We are fast approaching the midpoint of the year with many businesses in Kent looking to make some changes for spring; Try a new menu, make a change to company policy, add new services to reflect demand – What about going green for 2018?
There is more to getting on board environmentally than just following the latest trend or adhering to governmental guidelines. There are many ways to conduct environmentally sustainable business which directly benefit both managers and employees.
Countrystyle is committed to helping Kent based businesses reduce their impact on the local environment and we have developed an easy step by step guide to making small changes you can do to improve your green credentials!
Stage 1: Look at your paper and printing
The magnitude of waste paper generated by the workplace is staggering, with studies showing that the average employee wastes 6,800 sheets of fresh paper every year, as well as leaving a further 600 forgotten in the printer to be eventually thrown away. Better onsite segregation means your business can benefit from rebates.
Limit fresh paper
Whilst not all businesses can go completely paperless, start by limiting fresh paper use to formal outgoing documents. Introduce a scrap paper drawer, just like at school, to cater for everyday informal uses such as note-taking and lists.
Going digital
Stick to emailing for internal correspondence and consider converting employees’ pay slips to an email based digital format. Not only does this reduce the possibility of employees losing them before the end of the financial year, but it also means they can be accessed remotely if required.
Print what you need
Start limiting printing to what you really need. If something can be emailed or otherwise done digitally then leave it in pixel-form. In addition to this, inkjet printing is far more environmentally-friendly than its laser counterpart, on account of the high temperatures laser printing uses to bond the toner to the paper. The average inkjet printer uses fifty percent less energy than a laser printer, thanks to being able to perform the same functions at much lower temperatures. Once you’re done with a cartridge, make sure to get it properly recycled.
On-site segregation and removal of personal bins
Not only does this encourage your employees to move away from their desk for small periods of time (refreshing their eyes, thought process and boosting productivity), it also encourages them to reconsider which bin is best for the waste. Businesses can benefit greatly from better onsite segregation and use negative colours to discourage general waste (a more costly waste stream) and improve further chances of rebates.
For a full waste audit, see how Countrystyle can help your business by contacting sales@countrystylerecycling.co.uk and to find out more about us.