HRM Five: Making your office greener in 2020

What is your company doing to be more environmentally friendly? Here are some ways your office can help save the earth in the new year.
By: | January 1, 2020
Topics: Features | HRM Five

We all have a responsibility in helping save the environment as individuals and even more so as companies. As businesses become more digitalised and reliant on technology, energy consumption will be increased and so will their carbon footprints.

So as companies get busy growing and making changes in the coming year, lets also make it an effort to set aside some eco-friendly changes that will go a long way to saving the environment.

Here are some tips that can get you started in 2020:

1) Use recycled paper or go paperless

Paper is one of the most used items in offices. From printing paper to toilet paper, we can start changing to post-consumer waste (PCW) products which are significantly less harmful to the environment and utilize less water and energy in production. Even better still, go paperless! You can send invoices or bills over email instead of printing them.

2) Use energy efficient lights

It might cost more, but high-efficiency lights like LEDs and CFLs (compact fluorescent) use less energy and last longer than the regular lights. So your company will save more in the long run and help save the environment at the same time.

3) Electronics & appliances

Are the electronics and appliances in your office running on old technology? Newer models of appliances are generally more energy-efficient. Consider upgrading your old fridges, air conditioners in the coming year and you might be surprised how much energy and bills you can save.

4) Return and recycle ink cartridges 

How many ink cartridges does your company use every year? Instead of disposing them off in the bin and causing the environment more harm, make it a point to collect them and return it to your ink supplier who can recycle or reuse them.

5) Eco-friendly marketing

There’s nothing quite as effective in getting employees on-board their company’s green initiatives than international environmental observatory days such as the Earth Day. So use such events to bring the message across to the staff and get them involved in playing their part.