How to be Eco-Friendly at Work

Published by Rachel Epp at September 8, 2014

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We were inspired when we visited Yoga by Sarah and saw her eco-friendly initiatives around the studio. Whether you work for a small or large business, you can make a difference by bringing your eco-values to work!

Why Go Green?

Save Money: By reducing your energy use, you will lower electricity, heating and other utility costs.

Stay Competitive: Stand out from the crowd with your social responsibility.

Reduce your Carbon Footprint: You make a mark everywhere you go. Reduce your carbon footprint in all aspects of your life.

Boost Morale: Create a healthy environment for everyone at work. The well being of your team will carry through to other parts of your business.

It is not a Trend: Everything we do has an impact.More and more people have come to realize that they can improve their overall quality of life by embracing a greener lifestyle. Take the green challenge for yourself!

How to be Eco-Friendly Around the Office

Create Goals: Think about what you want to achieve and what goals are attainable.

Announcements: Post memos and announcements on a board that is accessible and visible. You can also use email for communication.

Transportation: Consider other transportation alternatives such as walking, biking, carpooling or taking the bus if you are able to.

Recycling: Set out recycling bins forplastics and cans, paper, ink/toner and batteries in a common area to ensure proper disposal of items.

Electricity: If you are not using it, turn it off. There are also solar power and 100% green electricity options available: http://www.bullfrogpower.com/about/about.cfm

Printing: Think before you print! Being conscious of this saves paper, energy and toner. You can also set your printer to two-sided printing to save paper.

Electronic Communication: Go paperless wherever possible. Services like Constant Contact and Mail Chimp are great resources to create newsletters and campaigns for your business. You will also be able to view the success rate of each campaign and use it for future marketing strategies!

Drafts and Proofreading: Consider programs like OneDrive or iCloud to share files. Changes can be made and saved instantly without printing.

Cleaning Products: Organic cleaning products are safe for the environment and everyone in the workplace. There are no chemicals and is fragrance-free for those who have a high sensitivity to smell. Contact Miss’es Clean for your free sample of Mother’s Choice and Pink Solution.

100% Post-Consumer Recycled Content: Be conscious of what you buy for the office. Paper towels, envelopes and copy paper made of 100% post-consumer recycled content are available in most retail stores.

Cloth Towels and Napkins: Consider switching to cloth towels and napkins wherever you can.

Conserve Water: Keep a water pitcher in the fridge. Also try not to waste water, leftover water can be used to water plants.

Miss’es Clean’s Eco-Friendly Initiatives

Recycling: Recycling bins for plastics and cans, paper, ink/toner and batteries are set out in our kitchen to ensure accessibility and proper disposal of items.

Electricity: Lights are turned off at the end of the day to reduce electricity usage. We also encourage lights to be turned off in the washrooms after use.

Printing: We think before we print! Being conscious of this saves paper, energy and toner.

Drafts and Proofreading: OneDrive is used to share our files. Changes can be made and saved instantly without needing to print!

Re-Using Paper: All scrap paper is re-used for daily notes and lists before it is sent to the recycling bin.

Electronic Communication: E-Newsletters are sent out to our contact list as opposed to paper. Electronic boards are also used for office communication.

Organic Cleaning Products: We use 100% organic cleaning products to clean our office and the building. It is safe for everyone and the environment. We are also able to cut our utility cost as the products can last the average household up to two years.

Brown Paper Towels: Brown paper towels that are made of 100% post-consumer recycled content are used in the washroom, kitchen and office.

Lunch: We encourage our members to pack their lunch in containers to reduce waste. We also keep a Brita Water Pitcher in the fridge to eliminate plastic bottle waste.