Sustainability is the hot topic of the moment – and for good reason. The ‘Attenborough effect’ is taking society by storm and consumers and businesses the world over are making conscious changes to try and tackle the issues that our planet is facing as a result of plastic usage, global warming and energy consumption.
It’s a businesses responsibility to put their best foot forward and set a good example, making living more sustainably achievable for their staff members. If you’re a small business, you may already have some ‘green’ initiatives in place, but there’s always room for improvement!
Here’s five easy tips on running a ‘greener’ office from INUI. After all, a minor 20% reduction in energy costs can add the same benefit as a 5% increase in sales for a business. It’s a no-brainer!
See the light
Amongst the easiest small changes that you can make to the running of your office is to switch out all your traditional light bulbs with LEDs.
Did you know that lighting can take up as much as 35% of the average businesses electricity consumption? LED bulbs are not only super energy efficient but they last an impressive 8 to 10 times longer than standard bulbs. That means less maintenance costs, and lower bills. They’re also pollutant-free with no mercury, lead or glass which makes them 100% recyclable, so that’s good for your environmental conscience. And that’s not all – LEDs are actually beneficial for work performance in office environments, proven to reduce spelling errors and improve reading speeds.
If you’re not already sold on the idea, take a look at INUI’s handy LED lighting calculator and work out how much money and energy your office could save with an LED overhaul.
Energy-saving appliances
Again, another easy win is to replace your appliances with energy-saving upgrades. We’re talking your kettles, microwaves, coffee machines and dishwashers. If you opted for the cheapest ones on the market then you might be using up a lot of energy with not a lot of output.
Kitting out your office with new appliances may be costly initially but you’re bound to get a good return on investment, and with less energy comes lower bills. Plus, you and your team will be able to enjoy new, faster and more productive products.
Literally, go green
Speaking of improved work performance, placing houseplants around the office will actively clean the air and decrease stress for your staff. Why is this good? Well, a couple of plants here and there will reduce CO2 levels by up to 25% and carbon monoxide levels by up to 90%.
Breathing in cleaner air can evoke a boost in creativity and put your team in a good head space. Plus, they’re very aesthetically pleasing!
Scrap the paper
You’d be surprised at how easy it is to go paperless in an office these days. Do you really need to use the office printer quite as much as you do? Making a conscious effort not to will make you realise how much paper is needlessly used each day.
Going paperless will mean that you’re not only using less energy but of course, you’re reducing your paper usage; another precious resource. You won’t need to order as much stationary which reduces your overheads and cuts down on delivery drivers out on our roads.
Why not challenge your office team to go a week without printing or photocopying and see if you can form new ‘greener’ habits?
Support local and sustainable businesses
It’s likely that you provide your team with coffee, tea and milk to keep them going throughout the week – maybe even snacks and fruit. If you don’t already, make sure do your research and buy sustainably sourced products and not only this, but buy from local businesses if possible. Not only will this reduce your carbon footprint but it helps small businesses, just like yours, to thrive.