The office can quickly become the most wasteful room in the house. Known for piles upon piles of paperwork, countless single-use items, and energy-sucking electronic devices, it is so common for the office to get out of hand.
Ready to tackle the beast? Here are some simple, high-impact ways you can reduce the amount of trash coming out of your office. Just pick a few tips that work for you!
1.?Kick?the clutter.
First things first, you have to kick the clutter. It is next to impossible to maintain a zero waste mindset when you’re already bogged down by garbage. Start by creating three piles?? recycle, giveaway, throwaway?? and process everything in the office you don’t need anymore. You’ll be amazed how much lighter you feel when it’s done!
2. Choose reusable / compostable / recyclable.
While single-use items like plastic tape dispensers, highlighters, and staples are a significant portion of office-created garbage, reusables that cannot be broken down at the end of their lives are also big contributors. Opt for plain wooden pencils, compostable cardboard or recyclable metal binders, and refillable pens instead.
3. Share or borrow equipment.
Consider the number of times you truly require a printer at home. Could you make due with the one at your local library? Letting go of your home printer helps cut down on the temptation to print more than is actually required, plus you’ll probably save tons of money on ink…
4. Shop local as much as possible.
We all know the pull of Amazon…ohhh, the pull. Our addiction to convenience could be the end of us! If you have the option where you live, do your best to buy local as much as possible. It’s always great to support local business, and package-free is always best!
5. Go paperless.
Switch from paper to electronic billing, set up auto-pay on recurring bills, refuse phone books and newspapers, and contact all sources of junk mail and ask to be removed from their mailing lists. It’s a process, I know, but so worth it in the end.
All of this is worth it in the end. Happy zero waste-ing!
Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.
View original:
