Run a Greener Office in 7 Simple Steps

There are many ways in which you can reduce the environmental of your office, and some of these are easy to do and take very little effort. Here are seven simple steps that you can take this week to make sure you are running a greener office.

1. Use Recycled Paper

Recycled paper is just as good as standard paper, but the advantage is that you are helping the environment by using it. Try to find a good supplier of high-quality recycled paper and use this for all of your printing needs.

2. Recycle Your Own Paper

As well as buying recycled paper for use in your office, make sure you also recycle your own paper. Make it easy for your staff by placing recycling bins throughout the office so that they never have to go far to find one. Encourage them to dispose of all their paper in these bins rather than in the standard bins and you will quickly see how much you can recycle.

Even better, find ways to reuse paper instead of recycling it. For example, for paper that has been printed on one side, this could be used as scrap paper before you recycle it, reducing waste even more.

3. Print Less

You can also make a bigger effort to print less paper in the first place. If documents can be sent electronically, ensure that they are. Most things can be done without the use of paper these days, so encourage your employees to always think before printing anything.

4. Buy Refurbished Computers

Instead of buying new computers for your employees, buy refurbished ones instead. This way you will be reducing the energy and resources that goes into manufacturing a new computer. It will also save you money: you can buy a cheap laptop for under £100  when you buy refurbished, so it could be a good financial decision.

5. Use Energy-Efficient Lights

Replace all of your old lightbulbs with energy-efficient bulbs and you could save a serious amount of electricity over the course of the year.

6. Encourage Remote Working

If your staff work remotely, you can cut down on the size of the office and the amount of computers and equipment you need in your office. You could also reduce the amount of heating and electricity you need for the office, so it could be a very good environmental decision.

7. Choose Better Suppliers

Some suppliers are more eco-friendly than others. Have a look for some suppliers who take their environmental credentials more seriously, and choose suppliers who have the same eco beliefs as you.

Educate Your Staff

Nothing will work unless you educate your staff properly on the best green practices. Make it your aim to inform them of all of the above changes, and encourage them to make little changes like turning off their computers when not in use and turning off the lights in their offices. You could even encourage them to share lifts to work and make other positive changes that will make your office as green as it can be.