6 Easy Ways Your Office Can Go Green

Matrix Internet has gone green

We just brought back recycling into the Matrix Internet office after a hiatus and it feels great. In just a few weeks we’ve greatly reduced the amount of our waste that is sent to the landfill; We’ve realised just how much of our waste can be responsibly recycled. In a world in which there will soon be more plastic than fish in our oceans, we believe that recycling is important and that even small changes can have a large impact.

We were especially excited to work with Go Car because of their dedication to the environment. Go Car is a car-sharing company, its members have access to over 300 cars across Ireland which they can use for low hourly rates. This means that people have access to cars when they need them and are not forced to buy a car, or a second car, which they would only need to use once in a while. As a result, fewer cars are on the streets producing emissions, taking up parking spaces, and damaging roads.

Go Car took their dedication to the environment even further by introducing 100% electric cars into their ranks. Their BMW i3 cars are stylish compact, luxury vehicles that run solely on electricity. This is an extremely exciting step into the future of transportation and we were thrilled to be able to develop their UX and app to make it even easier for members to book cars.

Below are a number of small changes that your office can make to effect environmental change – every little bit helps. On top of this, we have tips on how to effectively present your environmentally-friendly actions in ways that will boost your PR and develop your brand’s identity as modern, globalised, ethical, and aware.

Recycle

This one is easy and should be a no-brainer as now, more than ever, recycling is important. Oftentimes it is also financially beneficial to opt for recycling. You can even turn recycling into a fun competition between departments by hosting trash audits – go through the trash can of each floor one day and audit how much recyclable waste is in each can. Then give the department with the lowest amount of recyclable waste a reward or trophy.

When your electronics die, make sure to also recycle them responsibly as e-waste can cause significant environmental damage if disposed of incorrectly. You can find information about how to best recycle e-waste here.

Opt for reusable pens

In America alone upwards of four million pens are tossed out every day. That is a lot of waste. Instead of stocking disposable pens, provide your employees with reusable pens and stock ink refills. Reusable pens will be more cost-effective in the long run and you can build morale by printing your employees’ names on their own pens.

Reduce waste

There are a myriad of ways to reduce waste in an office. Take a small walk around your office and try to be hyper-aware of all the disposable products and supplies used in your office. Can you switch from paper towels in the kitchen to cloth tea towels? From coffee capsules to a coffee machine that uses filters? From disposable soap dispensers to a dispenser you can refill? From hand towels in the bathroom to an air dryer?

All of these changes are easy to make and will reduce your office overhead bill each month. Small changes make a big difference when they are added up every month, opting for reusable items and supplies will also show your company’s commitment to reducing its carbon footprint.

Go fluorescent

The most ideal form of lighting to use in an office is natural lighting. It brightens moods, makes spaces look friendly, and is absolutely free. However, no one knows better than the Irish that you can’t depend on natural lighting. A good alternative to natural light is fluorescent lighting. Fluorescent lighting is much less wasteful than other forms of lighting – the bulbs last ten times longer than regular bulbs and use 75% less energy. Fluorescent lighting will drastically reduce your office’s monthly energy bill.

Print responsibly

When possible, push for your office to go digital. Can you share a Google doc instead of printing it? Do you really need those presentation notes printed for everyone at the meeting? Try to limit your printing to when it is really necessary. The future is digital and your office will be perceived as innovative and advanced for choosing to use digital, rather than printed, materials whenever possible.

You can also print responsibly by buying recycled paper and remanufactured ink and toner cartridges. Buying remanufactured cartridges will greatly reduce your printing costs as they are significantly less expensive than brand-new cartridges. However, it will also save a significant amount of plastic from being dumped in landfills.

Your business can easily capitalise on the good PR from using recycled paper and cartridges through posts on social media describing your environmental efforts. However, this is also something that you can add as a footer for your documents, something along the lines of: “printed using ethically sourced paper and ink.”

Reward innovation

If someone in your office pushes for changes that will make your office a little greener, encourage them. This could be as simple as using ecosia or eliminating disposable cups. Rewarding green innovation will encourage your team to think creatively and plan solutions to varied issues throughout the day.

Finally, be a show-off

Going green is really an all-around benefit for companies. With these easy changes, you are helping the environment, but you are also greatly reducing your overhead costs and generating PR gold. More and more people are becoming environmentally aware – the future is in going green in tech, but also in our daily lives.

Show off the fact that your office’s environmental consciousness is ahead of the curve whenever possible. Post on social media about how much you are reducing, recycling, and reusing regularly. This is really easy content to generate and it tends to be very popular.

In your newsletters, you can add green highlights about changes the company has made. Statistics regarding how much waste has been diverted from landfills and recycled are appealing and will cause your subscribers to emotionally connect with the brand. Ensure that your phrasing encourages them to feel that by supporting you and your efforts they are also helping the environment.

Finally, use clear imagery in your office to make it clear to visiting clients that your office is dedicated to innovation and the future. Ensure that the language you use is polite and encouraging rather than chastising.

Be creative and try a variety of solutions to reduce your office’s waste and go green, the planet – and your wallet – will thank you. If you have any questions about how you can best optimise your company for social media and highlight your office’s culture through digital marketing, contact the digital marketing maestros at Matrix Internet.