Those who think greening is for "dirty" industries should just look around. An ordinary small office “gives” up to 85 kg of disposable plastic per month. That being said, there are plenty of easy and cost-effective solutions, from setting up your lighting system to choosing the types of office supplies you choose and use. Here are seven easy ways to start greening your office.
1. Replace stationery, mugs with reusable ones
In the US alone, office workers throw away over 4,000,000 disposable pens a day. Equip your office with reusable pens. Stock up on rods.
Buy staplers without staples (yes, there are). In the end, customize the pens, mugs, writing a name on each. It is more economical, more beautiful, more fun.
The same goes for cartridges and batteries. A remanufactured cartridge costs 15% less than a new one. In addition, the cartridge is a kilo of metal and plastic, oil. A battery is lead, cadmium and mercury. All this can rot in a landfill (and we do not have mass acceptance and processing of such waste) for an infinitely long time.
1. Replace stationery, mugs with reusable ones
In the US alone, office workers throw away over 4,000,000 disposable pens a day. Equip your office with reusable pens. Stock up on rods.
Buy staplers without staples (yes, there are). In the end, customize the pens, mugs, writing a name on each. It is more economical, more beautiful, more fun.
The same goes for cartridges and batteries. A remanufactured cartridge costs 15% less than a new one. In addition, the cartridge is a kilo of metal and plastic, oil. A battery is lead, cadmium and mercury. All this can rot in a landfill (and we do not have mass acceptance and processing of such waste) for an infinitely long time.
One battery from a mouse will poison 10-15 sq.m. earth. And on this land 3 trees could grow and 1 squirrel could live.
2. Eliminate print loss
Have you ever had that when you printed and found out that on the last page - only the web address at the bottom? There are special softwares that warn the user about a possible loss of space and recommend how to fix it. The user can decide whether or not to accept the program's recommendations before printing. And, of course, the advice to print on both sides in b/w mode that has set the teeth on edge is still relevant.
3. Digitalize
Is it really necessary for each participant to print out the presentation and the program of the meeting? The same documents displayed on the screen reduce, according to office managers, paper consumption by 17%. Let's leave paper only where we can't do without it yet - in accounting and in personnel.
4. Turn off the power
Specialists from companies that manage business centers claim that a very large amount of energy is consumed by office equipment ... at night! There are special programs that automatically turn off company computers at night, weekends and holidays. Plus, you can program all monitors to turn off after a certain amount of time. Believe me, the screen saver on the monitor also eats up a lot of energy.
5. Install motion sensors
Of course, you can hang signs everywhere “When leaving, turn off the light!”. But it is easier to install motion sensors that will turn off and turn on the lights themselves in meeting rooms, stairs, kitchens, smoking rooms.
6. Use energy-saving lamps
Surely everyone has already replaced the lamps both at home and in the office with energy-saving ones. So let's just recall that energy-saving lamps consume 75% less energy than incandescent lamps and last 10 times longer.
7. Replace plastic with wood
Sometimes in the office you can not do without disposable tableware. But you can replace plastic with wood. Now veneer is made from sanitary and garbage cuttings of birch, and forks, spoons, knives, plates, stirrers are made from veneer. You can heat up food in the microwave in the tree, neither chlorine nor glue is used in the production. Such a plate can simply be thrown into the trash, it will rot in a landfill in a year without a trace. And you can burn or bury. Or feed the office hamster.
Have you ever had that when you printed and found out that on the last page - only the web address at the bottom? There are special softwares that warn the user about a possible loss of space and recommend how to fix it. The user can decide whether or not to accept the program's recommendations before printing. And, of course, the advice to print on both sides in b/w mode that has set the teeth on edge is still relevant.
3. Digitalize
Is it really necessary for each participant to print out the presentation and the program of the meeting? The same documents displayed on the screen reduce, according to office managers, paper consumption by 17%. Let's leave paper only where we can't do without it yet - in accounting and in personnel.
4. Turn off the power
Specialists from companies that manage business centers claim that a very large amount of energy is consumed by office equipment ... at night! There are special programs that automatically turn off company computers at night, weekends and holidays. Plus, you can program all monitors to turn off after a certain amount of time. Believe me, the screen saver on the monitor also eats up a lot of energy.
5. Install motion sensors
Of course, you can hang signs everywhere “When leaving, turn off the light!”. But it is easier to install motion sensors that will turn off and turn on the lights themselves in meeting rooms, stairs, kitchens, smoking rooms.
6. Use energy-saving lamps
Surely everyone has already replaced the lamps both at home and in the office with energy-saving ones. So let's just recall that energy-saving lamps consume 75% less energy than incandescent lamps and last 10 times longer.
7. Replace plastic with wood
Sometimes in the office you can not do without disposable tableware. But you can replace plastic with wood. Now veneer is made from sanitary and garbage cuttings of birch, and forks, spoons, knives, plates, stirrers are made from veneer. You can heat up food in the microwave in the tree, neither chlorine nor glue is used in the production. Such a plate can simply be thrown into the trash, it will rot in a landfill in a year without a trace. And you can burn or bury. Or feed the office hamster.
Yury Shibaev, director of trading house "Albeta" comments:
“Recently, we managed to reduce the cost of a veneer plate from 25 rubles to 15 rubles due to new equipment. Compared to more or less durable plastic, our birch veneer cookware costs the same. At the same time, we can confirm the environmental friendliness of the entire production chain with the FSC certificate. Therefore, office managers, and buyers of large companies are happy to take our dishes. For example, we recently delivered a large batch to the Katerina Hotel on Paveletskaya street.
And a little about the economy.
Replacing plastic dishes with eco-veneer, saving paper, water and electricity provide significant savings on a yearly basis.
Vadim Rukavitsyn, space ecology consultant, comments:
“According to my estimates, with normal access to natural light, employee productivity increases by 15% and health by 15-36%, proper artificial lighting increases productivity by 6-13%, and employee health by 25%, which reduces the number of sick days.
Ensuring good indoor air quality improves productivity by 15-125% and health by 40-400% depending on the type of activity. At the same time, the introduction of energy-efficient technologies can reduce the total cost of building operation by up to 30%.
As a result, in total, all investments in the greening of the business pay off in a few years. And all this without taking into account the fact that the "green" office increases the loyalty of employees and the reputation of the company."
It is best to start on the path to greening with an assessment of the current state of the office in order to understand what exactly needs to be implemented first and what can wait. But it is possible and necessary to take the first real steps towards a non-toxic, energy-efficient, low-carbon office. At least for reasons of economy.
“Recently, we managed to reduce the cost of a veneer plate from 25 rubles to 15 rubles due to new equipment. Compared to more or less durable plastic, our birch veneer cookware costs the same. At the same time, we can confirm the environmental friendliness of the entire production chain with the FSC certificate. Therefore, office managers, and buyers of large companies are happy to take our dishes. For example, we recently delivered a large batch to the Katerina Hotel on Paveletskaya street.
And a little about the economy.
Replacing plastic dishes with eco-veneer, saving paper, water and electricity provide significant savings on a yearly basis.
Vadim Rukavitsyn, space ecology consultant, comments:
“According to my estimates, with normal access to natural light, employee productivity increases by 15% and health by 15-36%, proper artificial lighting increases productivity by 6-13%, and employee health by 25%, which reduces the number of sick days.
Ensuring good indoor air quality improves productivity by 15-125% and health by 40-400% depending on the type of activity. At the same time, the introduction of energy-efficient technologies can reduce the total cost of building operation by up to 30%.
As a result, in total, all investments in the greening of the business pay off in a few years. And all this without taking into account the fact that the "green" office increases the loyalty of employees and the reputation of the company."
It is best to start on the path to greening with an assessment of the current state of the office in order to understand what exactly needs to be implemented first and what can wait. But it is possible and necessary to take the first real steps towards a non-toxic, energy-efficient, low-carbon office. At least for reasons of economy.
