How to cut down on office waste

Offices up and down the country create tonnes of waste each day. But as climate change is making its way into everyone’s break time conversation, businesses should be doing all they can to reduce their waste.

Easier said than done, we’re sure you’ll agree.

So to help, we’ve put together a guide on how your office can cut down on office waste.

Encourage employees to walk or ride their bike to work. If it’s too far, try and persuade employees to give each other a ride.
Implement a ‘both sides of the paper’ rule. So when your employees are printing or copying documents ensure that they’re using both sides. It’ll cut your paper usage in half.
Reward those employees who go above and beyond the call of duty in your ‘going green mission’.
Enforce a rule that states all lights must be turned off when not in use and that under no circumstances should computers be left on overnight.
Make use of natural light where you can. You don’t need lights on in the meeting room at 11am. Open the curtains and let in the light!
Unplug the vending machines over the weekend or on holidays.
Invest in quality. Rather than buying computers that’ll die a year down the line and need to be replaced, put your money in equipment that will last. It’s a long term investment that’s not only better for the bank, but better for the environment too.
Maintain your equipment too. Well kept gear is going to last a lot longer, so make sure you have your printer and other equipment checked over regularly.
Avoid travelling for meetings. We understand that sometimes, you need to visit clients. But where possible, consider video calling instead.
Used cloud based storage rather than having to print out handouts for new employees or meetings all the time. Programs like Evernote work wonders for cutting down on waste.
And for those times you must print, consider alternative paper like hemp, bamboo or organic cotton.