This spring, we’re dedicating our blog to the idea of consuming less, a good way to explore how much is enough for today. That doesn’t mean that you need to give up everything you own and go live in a tree (though that’s great if you do, and many of us feel like we’d love to do that about once a day!). This month, however, we’re dedicating our time to giving you ideas on how you can consume less in reasonable ways in things that you do every day. Today’s topic? How to consume less when you’re at work at your office.
Work. The reason they call it work is because we’d all rather be doing something else with our time! However, for most of us, five days a week in the office isn’t optional. Because the office isn’t our “home” or our “life”, we often tend to forget what’s important to us when we’re at work. The reality is that most of us will spend upwards of forty hours per week in our work or office environment, and making small changes in what and how we consume resources while we’re there can lead to big changes in how the planet and your local landfill survive! Here are our favorite seven tips for how to consume less throughout the day when you’re at work.
Tip Number One: Bring Your Lunch
From both a health perspective and a consumable waste perspective, bringing your own lunch is one of the best ways to be more eco-friendly at the office. When you don’t bring your own lunch, chances are that your lunch involves take-out food which then involves typically wasteful packaging (often made from plastic). You’ll also find that bringing your own lunch means that you can have more control over both the source of the food that you’re eating as well as the portions – and better controlled portions mean less wasted food (and likely a smaller waist as well!). Take the time to pack and bring a lunch. Your wallet, your waistline and the planet will thank you.
Tip Number Two: You Know Your Office Has Recycling!
Stop right now and take a look into your trash can. Are there crumpled up pieces of paper in there? Why?! If your office doesn’t have a paper recycling bin, then it is still residing in the last century. That means that the crumpled up pieces of paper in your trash can are the result of your simply not taking the time to transport them to the recycling location. The walk to the recycling bin will be good (and healthy) for you. And if your office doesn’t have a recycling location then it’s time for you to begin to champion that idea!
Tip Number Three: Things To Have At Your Desk Include Reusable Water Bottles, Coffee Cups and Utensils
If you want to avoid waste, then give yourself the tools to avoid it. Make sure that there’s a drawer or cabinet in your office with a stash of reusable water bottles that you can take to the water cooler (instead of buying individual bottles of water). You also want on-the-go coffee cups so that you can take office coffee home with you or on the street with you instead of using disposable cups. Finally, disposable plastic silverware is one of the greatest eco-offenders in office and professional environments. Invest in some reusable utensils and keep them in your office or at your desk.
Tip Number Four: Take a Walk Around the Office and Turn Out Unused Lights
You know that conference room that nobody uses, ever? Why are the lights on in there all day long? Get up and stretch your legs and take a walk around your office building. Be the one who turns the lights out in all of the rooms that just aren’t being used. There’s no need to use energy to power lights in empty rooms!
Tip Number Five: Open Your Office Window
Another great way to reduce the amount of energy that you need to use in your office is to open the window and let natural light (or even natural air) in. Yes, opening the office window means that you’ll be forced to look at the world outside and wish that you weren’t personally stuck in your office, but it also means that the mentally healthy sunlight will come through the window, brightening your office and making electric light often unnecessary.
Tip Number Six: Take the Stairs
Yet another way that you can consume less energy and give a boost to your health. Stay away from the elevators whenever you can. No, we don’t expect you to walk up twenty flights of stairs (though you’re a super star if you do!). But walk up the stairs when you can, and always take the stairs on the way down. You’ll minimize the number of energy-powered runs that the elevator needs to make and you’ll also do something good for your body.
Tip Number Seven: Optimize Digital
You might think that in this age of digital everything paper would be almost extinct in offices, but we all know that’s not true. Print-out copies of just about everything are still the go-to in many corporate and professional environments. In instances where you can, be the person who reduces the drain on paper resources while optimizing digital opportunities. After all, we all know that all five copies of the TPS report don’t need to be printed out!
Have another idea on how to consume less when you’re at the office? You tell us. Comment below or tell us about it on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or Instagram.
