How to Create an Environmentally Friendly Office Space
Many of us are keen to make efforts to become more environmentally friendly in our day to day lives, and a great way of making a significant difference is through the practices and features within our workplace.
Becoming a more eco-friendly office can make a real difference to the environment, and as cliché as it may sound, small changes can definitely make a big difference!
Here are 5 of the quickest ways to introduce environmentally friendly practices in your office:
1. Invest in Eco-Friendly Furniture
Image of the Smart Ocean Task Chair by Humanscale
Manufacturers around the globe play a major part in current crises like global warming and chemical pollution.
By doing the work to reduce the amount of harm the industry has on the environment, companies have now all the resources to reverse unhealthy trends.
As more and more furniture manufacturers invest in making products that are climate and planet positive, the future health of our planet becomes more hopeful and bright, making it possible to invest in environmentally friendly office furniture that combines beautiful aesthetics with ergonomics.
For example, Humanscale have created a sleek and ergonomic office chair constructed with recycled fishing nets! Named Smart Ocean and made from recycled fishing nets, this innovative office chair is a fantastic example of how we can create and invest in sustainable furniture for a more eco-friendly office.
If you need new furniture or more desk chairs in your office, why not get in touch so we can provide you with the most innovative environmentally friendly options?
2. Environmentally Friendly Flooring
If you’re refurbishing your office or investing in an office fit out, now is the perfect time to make some environmentally-friendly choices.
Flooring is often an overlooked way of being eco-friendly with your office fit out, but there are many flooring options that look great, are durable, and are constructed with recycled materials.
We often specify and install these flooring additions into the interior projects we create for our clients and many of the suppliers we partner with have created environmentally-conscious flooring ranges.
For instance, our flooring supplier Interface is now using an innovative process that turns windscreens into carpets. How cool is that?
3. Go Digital
70% of office waste is made up of paper, therefore, is a big must to minimize the use of paper and encourage paper recycling.
Talk to your team to try and make a collective effort in reducing the amount of printing you do at work, and only print things that are completely necessary.
As a starting point, making sure that you print on both sides of the paper is a great way of reducing the amount of paper you're using.
Additionally, consider ways in which you can take things from paper to digital. For example, make it a company policy to distribute employees handbooks and memos via e-mail .
For instance, implementing an office software such as FileCentre or M-Files can also help you revolutionize the world of paperless office solutions.
4. Reduce Plastic Waste
“In total, some 7.7 billion plastic bottles are bought across the UK each year, resulting in substantial amounts of single-use plastic waste.”
Plastic bottles, shopping bags, straws and food packaging are some of the biggest culprits of single-use plastic across the world.
The problem? These can take thousands of years to decompose and in the meantime, can contaminate water and soil.
Luckily, there are ways for you to reduce this in your office.
The best way of helping your office to reduce its single-use plastic consumption is to make some simple changes and swaps. For example, we stopped buying our milk from the supermarket and instead use a milkman, who delivers milk to our office in reusable glass bottles!
Additionally, swap your supermarket shop-bought fruit for the office with a delivery from a local business, who will be able to deliver your produce without using plastic. This means that you're not only doing your bit to become a more eco-friendly office, but you're also supporting a local business!
5. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
When it comes to reducing waste and start recycling, small changes can make major differences in your office.
If you haven`t already, invest in good quality recycling bins and label them well.
Change all computers settings to energy saving mode and make sure any equipment is turned off when not in use.
Try to reuse packing envelopes and parcels, pick reusable cups and mugs and repurpose old equipment.
Hopefully these tips can help you on your way to becoming a more eco-friendly office! When it comes to office interior projects, we can incorporate your environmental priorities and sustainability efforts into the makeup of your space.
How Can We Help You Become an Eco-Friendly Office?
As a business, we are constantly trying to improve the impact that our workplaces have on the environment.
We are also here to help you achieve a more sustainable office by providing bespoke designs & furniture solutions and looking at ways to implement eco-friendly practices.
If you’d like to join us in our journey towards greener office spaces, then just give us a call on 01423 789678!
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