Going green in the office

By Monica Green


Nowadays most business people would like to run their firms in an environmentally friendly way wherever possible, both for themselves and for their clients and staff. The best way to start is with an overhaul of recycling arrangements, which can produce an immediate positive effect without too much cost or upheaval.

The first major benefit of recycling is the reduction of landfill. At present, a large proportion of domestic and industrial rubbish goes into dumps, where it presents an environmental hazard through the pollution of the air and watercourses. The space used by landfill is also at a premium.

In addition to reducing landfill, recycling also cuts down on the demand for the raw materials (such as metals) used in industrial production. Manufacturing processes which use recycled materials are also more energy-efficient, so require less fuel. This means a saving of fossil fuels and also fewer carbon emissions, and therefore less greenhouse gases.

The potential for recycling extends far beyond paper, although of course this is a big component of the waste produced by most offices. But all workplaces also throw out plenty of cardboard, glass, cans and plastic bottles, and these should also be considered for recycling, as should batteries and printer renewables.

You will need to arrange a contract with a recycling firm, but before making a final decision, make sure that the contractor will be able to deal with the whole range of recyclable materials that you produce, including different types of paper, which may need to be handled separately.

It is important also to give some thought to the practicalities of recycling. Will the contractor be collecting materials from the office, and if so, how often? Waste can be bulky and you will need somewhere to store it. If you will be delivering the waste, ensure that the time and distance involved is not prohibitive.

Disposal of confidential documents is an important concern, but this can also be done in an environmentally friendly manner. A specialist firm can be employed to shred and recycle your confidential waste off-site, which additionally is a more secure method of disposal than using your own office shredder.

Your employees are going to be making an important contribution to the success of your recycling policy, so be sure to involve them in the planning process. Most people nowadays accept the importance of recycling, but they will still need training and support if the policy is to work out as it should.

It is worth remembering that adopting a green approach to waste disposal can make good business sense in addition to being good for the environment. Companies which have environmentally sound business practices are seen as demonstrating corporate responsibility, and this is attractive to customers, as many leading brand names have demonstrated.

It's not difficult to start working out a new office recycling policy, and the results can be good for your company as well as the environment. Your workforce and your customers will appreciate your efforts and you can have the satisfaction of knowing that you are acting responsibly.




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