What does it mean to run a green building? This question requires you to decide how to manage the building, how to stock it, how to heat and cool it, and how to manage its waste and hopefully a recycling and composting program. A green business is not simply just what you “do,” what you make, or perhaps even what you promote. Running a green building goes all the way down the chain, starting from the purpose of the business, going down to the people, to the land, to the building, to the lights in the sockets and the brand of paper towels in the lunch room. And, as we know all too well, the cost of starting up any business, green or not, can be very high and the incoming profits can be slow. So, how does one start from the roots up and maintain a happy, healthy environment for its employees without completely breaking the bank?
The good news is that while it may seem more expensive to start-up an environmentally conscious and sustainable business, the long-term outlook is much brighter. The behavior changes and attitude shifts that accompany a sustainably run business will also greatly cut down your waste, allowing for huge long-term savings. On top of this is the fact that simply being a green company can go a long way in boosting profitability. Let’s focus on a straightforward approach of: “Reduce, Reuse and Reward.”
Reduce
Perhaps the single greatest thing you can do to when you begin to think of implementing green practices in your office is simply to reduce! Minimize in every way possible, from the electricity you use to the paper you go through, to the toner you purchase.
Paper & Printing: Paper is an often overlooked office staple that is mindlessly spent on a daily basis with the thought that there’s no other option. There are plenty of options. Obviously, the best option would be to see if you can implement a paperless office motto. And, as it turns out, in today’s day and age, this is considerably easier than one would imagine. For starters, set up all financial accounts online and opt for paperless billing and paying. With and e-mailing and the capacity to save nearly everything on an online server or database, there is very little need for paper in a typical office. When you do need to use paper, buy recycled paper, re-print on the back side, and make sure to recycle your used paper instead of sending it to the landfill. For your printing needs, look for a printer that uses soy-based ink instead of traditional petroleum-based ink. Petroleum-based ink releases very high levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Soy inks not only release fewer VOCs, but they also cover better and are more intense in color, meaning, less product used and higher quality results.
Lighting: Turn off the lights whenever possible, even if it’s only for a 30 minute lunch break span. Invest in compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). They use less energy in addition to having a longer life span.
Office Room Supplies: Are you currently stocking your lunchroom cabinets with paper napkins, cups and plates and plastic silverware? Gift your employees with their own mugs and stock the break room with real silverware, real plates, real bowls, etc. (Bonus points if they’re made from eco-friendly material). While the startup cost is more, the amount you’ll save over time, not to mention the waste your office will cut back on, is more than worth it.
Cooling: With summer looming around the corner, it’s likely that your employees have started to turn on the central air a bit more often or knocked down the temperature setting a few degrees. Consider using evaporative swamp coolers or a portable air conditioner in a small office. Rather than cool an entire office that may or may not be in use at all times during a day, place a portable AC in each room. This way you can keep cool only the rooms you especially need to, at a highly decreased cost of cooling the whole building. An evaporative swamp cooler can use up to 75% less energy than a standard AC.
Reuse
If it can find another life for any items in your office, make it happen. According to the Eco-Coach, it is commercial waste (office waste included) that makes up between 35-45% of the total solid municipal waste that the U.S. generates in a given year. Reuse your paper. Reuse packaging material that comes in your packages to them send your stuff out. Reuse folders, binders, tape dispensers, pen refills, ink cartridges – all of it!
Reward
Make the dedication to going full-fledged green an exciting, rewarding adventure for your employees. Let’s face it. Not everyone sees the benefit of taking extra time and effort to re-load the paper tray with yesterday’s used paper. An incentive program with a little competition can go a long ways in making your office green from the ground up. Establish a reward system for coming up with new ways to go greener in the office. Encourage employees to keep track of what they did in a given time span to make the company greener. Reward the “winners” well. Plus, some accountability on paper makes a huge difference – sometimes all the difference that you were looking for.
Benefits for You and Your Business
Not only do you help the environment and give yourself and your employees pea`ce of mind, you can actually help yourself make your business even more profitable. People are very willing to support a socially responsible company, particularly one concerned with the environment. Branding yourself as eco-friendly is both an easy step to make, as well as a profitable one. The options for how you do this are endless. Attach it as a bonus to all your marketing endeavors. Include an eco-friendly blurb on your recycled paper. If you have products, include a simple statistic (different for all) that mentions how that specific product reflects your eco-friendly standpoint. Link to your website with a list of all your eco-friendly practices (soy ink and fluorescent lights included). Send write-ups to local newspapers, get active in your community and donate recycled materials. Host yearly garage sales at your office to recycle those old office desks and paper trays. Support eco-friendly businesses with your business by investing in them. Promote them, and in turn, you’ll promote yourselves. Instead of stocking the break room with chips and candy, put your money into a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program that delivers fresh fruits and vegetables on a weekly basis. Everyone wins, your customers included, and more importantly, our precious resources and the environment.
For more ideas on greening your office, read here !
