s will run efficiently for 30,000 hours. This is such a simple change to implement and it will equate to major savings over a period of time.
4. Conduct an Energy Analysis for Your office
We need to understand that for every degree on our office thermostat, our energy bills will vary between 1 and 3 percent. Hiring an external auditor to investigate your business for areas in which energy efficiency could be improved, may save your company 30 percent on related energy costs.
Your audit will be thorough, and go way beyond just looking at the efficiency of your heating, cooling and lighting systems, air sealing, insulation, and the power consumed by your office equipment: it will provide your business with a new energy management plan, outlining problem areas plus providing effective solutions. Click here to find more about janitorial services.
5. Move Eco-Unfriendly Tasks to the Cloud
In this modern digital age many businesses can now take advantage of Cloud technology. This can increase a business’ operational efficiency and reduce its reliance upon printers, fax machines and paper.
Turning your office 'green' shouldn't be an expensive exercise and you will find that, over time, these small changes will save your business a lot of money over the mid to long term.