Sometimes it can be hard to get your friends or colleagues onto an environmentally friendly path. There are certain things that people are just used to doing that aren’t the best for the environment and are just hard to drop. But that doesn’t mean you should just give up. Sometimes it’s easier to help them understand how what they’re doing impacts the environment, and how they can change.
That’s why at our environmental consulting firm we strive to make sure that everyone knows that there is always a better way to do what you’re doing. Not only better because it helps the environment, but because it’ll make you feel good about it as well. We’ve put together some pointers on how to prompt a more environmentally aware workplace to help some of you out.
Assess your current situation
Before you start moving towards a more environmentally friendly workplace, you should evaluate how environmentally aware your workplace currently is. This can include looking at electronics and heater/air conditioning services. If these perks are being wasted, then that’s a point right there that needs to be improved on. You may be surprised at how many things you can spot if you just take a couple of hours to review all the realities of your working space.
Reduce, reuse and recycle.
The three R’s are a big one in a typical office environment. Whether it’s paper or food, it’s always important to make sure you’re using the appropriate bin to dispose of your waste. You should also think to yourself if you really need to use paper for your task.
With modern technology, the need to write down physical notes is slowly transitioning to digital means. So, our environmental consulting team encourages you to always keep an eye out for times where it is unnecessary to waste paper. And if you do, perhaps you can reuse to save.
Another way you can take advantage of the three R’s is to purchase recycled paper instead of virgin paper. Recyclable paper can be remade around five times before the fibres become unusable, and it’s just as good a quality as virgin paper. The biggest difference is the energy and resources that are used to produce recycled paper is drastically less than those used for virgin paper.
Change the lights
LED’s(light emitting diodes) are a more superior lighting solution when it comes to efficiency across the board. Especially in comparison to your standard incandescent or CFL (compact fluorescent lamp) bulbs. LED lighting uses approximately 75% less energy than other lighting products and last 25 times longer. These come in different shapes and styles such as bulbs and downlights. LED’s contain no mercury and also produce much less heat than incandescent lights do.
Go green, literally
Why not add some colour to the office? Filling up the office with plants and flowers is a fantastic way to not only give your office some character but also improve the quality of living in the office. A 2010 study by the New University of Technology in Sydney found that having plants in the office actually decrease symptoms such as stress, anxiety, hostility and depression.
Having plants in the workplace also helps create a cleaner and more sustainable atmosphere as they absorb carbon dioxide and use it to produce fresh oxygen through photosynthesis. Plants can help to absorb sound which improves productivity and concentration in the workplace.
Education
A lot of the above may be for naught if people don’t know what it is all for. So, a big part of creating an environmentally aware workplace is educating your colleagues on why all the changes are necessary. Explaining to them why they must be aware and what the benefits are is key to persuading them to comply with a more sustainable working environment. A bonus to this is that they may start making changes to their personal life as well which can only further impact the environment positively.
Make sure all systems are off when they’re not being used
There are some devices that have standby modes. Whilst these use much less power compared to when they’re on, it is still using power unnecessarily. So, if you know you’re not going to use a particular device for a large period of time, turn it off. This could simply just be on a Friday when no one will be in for the weekend. That way you’re not wasting any power unnecessarily.
Environmental consulting in Melbourne
Alpha Environmental are environmental consulting specialists that offer a variety of services and professional advice.
If you’re looking for an environmental consulting team then please do not hesitate to give us a call on 1300 039 181 or send us a message through our website.