The biggest step towards incorporating eco-friendly alternatives is to keep your waste disposal from being landfilled as much as you can. Eco-friendly methods have a lot more to offer than to just function as ways to conserve the environment. In business context, eco-friendly practices save money, enhance staff productivity, and reflect positively on the company’s relationships with consumers. As more and more consumers become aware of environmental concerns, their demands pressure companies to adopt green alternatives. Here are some 6 alternatives small businesses can enforce in their offices:
Office Supplies
When it comes to office supplies, choose supplies that are reusable, for example, reusable pens that can be refilled. To make this practice more effective, you can even assign pens to employees with their names on them so these pens aren’t lost easily.
The office supply cabinet or inventory should be under the direct supervision of an assigned person and each person checking out stationary should sign a requisition file. This will help ensure employees aren’t wasteful. It will also help them become more disciplined in their use of office supplies. You can also set incentives by saving money on inventory. In return, the office employees can be given small treatments at the end of every month. For as long as the goal to reduce business waste is adequately achieved, you can continue to implement various strategies.
Go Digital
The first and foremost priority in reducing business waste is eliminating paper waste as much as possible. Many times employees make small mistakes such as misspelling something or printing documents multiple times. Such mistakes should be discouraged and employees should be trained to perform expertly. This isn’t to say that they can’t make mistakes, because working under such tight conditions will demotivate them. The best way to ensure paper isn’t wasted is to switch to digital records altogether and keep paper use to a minimum (mostly for signature purposes only). When it comes to using meeting agendas or other files, you can switch to using sideshows or laptops to navigate through computer files. If any documents need to be issues to employees or customers, use email as a primary mode of communication.
Paper
While, the use of paper cannot be eliminated 100%, it can be significantly reduced. By buying chlorine-free paper, and recycled content you can further reduce the need for traditional paper. Sustainable substances like bamboo, and organic cotton are also used to produce eco-friendly paper. This also makes for a green disposal, as bamboo is a recyclable product, and can re-used to produce more goods. It is also biodegradable as it decomposes itself in landfills.
Power Savings
It is reported that the majority of power is consumed by machines that are set to sleep mode. This means that the majority of power generated is actually wasted to keep machines running inactively. Companies can enforce rules in which machines are instructed to be switched off when they are not being used. Offices can also incorporate energy savers such as LEDs to illuminate offices. Using reflectors to draw in more sunlight is also a useful technique to avoid using lights during the day time.
Go Casual
Traditionally, wearing a formal attire to office has always been the norm. But the amount of energy that goes into dry cleaning cannot be justified for the sake of maintaining this dress code. Business owners can implement lax dress codes allowing employees to wear anything decent and presentable to cut down on this form of energy consumption.
Garbage Disposal
As aforementioned, waste disposal is one the most effective ways to ensure that you’re not just pedaling the green narrative but also living it. Recycling and reusing are two factors that determine your green contribution to the environment. With the recent advancement in recycling, a number of things are now recyclable enabling green disposal significantly.
Red Bins is a professional company that deals in business waste, and the overall garbage disposal from various premises. The company offers comprehensive services in removing clutter, and managing other areas in need of servicing. You can also rent bins as per your convenience with well coordinated pick up and drop off services.
To learn more, call Red Bins call at 416-733-2467
