10 simple office hacks that can reduce your company’s carbon footprint

As a small business owner, finding office hacks to lower your carbon footprint not only helps you to give back to the environment and your local community but demonstrate to clients that you care about the world you live in. Indeed, research shows that consumers are willing to spend 5% on products and services from sustainable businesses, so going green could actually work in your favour and help you win over some new eco-conscious customers.

We’ve put together some office hacks that can help to reduce your company’s emissions. Give them a go and use this company carbon footprint calculator to monitor your progress. 

Take it to the cloud

Perhaps one of the most trivial points on our list is taking your documents into the cloud. It’s never been easier to say goodbye to the printer and move files over to Dropbox or Google Drive, and there are cost savings in doing so. Donate your old printers to a local school or community group and challenge yourself to keep your business online; it’s not only more convenient than sifting through paperwork, but ensures important information doesn’t enter into the wrong hands. The Receptionist has put together some advice on going paperless.

Keep the lights off

Do you really need to have the lights on in your meeting rooms and bathrooms when there’s nobody around? Investing in motion-activated light switches is relatively inexpensive and can make your conference rooms and central office space more sustainable. You’ll never have to worry about an employee leaving on the lights overnight again – they’ll go off once the office is empty, and come back on when the cleaners arrive on a morning. It’s simple and greener.

Stop using paper towels

Whether you’re cleaning up spills or creating a makeshift plate for a slice of birthday cake, we all waste far too many single-use paper towels at work and at home. The good news is that there is a greener alternative – microfibre cleaning cloths that do just as good a job, but can be washed and reused countless times. If you don’t have a washing machine in the office, take them home at the end of the week, give them a spin, and they’ll dry in no time.

Start buying in bulk

Looking for more office hacks? Where possible, buying supplies in bulk is another way to go green and save some money in the process. Whether it’s salt and pepper for the office kitchen or boxes of white paper for the photocopying machine, it’s cheaper to buy more than you need and keep it in storage. The same is true for those single-serving sugars, creams, and bottles of water – it’s better for the planet to buy a standard pack from the supermarket. Buying in bulk also means that you’ll be responsible for fewer deliveries to the office, reducing your firm’s carbon emissions.

Let the light in

Why waste energy turning on the office lights when you’ve got perfectly good windows that can supply staff with unlimited natural light? Almost a quarter of all electricity is used to light homes and offices, but you can cut back by opening the blinds and letting in some natural daylight. Not only is it free and greener, but it’s better for morale and boosts productivity. 

Bring your own bottle

Getting staff to bring their own water bottles and coffee cups to the office is another quick fix that can reduce unnecessary plastic waste. Personalised mugs and glasses are a form of self-expression and ensure that staff aren’t tempted to bring single-use water bottles or coffee cups to the office. According to one study, more than 7.7 billion water bottles are sent to landfills each year in the United Kingdom alone – that’s 150 per person. Switching to reusable water bottles and mugs will encourage staff to stay hydrated and reduce waste.

Give staff responsibility

If you’re serious about making a change, consider appointing a member of staff to oversee your environmental efforts. Get someone to volunteer and take charge of your eco policies, scrutinising spending and experimenting with new initiatives to cut waste. Depending on your niche, setting up an eco-warrior task force could even lead to product innovation and new revenue streams, so don’t be afraid to hand over responsibility and see where it takes you.

Fix that leaky tap

That leaky tap in the staffroom is not only annoying – it’s bad for the planet. Even a tap which drips slowly loses over 5000 litres of water over the course of a year, adding to your water bill and unnecessarily wasting water. Stick a bucket in the sink to collect water for your office plants until the plumber gets there, and get it fixed as soon as you can.

Introduce office plants

Introducing plants to your office not only brightens up the place with some colour, but it can reduce your office’s carbon footprint in the process, naturally purifying the air. Cacti are great for beginners, only requiring water now and again, whilst pothos is an attractive, leafy choice that droops as it grows. Other options to consider include jade plants, ZZ plants, and spider plants. Snake plants and succulents are amongst the most popular for office environments. 

Recycle your old electronics

The chances are that you upgrade your employees’ computers and smartphones every couple of years – but what do you do with their old ones? Recycling or donating your old electronics means that they won’t be destined for landfill, and potentially enjoy a second life working for another business or charity. Clear out your IT department and ensure that you’re not letting perfectly usable equipment sit and collect dust. It’s better off recycled or donated.

There you have it – simple office hacks to reduce your environmental impact. Do you have any others? Join in the conversation on Twitter @PrecisionFM and check back soon for more.