Start recycling at work
The office is a hot bed of opportunity for reducing your environmental footprint. Did you know that the average office worker uses 120-150 pounds of recyclable office paper each year? Although the heads of many companies have made environmental promises about the company’s performance, it’s up to the employees and you and I to make good on the green office.
Starting the office green team
Perhaps your office already has a dedicated “green team” who are creating programs and communication for a more environmentally friendly office life. If not, congratulations, you’ve just nominated yourself to get it started! Remember to communicate with the boss or office manager so that they can fully support your efforts with their authority.
Where to start greening?
The first thing I would recommend to anyone looking to green their office is to assess your waste. Do you use a lot of paper? Create loads of empty cardboard boxes? What are the places that a change in your office can make the biggest impact?
Need any help?
The next thing I would recommend is to contact Hamilton County to participate in their Recycling At Work program. The county will visit your office for free and provide:
- A customized recycling plan
- Coordination of recycling services with your waste hauler
- Education about recycling or a kick-off event for your employees
- Financial assistance, if necessary
- A decal advertising that your business recycles
Communicate and celebrate
Once you’ve figures out how to get started, fully involve your coworkers. Once your own the work of a green office plan together, you can also own the success of your green office plan. You may even be able to save money for the company by reducing the amount of waste you have hauled away each month.
Stay inspired
To stay informed and inspired, get involved. Join the Hamilton County Go Green Challenge, attend a Green Drinks Event, get networked through our LinkedIn group, and come back to Live Green Cincinnati often for more ideas and news that will keep your progress going strong.
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Thanks for reminding us of how we can each tap into our green potential! One other thing you can communicate to your colleagues is that going green is economical (it will save you money in the long run) and will also attract new people to your business who share your green values. For many companies, greening comes up the bottom up, so hopefully you can be the one to ignite the energy. For more information on office greening tips, you can also visit our website at http://www.thegreenoffice.com where we have an office greening guide and a wide range of green office products. Good luck!