work

Whether you’re the boss or an employee, there are many ways to make your workplace and work life more environmentally friendly…

Make your workplace a little bit greener, even if you start with things as simple as turning off lights and computers when you go home.

Work facts

l Surveys show about 90 per cent of staff want their employers to be greener.

work: key steps

1.      Reduce car/air travel. Commute and go to meetings by public transport, cycling or car-pooling.  Use tele-conferencing and email to reduce business travel. Work from home once or twice a week. Make your company fleet more fuel-efficient. Replace company cars with public transport season tickets.   Install showers for cyclists.

2.      Reuse and recycle. Recycle bottles, containers and packaging. Use paper on both sides and only print when necessary. Recycle waste paper and reuse jiffy bags and envelopes. Buy recycled paper.

3.      Use less lighting. Reduce lighting in low-traffic areas. Fit energy saving lightbulbs. Install skylights. Fit reflector strips behind lights to increase their effectiveness.

4.      Turn it off. Switch off computers, copiers, lights, etc, when leaving the office. Fit sensors to turn off lights.

want to do more?

q Turn it down. Turn your office’s heating and air-conditioning/heating down 1 or 2C.

q Refill printer and photocopier toner cartridges or recycle them (Cartridges 4 Planet Ark).

q Save water with dual-flush toilets, aerating push-button taps and a waterless urinal.

q Use recycled toilet paper, and towel rolls instead of paper towels.

q Ask your cleaners to use natural cleaning products.

q Ask the canteen to use real crockery and cutlery, even if you take food back to your desk. Use real cups for coffee/tea. Buy tea/coffee that’s organic (and fair trade).

q Use the stairs: lifts can use 5-15 per cent of an office building’s electricity.

q Buy second-hand office furniture and donate or sell your old office furniture.

q Upgrade computers with more memory, etc, instead of replacing them. Or use laptops: they can use 90 per cent less energy than desktop PCs. When you do get rid of computers, donate them to charities or schools or recycle them.