How to make going green at work sustainable

When you’re in a shared workspace, it can be difficult to continue the home habits that contribute towards sustainable living.

In response to the climate crisis, more and more people are trying to live sustainably, but when you are outside the controlled environment of your own home, it can be difficult to maintain green habits. 

As not everyone may choose to live sustainably, going green is a lifestyle choice that requires some thought and advanced planning, so that you can live as you see fit, in the real world and without compromising your beliefs and goals. 

So, if you are returning to in-person work or are already in the workplace but don’t know how to transition your sustainability objectives in an effective way, here are some tips and tricks to help you find what works for you. 

Clever commute

As is well known, cars produce lots of greenhouse gas emissions. By driving electric cars that are more energy efficient, walking, cycling, taking public transport and carpooling, you can limit your emissions, as you commute to and from work. 

Additionally, if you want to learn more about the emissions caused by your particular vehicle, there are several online calculators you can use.

Conserve energy

Fortunately many of the steps you take in your own home to ‘stay green’ can be replicated in an office or other working environment. Take, for example, the conservation of energy.

When moving from room to room try not to leave unnecessary digital equipment plugged in. It can also be worthwhile making use of natural light sources and always making sure to turn off any lights that you don’t require. 

Air-conditioning systems can rely heavily on energy sources, therefore if you are concerned about your level of power-consumption you could devise alternative forms of staying cool and warming up. 

For example, staying hydrated and closing the blinds on the windows if you are too warm, and layering up and using hot water bottles if you are too cold. That being said, it’s important not to go overboard, as sometimes the use of AC systems, in periods of challenging weather, are absolutely necessary and employees have the right to healthy, safe working conditions. 

Supportive sustainability

When you are working at an office or onsite, a handy way to stay true to your sustainability goals is to support other sustainable ventures in your workplace. For example, bringing your own lunch from home cuts down on power usage and waste, and if you chose to eat your lunch outside of the office it might be a good idea to use a restaurant that also operates sustainably. 

Similarly, if your office does not have tea or coffee making facilities, or if what is supplied is not ethically sourced, a local, sustainable cafe could be ideal. If you are going to spend your hard earned-money, it can be rewarding to know that your custom is helping to further the message of sustainability and is in support of others living a green lifestyle. 

Be the change

If you want to be more environmentally conscious at work, there are a number of ways to go about it as an individual, but you could also inspire your colleagues and your employer to consider working more sustainably. 

You could speak to your employer about installing compost bins alongside the usual regular and recycling waste disposal units. Additionally, to encourage the use of sustainable resources, you could make a request to have all plastic non-essentials, for example cups, bags etc, replaced with paper and cardboard variations. 

You could also suggest establishing an in-house team that actively creates and maintains green initiatives showcasing the benefits of sustainability, for example in cost effectiveness and overall good for the planet. 

As part of a green team you could issue a company-wide survey that assesses the needs of the business and its employees to effectively build a strategy for sustainability, ensuring the plan is designed to address areas of importance. 

Making the decision to live a sustainable life and working towards the betterment of the planet is a noble endeavour and not one you should have to compromise on. Luckily, it is possible to transfer at-home sustainability measures to the office so you can continue to make a difference and hopefully inspire others to do the same.

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