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Tips for an Eco-Friendly Office

Earth Day is a day of observance where millions of people from all around the world aim to bring awareness of the state of the environment and how we can further preserve our planet. So, what better way is there to celebrate Earth Day than to go green? We’ll fill you in on some simple and easy steps you can take to give your office, and our planet Earth, a little more love.

1. Go paperless!

According to survivalrenewableengery.com, it is estimated that 40% of total waste in the US comes from paper products. This is pretty shocking, considering that there are so many different ways to reduce the use of paper. For example, switching to store your files in a digital storage space like iCloud or Google Drive can not only help save the trees, it can also help decrease the likelihood of you getting in trouble for losing all your reports. Ditch the fax machine and start scanning your papers to send out via email. Set notifications on your computer or cell phones instead of writing them down on sticky notes. Lastly, how about taking a tablet with you to your meetings instead of that embarrassing sparkly, pink notebook you got from the dollar store? (It’s more professional anyways.) As you can see, going paperless is a win-win situation!

2. Green Furniture is the way to go.

Okay, not actual green-colored furniture but eco-friendly office furniture that has been made with recycled materials. Thankfully, the misconception that eco-friendly furniture is poorly built has been on the decline as of late. Anna Creek, Designer at The HON Company and Andrew Benner, Integrated Design Solutions Manager at The HON Company shared with us, “green workplaces have been an emerging trend for the last 15 years, usually pursued by the most progressive of organizations.” They also mentioned that smart-designed ergonomic furniture is very popular in green workplaces as it “allow[s] for greater productivity and higher overall contentment” in employees.

Did you know that we have a LEED certified designer on the IBG team? LEED stands for “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design” and it is a rating system that was created by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). The LEED program aims to help build highly efficient and cost-saving green spaces while reducing waste of resources like energy and water. That’s right, folks. If this sounds like something you’re into, we’re here to help you every step of the way. Just get in contact with us!

3. Lay down the rules!

“Rule number one: Never lose money. Rule number two: Never forget rule number one.” In light of that, we’re going to create our own rule about going green for your office: “Rule number one: Always recycle. Rule number two: Never forget rule number one.” Going green can be that simple, just recycle! Whenever you see your co-worker or employee throw away their paper and water bottles in the trash, encourage them to recycle them instead. To take this even further, it may be worthwhile to mention your company’s goal of always recycling and being green the moment someone is hired. When a rule like this is presented right off the bat, it’s more likely that your efforts will be more valued more by the people in your workplace.

Overall, going green in the workplace is Anna and Andrew from the HON Company say this, “Businesses and business leaders should be concerned with sustainable practices because true sustainability concerns itself with more than just environmental responsibility, addressing the triple bottom line of people, planet and profit.” They explain further that “sustainable workplaces are healthier for the members, have lower operating costs and help protect the planet.” Truly, I couldn’t have said it better myself.

Interested in going more green today? Contact us!