Zero waste office ideas are a great way to reduce the amount of waste generated by an office. There are many ways that you can make your office zero-waste, from simple changes like adding recycling bins and compost bins to more complex ones like installing solar panels or using daylighting instead of electricity. In this blog post, we’ll explore some tips for making your office as sustainable as possible!
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Eco-friendly supplies are an excellent way to zero waste office
The most eco-friendly office supplies are reusable pens, recycled paper, and office scissors. There are various eco-friendly products on the market that can be used in your office to lessen waste without compromising quality or functionality.
Other things I love to consider when going zero waste in an office space are the following:
- Bring your reusable water bottle.
- Consider a compostable option for coffee cups and disposable utensils.
- Utilize recycling bins to collect cardboard, paper, plastics, glassware, metal cans., etc. Waste is often recyclable but not always reused or recycled – so use what you have!
Eco-Friendly Tips: When it comes to going green at work, there’s no one size fits all solution; every business has its unique needs. That being said, we’ve compiled some tips that can help a business of any size increase its level of eco-consciousness in five simple steps! We’ll go over these points below using our company.
Be a supporter of recycling and compost bins.
By being a supporter of recycling and compost bins in the office, you can encourage others to make better choices.
- Encourage your coworkers with a positive attitude and compliments when they recycle or compost something that would have otherwise been thrown away.
- Set up recycling stations around the office where people will likely dispose of their recyclables, such as near water coolers, kitchen area, bathrooms, etc.
- Include instructions on how best to sort certain items so everyone is doing it correctly (such as separating cans from paper)
- Routinely remind employees about these practices by printing out an informative poster and placing it somewhere prominent in the workspace.
Be aware of recyclable, compostable, and reusable office supplies
Be aware of recyclable, compostable, and reusable office supplies.
- Use an electric pencil sharpener instead of a manual one
- Draw on butcher paper or use a whiteboard for brainstorming sessions
- Bring your reusable water bottle to the office (no plastic bottles)
- Have meeting goers bring their snacks in recyclable containers with lids (popcorn boxes, etc.) instead of single-serve chip bags/snack packs from vending machines.
Re-purposed your office e-waste
Many office workers use their computers and electronics for long periods. Then they toss them when the new models come out, which creates a lot of e-waste that goes to landfills. That said, it’s important to recycle your old electronics responsibly if you’re not going to be using them any longer. Your employer may have an in-office recycling program, or you can participate in one at another location near you, such as Staples stores around North America. Check with local retailers and see what programs are available before throwing away anything!
Another way to re-purpose your office e-waste is to donate to charity. Donate your old electronics to charities like the Salvation Army or Goodwill. If you have a device that still works and is no longer needed, consider donating it so someone else can use it. This will also save energy as recycling uses materials to make new products, creating emissions and wastes resources such as water.
Recycle your electronic waste by taking it back to where you bought them for warranty purposes, or if they are not working anymore, get cash on eBay when selling online! People often sell their used devices for high prices because demand is higher than the supply of quality refurbished models; this means buyers should be wary of scams while shopping around.
Bring your reusable water bottle.
Do not buy bottled drinks for the office like sodas and juices that come in plastic bottles. Instead, refill a reusable container with filtered water from your tap or purchase sustainable products such as a metal tumbler made by Soma Water, which is stylish and environmentally responsible. If you are stuck at work without access to clean drinking water, fill up an empty milk jug with cold tap water – it’s also free of chlorine taste!
If you have trouble remembering to bring your own cup/water bottle into work every day when rushing out the door, invest in a durable travel mug so you can grab and go while running out the door each morning if needed. For those who prefer hot beverages on the one-time bottle that can make a single serving, check out the To-Go Ware coffee mugs. Or, if you prefer to enjoy your drink at work without a dish, try using your own zero waste cutlery for one-time utensils – or opt for compostable bamboo spores so that they can be reused.
Bring your coffee mug or tumbler for the office.
For a zero-waste office, you can bring your coffee mug or tumbler for the office. Of course, you could use a reusable bag to carry it around as well!
This way, you only have one thing that needs to be washed every day and one more minor piece of garbage that is being made. Your coworkers will also appreciate not having their break time interrupted by someone making them another cup of coffee when they are trying to finish up some work on their computer before lunch.
You should also try bringing your water bottle instead of plastic bottles from the water cooler at work every day – this keeps more waste out of our landfills (plastic) and oceans (oil). But, of course, the most important zero-waste tip might just be remembering anything else disposable.
Make sure you have a to-go container.
By making sure you have a to-go container, you can help prevent the use of plastic or Styrofoam cups. This means less waste in your office and for our environment as well!
Bring Your Reusable Water Bottle: Bringing a reusable water bottle with you is more environmentally friendly than buying disposable plastic bottles all day long. When using this alternative option, your wallet will be lighter from saving money and reducing the trash produced from purchasing bottled water over time (a typical person buys around 36 gallons of bottled water each year). The best part has a reusable water bottle. You don’t need to worry about remembering to refill it; take care of yourself by filling it up at any nearby.
Use paper plates and cups made of recycled materials
If you care about what you recycle, then it can be really easy to reduce waste. For example, instead of using a plastic or Styrofoam plate for your Friday lunch at work, use a paper plate that is made out of recycled materials (like a newspaper).
The zero-waste office is also about how you handle food in the workplace. Instead of microwaving pre-made meals from a plastic container and throwing away all those little pieces of trash afterward, bring leftovers home with you! You don’t have to heat your meal on-site: pack some Tupperware containers before heading into work so that when you’re ready to eat again, there’s no need for an additional container – grab one from the fridge.
Keep an eye on what’s being ordered at lunchtime and choose items with less packaging, like salads or sandwiches without wrappers.
You should keep an eye on what’s being ordered at lunchtime and choose items with less packaging, like salads or sandwiches without wrappers. You’ll be surprised by how often you can find these options. If they’re not available, there is no need to feel nervous about bringing your container from home!
Bring Your Reusable Water Bottle
Another zero-waste tip that will help keep the office free of plastic water bottles is to bring reusable ones instead. Not only does this save money for both the company and employees, but it saves on energy as well by cutting down on recycling efforts because fewer single-use plastics are created when employees bring their containers for food and drink purchases.
When ordering takeout, call ahead to ask about their policies on disposable containers and utensils before ordering anything that comes with a lot of extra packaging (like chicken fingers)
You should be conscious when ordering something with a lot of extra packaging.
Ask about their policies on disposable containers and utensils before ordering anything that comes with a lot of them (like chicken fingers).
If you recycle, then make sure to sort all materials properly in your recycling bins outside, so they don’t get mixed.
It’s also important for the company to understand what they are generating waste – which will help them cut back on the amount of food discarded during prep work, plate-cleaning, etcetera.
Be conscious when ordering something with lots of extra packaging.
Ask about their policies on disposable containers and utensils before ordering anything that comes with a lot of them (like chicken fingers).
Reduce the amount of unnecessary printing by making copies only when necessary
One of the best ways to reduce the amount of paper wasted in an office is to print less. So, for example, do not print copies for every single meeting or email. Instead, please make a copy when it’s really necessary, and everyone needs one.
- Ensure that you have a printer with enough ink/toner before printing out your document because this will help save money on cartridge replacements.
- Avoid using letterhead, envelopes, or other unnecessary items so that these materials are not unnecessarily used up by individuals who only need them occasionally.
- Please turn off your computer at night instead of leaving it running all day long without any use as this can lead to expensive electricity bills.
Ask for unbleached napkins or cloth towels from the front desk instead of paper towels whenever possible.
Using unbleached napkins or cloth towels from the front desk instead of paper towels, you can help keep a zero-waste office.
Cleaning your hands or face with unbleached napkins does not have any harmful chemicals that could be discharged into the waterways and landfills while microplastics are still in them.
If you need to take care of some spills, using an old newspaper is better than grabbing a disposable towel as it won’t release more contaminants into our environment. Also, reusable hand sanitizers will reduce waste because they come in smaller containers (about half the size), so less product is used peruse than one-time use gel packets that might end up being flushed down the toilet only adding to water.
Avoid using plastics as much as possible – use glass jars instead
One of the best ways to reduce waste in the office is to avoid using plastics as much as possible. This will help save money on cups and straws and make it easy for people trying to do a zero-waste lifestyle at home.
Instead of disposable plastic utensils or single-use water bottles, purchase reusable items like glass jars that can be re-filled with drinks throughout the day.
There are many options available nowadays: purchasing goods from bulk bins where you can buy loose foods such as nuts, grains, and pasta; bringing your containers aka “pots” when going grocery shopping; buying food without any packaging (like fruits) possible.
Use refurbished equipment
Using quality refurbished equipment in a zero-waste office is a cost-effective and environmentally-friendly solution. Refurbished equipment, such as all-in-one computers, printers, and other electronics, has been restored to a like-new condition and can provide reliable performance at a fraction of the cost of buying new. By purchasing refurbished, companies can reduce the demand for new products and reduce waste in production. Additionally, refurbished equipment often comes with warranties, ensuring that companies can rely on their equipment for years to come. In a zero-waste office, using refurbished equipment helps to reduce the amount of electronic waste that ends up in landfills. It promotes a circular economy, where resources are reused and waste is minimized.
At last,
Zero waste office ideas are a good way to keep the environment clean and save money. Eco-friendly supplies, recycling bins, compost containers–all of these actions can help you create your own zero waste workplace. If this sounds like something you want for yourself or your business but doesn’t know where to start, contact our team today! We’d love nothing more than to be able to provide the guidance and support that will allow you to get started on this eco-friendly journey. Also, be sure not to miss out on any of the helpful resources we’ve listed below if you’re looking for other ways to reduce your environmental footprint in an easy fashion. What have been some strategies that work well for keeping your office as low impact as possible?
