How to Begin a Zero Waste Office Program

Creating a zero waste office isn’t as complicated as you might think. Your employees are probably already in the habit of doing some of the things that can reduce your overall office waste, and with just a little push and planning, you can create a zero waste program for your office that your employees will actually want to implement. Here’s how you can begin your own zero waste office program.

Start With a Waste Assessment

Think of all the waste a typical office generates in one day, from the wasted paper from misprints to the extra copies of reports and letters that aren’t needed after they’re read. What goes into your recycling or waste bins every day at your office? Can any of this waste be eliminated?

For some offices, you may be surprised by what you can do to reduce the amount of waste that needs to be thrown out or recycled. A waste assessment can open your eyes to the areas in your office that need the most work, then you can really put your zero waste plan into place.

Cut Unnecessary Waste

Many offices accumulate significant amounts of waste by doing day-to-day activities that go unnoticed. From the weekly subscription of industry magazines that sit in your lobby, to the office sized milk containers that go to waste from being unused. When you notice these items are consistently going to waste, simply cut them out of the picture.

Additionally, get in the habit of sharing files and communications electronically rather than printing them out. This will further reduce the waste your office produces and help keep clutter under control.

Make it Easy

If you make waste elimination easy, employees will take to it much faster, and they’ll stick with it, too. Keep recycling bins in convenient locations around the office, and they’ll be more likely to remember to use them. 

Encourage employees to look for ways they can reduce their own waste in the office. Accountability is a strong motivator for success, so encourage employees to extend the zero waste office mentality to their home lives. Once these waste-reducing habits are firmly formed, it will become second nature for your office workers to be waste-free.

Don’t Forget the Break Room

You’ve probably already added a recycling bin in your break room, but are you doing anything about the food waste? From disposable cartons and cups that your employees bring in from outside your office to the leftover food that gets tossed in the garbage, there’s a lot of room for waste reduction in the typical office break area.

Encourage employees to bring cups, mugs, and plates that can be reused, or provide them for the office. This eliminates those pesky disposable cups and containers that would otherwise fill up your garbage can and eventually wind up in a landfill.

With a little planning and an enthusiastic office team, you can create a zero waste office that’s easy to run and more pleasant for everyone on your team. When it comes to waste, if less is more, then zero is the best of all! To learn more about a zero waste office or how to have a more organized, waste free office, contact us today.