8 Ways Of Reducing Office Waste In 2023
NEW YORK, UNITED STATES, January 6, 2023 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Most of us have already begun recycling & reducing waste at our homes, but we are yet to follow the same approach at our workplaces. But what people don’t understand is that workplace waste management is more critical than they think.
Workplace waste management is not just beneficial for the environment, it also reduces business overheads and therefore increases profits. You don’t need to go all nuclear, like giving up your morning coffee, switching off the air conditioner or creating a new green team. All you need to do is implement small changes that reduce waste, like switching from plastic water bottles to steel, copper or aluminum bottles, or switching from single-use pens to reusable pens & more.
Here are 8 simple ways of reducing office waste:
1. Go Digital
Recycling & double-sided printing are effective ways of reducing paper wastage at the workplace, but the most effective method is by digitizing document processes. Digitization or going paperless is the process of converting all written documents into digital documents and using document management software like GLOBODOX, to manage day-to-day document processes. Digitization reduces your reliance on paper & paper-based products and ensures faster document management across the board.
2. Use Recycled Products
If going completely digital isn’t an option, we recommend switching to recycled paper for your daily needs because recycled paper is far less polluting as compared to new paper. Paper can be recycled 4 to 5 times depending on its quality & usage. It takes only 1.2 tonnes of old paper to make 1 tonne of recycled paper, whereas it takes 2.5 tonnes of wood to make 1 tonne of new paper. Producing a tonne of recycled paper takes 35,000 fewer liters of water than producing a tonne of new paper. Recycling also reduces CO2 emissions by 20% in comparison to burning paper.
3. Provide Recycle Bins
You need to make recycling easy for your employees. The best way to do this is by providing each employee with a recycling bin at their desk, where they can discard expired or old documents. You can also attach recycling bins to trash cans or ask someone to go around the office & collect documents for recycling at the end of the day.
4. Print Only What’s Necessary
Sometimes printing is necessary and sometimes it's not. Categorize your printing requirements based on the urgency & importance of printing a certain type of document. Also, always push employees to print on both sides of the paper whenever possible, and add a ‘Print only when necessary’ message to every email as a friendly reminder. Also, you can use a document management system to share documents directly with other users as virtual printouts, reducing the need to print every document.
5. Get Rid Of Plastic Cups
The plastic cup is a popular sight in every office. Be it at the cooler or for other refreshments, plastic cups are one of the largest pollutants in the world. Plastic waste accounts for more than 60% of all the garbage produced in the world every year. Plastic can take anywhere between 20 to 500 years to decompose, depending on the structure & other environmental factors like exposure to sunlight. The best alternative to plastic cups is reusable utensils which can be washed & used multiple times.
6. Use Natural Light
Keeping the lights on even when the sun is shining bright in your window is a waste of electricity. Only switch on lights when they are absolutely necessary. It's important, however, to ensure your staff is comfortable working in the amount of light they are getting. Talk to them before making the switch. Also, next time you decide to rent or buy an office space, choose one with big clear windows.
7. Switch To Energy Saving Options
There are plenty of ways of reducing energy wastage in the workplace. Old air conditioners can be replaced with inverter-based options, tube lights can be replaced with LED bulbs, water coolers & fridges can be subjected to regular maintenance to regulate energy consumption, office walls can be insulated to reduce AC consumption, traditional electricity can be replaced with solar energy, and much more.
8. Raise Awareness
All of the above changes will fall into place once your employees are on board. Talk to your employees, include them in the changes that are being implemented, ask them for suggestions and give rewards & incentives to people based on their performances.
Workplace waste management is not just beneficial for the environment, it also reduces business overheads and therefore increases profits. You don’t need to go all nuclear, like giving up your morning coffee, switching off the air conditioner or creating a new green team. All you need to do is implement small changes that reduce waste, like switching from plastic water bottles to steel, copper or aluminum bottles, or switching from single-use pens to reusable pens & more.
Here are 8 simple ways of reducing office waste:
1. Go Digital
Recycling & double-sided printing are effective ways of reducing paper wastage at the workplace, but the most effective method is by digitizing document processes. Digitization or going paperless is the process of converting all written documents into digital documents and using document management software like GLOBODOX, to manage day-to-day document processes. Digitization reduces your reliance on paper & paper-based products and ensures faster document management across the board.
2. Use Recycled Products
If going completely digital isn’t an option, we recommend switching to recycled paper for your daily needs because recycled paper is far less polluting as compared to new paper. Paper can be recycled 4 to 5 times depending on its quality & usage. It takes only 1.2 tonnes of old paper to make 1 tonne of recycled paper, whereas it takes 2.5 tonnes of wood to make 1 tonne of new paper. Producing a tonne of recycled paper takes 35,000 fewer liters of water than producing a tonne of new paper. Recycling also reduces CO2 emissions by 20% in comparison to burning paper.
3. Provide Recycle Bins
You need to make recycling easy for your employees. The best way to do this is by providing each employee with a recycling bin at their desk, where they can discard expired or old documents. You can also attach recycling bins to trash cans or ask someone to go around the office & collect documents for recycling at the end of the day.
4. Print Only What’s Necessary
Sometimes printing is necessary and sometimes it's not. Categorize your printing requirements based on the urgency & importance of printing a certain type of document. Also, always push employees to print on both sides of the paper whenever possible, and add a ‘Print only when necessary’ message to every email as a friendly reminder. Also, you can use a document management system to share documents directly with other users as virtual printouts, reducing the need to print every document.
5. Get Rid Of Plastic Cups
The plastic cup is a popular sight in every office. Be it at the cooler or for other refreshments, plastic cups are one of the largest pollutants in the world. Plastic waste accounts for more than 60% of all the garbage produced in the world every year. Plastic can take anywhere between 20 to 500 years to decompose, depending on the structure & other environmental factors like exposure to sunlight. The best alternative to plastic cups is reusable utensils which can be washed & used multiple times.
6. Use Natural Light
Keeping the lights on even when the sun is shining bright in your window is a waste of electricity. Only switch on lights when they are absolutely necessary. It's important, however, to ensure your staff is comfortable working in the amount of light they are getting. Talk to them before making the switch. Also, next time you decide to rent or buy an office space, choose one with big clear windows.
7. Switch To Energy Saving Options
There are plenty of ways of reducing energy wastage in the workplace. Old air conditioners can be replaced with inverter-based options, tube lights can be replaced with LED bulbs, water coolers & fridges can be subjected to regular maintenance to regulate energy consumption, office walls can be insulated to reduce AC consumption, traditional electricity can be replaced with solar energy, and much more.
8. Raise Awareness
All of the above changes will fall into place once your employees are on board. Talk to your employees, include them in the changes that are being implemented, ask them for suggestions and give rewards & incentives to people based on their performances.
Harold Anthony
ITAZ Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
+1 650-646-2551
email us here
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