Hot Tips for Zero Waste Initiatives in the Workplace
Does your company want to become more eco-friendly? There are various ways to reduce your carbon footprint, but one of the top ones is a zero-waste initiative. Here are some helpful tips to get you started:
Use clear garbage bags
Use this method for a week. It will allow you to see what people are tossing away. As the old saying goes prevention is better than cure. A key factor in developing a zero-waste plan is to find out what kinds of waste your workers are producing. It can help to develop the plan to focus on the main types of waste your office is producing.
Ask suppliers to reuse bulk packaging
You might be surprised how much waste is produced from packing material. That includes cardboard, Styrofoam, and plastic. Such materials can add up quickly so it’s important to reuse them whenever possible. Suppliers will often be happy to take back the packaging since it will also reduce their own business expenses.
Pick recycled products
This is a great option since a zero-waste program isn’t just about reducing waste by recycling products. It’s also about using products that have been recycled themselves. There are many office products on the market including a paper that is produced from recycled products. When you combine these two activities you’ll double your progress to zero waste.
Ask workers to eat zero waste lunches
This can save lots of natural resources that would normally be wasted when buying packaged meals at supermarkets, delis, coffee shops, etc. One of the best options is to bring leftovers from home in Tupperware.
Start small
It’s better to start with some of the basic items to recycle like paper and aluminum. Once the program gets started you could add other items like plastic. However, it’s important to take your workers some time to get used to a new recycling program. It can be overwhelming if suddenly they’re asked to recycle 100% of what they use.
Reuse incoming packages for internal mail
This can include various items like envelopes and boxes. These items can be costly to purchase and especially when you have to buy lots of them. So, if you want to launch a zero waste initiative a good option is to reuse those items for your own staff members.
Create a waste prevention team
The function of this team is to brainstorm ideas to achieve zero-waste, increase awareness, and motivate workers. These are all important tasks if your company’s goal is zero waste. The waste prevention team is critical because it helps to create and implement the zero waste plan. Those are often some of the most important steps in the process.
Use reusable cups/glasses
Disposable cups can produce tons of waste considering they’re only used once then tossed. You could issue a mug to each worker, for example. It will cost your business money but it’s an investment and it in the long-term will save your company money while saving trees.
