How to Start a Recycling or Waste Reduction Campaign

Many people in your office know how to recycle and might be recycling at home, but starting a successful recycling program in the office needs a thoughtful campaign to encourage or increase green practices. If you want to start a green waste reduction campaign, here’s the steps to enacting it.

1. Start with a strong team of leaders. To begin a successful recycling campaign, it’s important to find the right people who will support your project. If there are already eco-conscious people in your office, they can make great leaders and resources. Other invested individuals include your financial office, who would be interested in green, cost-saving practices, and PR staff that can see the benefits of a green initiative helping the company’s overall reputation.

2. Begin your program planning with an audit. It’s important to know what types of recycling or waste reduction is needed. Does your business order too many products that eventually expire in storage? Can printing and paper costs be cut with better management or newer, greener equipment? Does your building need to be updated, energy efficient lighting? Having an energy and waste consultant come in and prepare a report on your business’s waste can provide valuable insight on what programs to begin and where to target your efforts.

In addition, you might find more traction from managers or board members in supporting (and financing) your campaign when you can provide an audit showing how cost-effective energy and waste reduction can be. So, if you find it hard to gather enough members on your waste reduction campaign, use the audit to provide concrete reasons for the campaign’s necessity.

3. Create goals and knowledgeable materials for publicizing and teaching. Once you learn what practices need to be targeted–whether it’s energy reduction, increased paper recycling or managing transportation–you can begin to create goals for your campaign. Make some of them short-term for easy monitoring, and mid-to long-term goals for growth and development.

In order to reach your goals, you’ll need to share important materials to employees that tell them about the benefits to your campaign, why it’s important, and how to play a role in reducing waste. Appropriate signage, e-mails, and newsletters, and more all play a role in teaching your employees and co-workers about the campaign.

4. Maximize results through team-building contests and rewards. The easiest way to encourage action among your employees or co-workers is to provide incentives. Whether it’s a deduction for a gym membership, a free yearly pass to use public transportation to and from work, or the increased opportunity to work at home to cut parking costs, incentives give people a reason to begin a reduction program, especially if the program’s practices take time to adjust to.

Also, an altruistic reason behind running the campaign can be a great motivator. For example, if the portion of money saved from the green program can go to a charity the office supports, your entire office will feel inclined to support the energy project. Finding the best motivating options for your team can improve your campaign’s effectiveness.

5. Analyze and reassess the program. Once you implement your program, plan to reassess your campaign and it’s results. Knowing how well the program is doing (or not) by monthly monitoring the program can help you change tactics and see what’s working.

Overall, starting eco-friendly recycling campaigns take a lot of work and effort, but can pay off in a multitude of ways for your company. For more green office tips and guide, visit our blog.