A Behind-The-Scenes Look At The Modern Day Green Office

The green revolution is in full swing in offices and businesses across the country. Many of today’s office buildings are going green with recycling programs, paper reduction measures, and other green initiatives. These programs have become part of many businesses’ mission, vision, and values and have helped those companies promote employee investment in the workplace. Here is how you can get your company on the road to going green.

Putting More Than Just Paper Into Recycling Bins

Many offices utilize recycling containers for paper trash. However, going green involves utilizing your recycling bins for much more than scrap printer paper. Green offices today find ways to recycle as much of their waste as possible.

Magazines, newspapers, and cardboard boxes are all very common in many offices and they should be dedicated recycling bins for all of these items as well. Electronic waste is also prevalent in many offices. Electronics have to be properly disposed of and cannot go directly in the trash. This includes old computers, printer, copiers, company cell phones, toner cartridges, and any other electronic devices. Contact your local recycling center or check with city hall to learn the right way to recycle electronic waste.

In your office cafeteria, canteen, or break room, make sure you provide recycling containers for plastic bottles, aluminum cans, and any other recyclable food packaging.

Saving Money And The Environment By Using Less

A key initiative for many offices is a focus on reducing costs. Reducing the amount of materials used in an office to reduce costs goes hand in hand with green programs to reduce the amount of commercial waste generated. Here are a just a few great tips to reduce material usage, save costs, and prevent our country’s landfills from overflowing:

• Share magazines, newspapers, and trade articles between departments
• Use electronic billboards, memorandums, and posters instead of paper ones
• Print unimportant documents on scrap paper
• Enable double sided printing
• Provide porcelain mugs in the break room rather than disposable Styrofoam cups
• Install motion sensor lights that automatically shut off at the end of the day to reduce electricity usage

Promoting A Green Culture

The most important parts of all of these programs and techniques are participation and the right company culture. Rallying employees around recycling bins and green programs helps to create a sense of civic pride. Stress to employees that they are participating in making their own neighborhoods cleaner and greener. Stress to management that green programs show corporate stewardship of the environment on a local and global scale.

In the end, it is vital to lead by example; this will encourage participation and display how important a green office really is. Make it easy for employees to take part and really feel a sense of ownership. In addition, today’s recycling bins and programs are designed to be more convenient and attractive. At the end of the day, people feel good about working in a green office.