Carbon Footprints
With rapidly changing times, maintaining our pace on the path to development is necessary to keep up with the competitive world. For many decades now, the rat race of ‘changing times’ has left us ignoring the price that the nature is forced to pay to sustain our growth: changing climate, depleting forests, flora and fauna, rising sea levels, and diminishing natural resources are just a few examples of how we are changing the world. These are Carbon Footprints that have been consistently increasing and harming our own planet.
The wealth that we create might be temporary, but the gift of future that we give to our coming generations will definitely be a boon for all of us. Success can be ensured by learning from the mistakes of the past and there are innovative ways to ensure our participation in reducing the carbon footprints and keeping this world safe.
Ways to Reduce Carbon footprints at work
It is never too late to realize and responsibly work for our planet and its environment. At work, small steps can take us a long way in caring for the present and future of our planet. No change is small to make a significant difference when it comes to reducing carbon footprints. We just need to figure out how many of these simple steps can we implement in our office.
1. Reduce Paper Waste
We have at our fingertips the knowledge and the means that our previous generations could never imagine. With gadgets ranging from a digital watch capable of connecting with our mobile to computers capable of holding enormous data, it is a simple approach to minimize physical waste while holding on to technology. Some basic steps can be:
· Sending and receiving newsletters and updates by email instead of physical mails.
· Printing only the important documents and using double-sided option.
· Online reviewing, collaboration, and sharing of office place documents.
2. Reduce Physical Waste
Reducing physical waste is not only eco-friendly but also saves money, thus it makes good business sense resulting in a decrease in purchasing and waste disposal costs.
· In the office pantry, using reusable utensils for snacks and coffee instead of the disposable ones.
· Encouraging the employees to use their own handkerchiefs which is a cleaner and safer alternative.
· If need be, using compostable paper napkins and towel products.
· Discouraging the use of bottled water and installing water filters in the office.
3. Reduce energy consumption
· Encouraging the use of energy efficient appliances, like replacing regular bulbs with LEDs.
· Installing motion sensor lights or simply turning off lights when not in use.
· Installing high and low-flush toilets and using them appropriately.
· Maintaining office temperature to make sure that the office is not too cold or too hot compared to outside. Increasing the temperature by just 1 degree Celsius in the summers can save 10% of an energy bill.
· Encouraging the use of natural lighting, opening the blinds or the windows that help to improve productivity and wellbeing and reduces the need for artificial lighting.
· Shutting down your computer when you leave for the day or at least use power saver mode.
4. Recycle everything
Paper recycling is one of the simplest ways to reduce Carbon Footprint immediately. On an average, switching to recycled paper in a team of 20 or more people has the same effect as taking 70,000 cars off the road for one year.
· Recycle electronics through e-recycling companies or manufacturer take-back programs.
· Look for other items to recycle like plastic components, paper and used office furniture.
· Encourage the use of recycle bins around the place, to encourage everyone to recycle.
5. Educate the staff
It starts with the small lessons and takeaways but helps in the long run, even when the employees change, the habits and work-culture at office remain unchanged. Employee education is the best bet to ensure business sustainability strategy.
· Everyone in the team is encouraged, informed and instructed to contribute towards the steps being taken for environmental strategy.
· The most enthusiastic and delivering employees can be awarded to boost their morale and encourage others around them. It can be done on a personal level or a team level.
· Auditing the Energy Consumption from time to time is a big step for continuous improvement. Assessing the energy consumption helps in identifying where in the office premises, savings can be made.
Green is the way to go and reducing carbon footprints ensures not only smart ideas at work, but also ensures that we do our part in making this world a safer and greener place for years to come.
