Tips to Make Your Office More Environmentally Friendly
Businesses of all sizes can do their part to help make their work environment more green friendly. While cutting down on paper usage is the primary green initiate most businesses attempt, there are a host of others often overlooked. Additionally, one of the biggest complaints businesses have, in regards to going green, are costs incurred for making the switch to energy-saving methods. Even if there are initial startup costs, in the long run the company benefits by reducing costs, saving money, and helping the environment. Some of the other ways to reduce your carbon footprint and help the environment include:
- Outsourcing work clothes to a uniform rental service. Millions of gallons of water and detergent are wasted each year by individuals washing their work gear several times a week. A uniform rental service ensures that work uniforms and clothes are washed optimizing eco-friendly detergents, using the correct wash cycles and full wash loads. Best of all, your employees always have clean clothes to wear for work.
- Turning off computers, printers, and other devices at the end of the work day. At the end of the work day, fully shut down computers; turn off monitors; and power off printers, copiers, scanners, and other office equipment.
- Turning off office equipment not used on a regular basis. Copiers, scanners, and other big office machines not used on a regular basis can be powered off whenever it is not being used. Machines left in “sleep mode” are still drawing a small amount of power.
- Digitalizing work processes. Get out of the habit of printing every single email, attachment, Word document, and Excel spreadsheet. Most of these items can be reviewed on your computer screen and often do not need to be printed. Considering adding a second monitor to your computer to make it easier to review the information on one screen, and to perform any necessary functions on the other screen.
- Installing timers with sensors on lights and upgrading to eco-friendly bulbs. Certain work areas, like bathrooms and break rooms, go for long periods of time where no-one is in the room. Putting lights on timers with sensors allows the lights to shut off after a set period of time and conserve energy usage. To save even more energy, upgrade all lighting in the office to eco-friendly energy-saving bulbs.
- Encouraging people to participate in ride sharing or public transport. People who live in the same residential areas, can reduce their fuel and vehicle maintenance expenses, as well as their carbon footprint, by carpooling with their coworkers. In larger cities, where public transport is offered, ride your bike to the nearest pick-up point, and then take the bus, train, or subway to the nearest stop, and ride your bike to work.
Implementing green initiatives at your business is not only good for the environment, but also helps save your company money on energy costs. To learn more about green uniform rental services and solutions, contact Prudential Overall Supply now, by phoning 800-767-5536.
