Tiny office changes to be more environmentally friendly

You might have recently seen our blog about some of the UK’s most extravagantly eco offices, with companies such as PWC and The Co-operative at the top of the list. We wanted to follow it up with a post about what we could do in offices of a slightly smaller scale… so we can still get in our quota of sustainability.

They may only be little changes, but have a look at some of our eco-friendly ideas for the workplace and see which you’re not doing yet!

Go paper free and ‘BYOD’

With 7 out of 10 people in the UK using a smartphone and a third of the UK now using tablets, we can save on paper usage and take notes and ideas on devices instead. This is easier for meetings, training or even just at the desk. It’s more legible, you can email yourself the notes immediately instead of having to type them up and – best of all – it saves a whole load of paper!

Greenery

As mentioned in a previous SOS blog, a little greenery in the office makes you 38% more productive which, let’s face it, we could all use. It also gives off oxygen, giving the – sometimes stuffy – office a little fresh air.

Recycling

Why not split your office waste into different bins e.g. general waste, paper and compost. It takes two seconds to put your rubbish in the appropriate bin but saves an awful lot getting sent straight to landfill. If you’re going to have recycling bins though, make sure you clearly label what should go in each as if the waste is mixed, it will all be put in general waste regardless.

Light bulbs

Energy Saving bulbs are becoming a must so make sure you’ve invested in some. Also, some companies have a tendency to pull down the blinds and stick the lights on every day, even if it’s light outside. Now we’re approaching spring, let’s take advantage of the longer hours of light we have.

Turn everything off!

Even nowadays, when we are constantly nagged about leaving lights and computer monitors on, we still do it – and why? It’s no easier or quicker to shut down your PC or flick a switch on your way out of the room. Make a conscious effort to do it, or stick a sign near the buttons, until it becomes routine!

Do the tea run in bulk

If you’re sat within a department of 5+ people, why not fill a large flask for a spare desk table instead of everyone going to make their morning coffee in dribs and drabs. This will save a large amount of energy as – did you know – kettles can use as much energy in one boil as a washing machine!

We don’t have to have buckets of money to do our bit for the environment so use our tips as inspiration and start making some little changes to your workplace today.