Are you looking for the best tips for a sustainable office? Then you've come to the right place! Who wants to live sustainably should continue to implement this plan in their day-to-day work. Regardless of whether you are simply attentive and environmentally conscious or even the sustainability officer of your company - everyone can contribute to promoting sustainability in the office with the simplest of means.
In this article, I would like to give you the most valuable tips for making your office more sustainable and greener. From food and technology, to furniture, waste avoidance and meetings, to office sharing with other companies. Let's go!
You can find a brief overview of the advice and ideas here in advance:
- Provide organic food
- Rely on recycled furniture
- Environmentally friendly printing
- Give preference to energy-efficient appliances
- Reduce use of streaming services
- Focus on second-hand items
- Share technology
- Choose environmentally friendly office supplies
- Provide reusable alternatives
- Switch off devices completely
- Save paper in a targeted manner
- Environmentally conscious heating
- Manage meetings sensibly
- Place plants in the workplace
- Rely on natural cleaning agents
- Create sensible lighting with LEDs
- Making green spaces edible and insect-friendly
- Enabling environmentally friendly routes to work
- Making waste separation easy
- Thinking about office sharing
- Plan joint actions
22 tips: How can I promote sustainability in the office?
The workplace in particular offers a cornucopia of opportunities to improve your own Making companies more environmentally friendly. This is due, for example, to the fact that many people are already wearing the "corporate glasses" for too long and optimization potential. It is also possible that a Low identification with own company This discourages some colleagues from wanting to improve things.
Do it better! You can gradually implement the following tips for a sustainable office to achieve a noticeable impact.
1. provide organic food
It doesn't matter whether you are a manager or an employee - everyone can make sure that organic food is available every day in their own company. Fresh, seasonal and regional fruit and vegetables, plant-based milk, teas and Fairtrade coffee for example. They all increase well-being in the workplace and therefore also the productivity of your team.
Also Herbs, with which you can not only dishes, but also the Making tap water more palatable definitely belong in a sustainable office.
In addition, I can advise you to use long-lasting Order food directly at a lower price in larger quantities, in order to reduce corporate costs.
Tip: In further blog articles, I will explain to you in detail how you can specifically seasonal shopping and buy regionally simply by following your heart.
2. opt for recycled furniture
Whether it's the desk in the workroom or the dining table in the shared kitchen - the furniture in a truly sustainable office doesn't have to be new. Because even if it is made from local wood, tables, cabinets, shelving systems and chairs can still be Deforestation - and massive energy consumption.
It is therefore more environmentally friendly if even no more trees have to fall for your workplace. This works, for example, if you and your company on Sustainable furniture made from recycled wood sets. Upcycled furniture and second-hand goods are also environmentally friendly and create a unique office atmosphere.
3. eco-friendly printing
Experience has shown that a lot is printed and copied in the office - above all, because you do not have to pay for toner and paper yourself. 😉 But to promote environmental protection in your company, there are also many adjustments you can make to your printing behavior.
Here are some examples:
- Use recycled paper (look for the "Blue Angel" environmental seal)
- Minimize number of pages (e.g. by printing on both sides)
- Black and white printing (saves ink and energy)
- Print with foresight (limit to absolutely necessary)
- …
Tip: In the detailed article about sustainable printing I will present these and other tips to you in more detail.
4. give preference to energy-efficient appliances
Green electricity is mandatory for a sustainable office. However, when choosing electrical appliances, such as refrigerators, telephones or laptops and computers, you should also always make sure that they are as environmentally friendly as possible. Energy efficiency class pay attention. If only to save electricity in the long term and to act in a climate-friendly way in the company as well.
With laptops in particular, it is also worth looking at refurbished Refurbished-Devices to protect the resources of our planet. You and your colleagues can also Power saving tips implement, such as reducing the monitor brightness.
Tip: It's normal for some office technology to be discarded at some point. You can Targeted avoidance of electrical wastebut of course this doesn't always work. Old You can then recycle electronic devices or - if they still work - donate them.
5. reduce use of streaming services
Running in the background in many offices via boxes and screens Music that creates a relaxed working environment. The songs are often downloaded via video platforms such as YouTube or music streaming services such as Spotify.
Unfortunately Streaming not sustainable, because it consumes large amounts of energy and emits CO2. The content must be reloaded each time.
Therefore, it is much more environmentally friendly to use a download popular playlists offline and locally and then play it regularly.
6. rely on second-hand items
Whether Desks, shelves, screens, file folders, the Couch in the lounge area or Preserving jars for the office kitchen - after all, you can get countless things for the office in second-hand form. The Second hand purchase has long since shed its dusty image. It reduces costs, gives things value and protects the environment. Natural resources.
Besides these Advantages of buying used you also create a Unique, creative office furnishings with a special charm. Simply because many second-hand products are truly unique.
7. share technology
Whether it's a coffee machine, fridge or printer - you can promote sustainability in the office if as many employees as possible use the same device. Network printerto which all colleagues have access, a large fully automatic coffee machine in the kitchen or in the break room, as well as a Shared refrigerator.
In the latter, for example, you can set up a compartment where food and meals that are Consumed by the general public be allowed to Reduce food waste.
8. choose environmentally friendly office supplies
In addition to furniture, computers and recycled paper, you should also consider other classic office supplies, such as Pens, workbooks, desk chairs, folders, hole punches, mouse pads, notebooks and Tacking make sure to use environmentally friendly alternatives - for as long as possible.
Refill pens, vegan file folders or used but still functional staplers and hole punches symbolize an office that is as sustainable as possible.
Tip: I can especially recommend this notebook with vegan leather hardcover*..
9. provide reusable alternatives
If you want to promote sustainability in the office, there are countless, Waste-preventing options ready, which you have already received from the Zero Waste Lifestyle should know.
It applies to the Disposable society counteract. For example, through reusable Stainless steel cutlery instead of plastic forks, knives and spoons. Glasses instead of paper cups, reusable Lunch boxes instead of takeaway waste during the lunch break, Coffee machine instead of disposable coffee capsules, Air dryer instead of using disposable tissues in the office toilet - these are all simple but effective tips for making everyday office life more sustainable as quickly and easily as possible.
Really environmentally friendly and also conducive to a sense of unity in your team can also Glass drinking bottles with company engraving or a design of your choice. Be sure to take a look at these water bottles from Soulbottles* an.
10. switch off devices completely
For example, when laptops and printers are in standby mode, they unfortunately still consume energy. Because even if no one is using them, they are waiting to be used every second. To save energy, the technical devices in a sustainable office are therefore always switched off completely.
11. save paper in a targeted manner
Recycled paper for the printer is great - but still it is more sustainable not to use paper at all. That's why you should have a Paperless office aspire to.
Here are some tips that will help decisively, Save paper:
- Introducing digital folder structures (so that fewer files are printed)
- Inserting cloth towels in the kitchen (instead of disposable kitchen paper)
- Installing a cold air hand dryer in the toilet (and offer recycled toilet paper)
- Point out paper saving in email signature (many people print out their emails)
- …
Can you think of any other tips for saving paper in the office? Then feel free to write me a comment with your ideas under this blog article.
12. environmentally conscious heating
Even if you may not have to bear the costs yourself, it is also important in the office to sustainable with the heating to deal with. Incidentally, high energy consumption not only results in additional costs for your company or your boss, but also for Externalized environmental costs.
Accordingly, the office heating should not be turned up permanently. Glass coatings, an automatic Heating and air conditioning control and regular, short Shock ventilationinstead of always-open tilt windows are just some of the options available to you for environmentally friendly heating in the office.
13. manage meetings sensibly
Yes, you can also pay attention to sustainability in professional meetings. I've put together a few examples and ideas to go with it:
- Hold conferences and meetings online wherever possible (to avoid travel distances)
- Arrange only meetings that are important and necessary (not everything is essential)
- Choose arrival and departure-friendly event times (so that it is possible to travel by train, for example)
- …
Tips: These and other ideas for sustainable meetings I explain in more detail in the linked, more detailed article.
14. place plants at the workplace
Plants clean the dirty air in the office and reduce the background noise. Ultimately, they ensure that you and your colleagues Become more concentrated and work more productively - and last but not least happier at work are.
Here I present some office plants that are easy to care for and are particularly suitable for a sustainable and natural workplace:
- Elephant foot
- Birch fig
- Golden fruit palm
- Bow hemp
- Rubber tree
- Green lily
- …
Tip: The right office plants also promote the Occupational health. I explain this and other health tips in more detail in the linked blog article.
15. rely on natural cleaning agents
The tips for the sustainable and waste-avoiding cleaning in the household can of course be implemented just as well in everyday office life.
Here are some ideas you can implement in a timely manner, to banish chemical cleaners from your office and still keep everything clean:
- All-rounders like Citric acid, Baking soda or Vinegar essence Use against stubborn stains (see Citric acid applications or Soda applications)
- Make your own cleaning products (e.g. DIY glass cleaner or DIY ivy dishwashing liquid)
- Use a wooden dishwashing brush and reusable microfiber cloths
- Prefer cleaning products with EU eco-label and recycled packaging (e.g. from the Frosch brand).
- …
16. create sensible lighting with LEDs
Good office lighting promotes productivity, but of course also has an impact on the sustainability of everyday office life. To Save energyyou should only install lamps and lights where they are needed. Motion detectors also help. You should also pay attention to energy-saving LED lamps as they are much more energy-efficient and have a longer service life than fluorescent tubes, for example.
If you want to make your office greener, it is also advisable to make it as bright as possible. Because through Bright, light-reflecting furniture, walls and ceilings fewer artificial and energy-consuming light sources are needed.
17. make green spaces edible and insect-friendly
If you are one of the lucky people who have a large terrace or usable green space next to your office, you should of course not leave it unused. In a self built raised bed (cool idea for a joint team project, right?) can be used to grow tomatoes, cucumbers or lettuce, for example.
Also Fruit trees and berry bushes are a welcome snack between meals while you take short breaks. in the fresh air enjoy. Not just for you, but also for bees, birds and other garden animals. Incidentally, they also enjoy piles of leaves, wild flowers, a Insect hotel and a water bath.
Tip: In the blog post about the sustainable garden you can pick up further tips, with which you can, for example, also help the Counteract insect mortality simply by following your heart.
18. enable environmentally friendly routes to work
An office that is as sustainable as possible also supports a sustainable commute of all colleagues. Incentives should therefore be provided to work more often with the public transportation or the Bike to work and further reduce the company's CO2 emissions. The formation of car pools should also be facilitated, as not everyone can travel by public transport or bicycle.
The Transfer of monthly tickets for local transportation companies, the installation of Bicycle racks and a Category for car pools on the company intranet, for example, support this project.
19. make waste separation easy
Waste cannot be completely avoided - especially as there are many individual people in the office with different Environmental awareness make their rounds. But the waste that accumulates should at least be Properly recycled to be able to reuse it, and conserve natural resources.
Therefore facilitate the correct waste separationby providing all the waste containers that match the municipal waste garbage cans in your local town or municipality. You can also create a simple, self-explanatory overview that briefly explains which waste belongs in which garbage can.
20. think about office sharing
As more and more people Work productively in a home office unused space has arisen in many offices. If such open spaces can also be observed in your everyday office life, office sharing can be worthwhile. Thereby your company rents the free space to other companies on a permanent or temporary basis, as a kind of co-working space, so to speak.
This not only frees up existing, managed office space, which is often in short supply in many cities. as environmentally friendly and optimally utilized as possible - New synergies can also arise.
21. plan joint actions
To get your colleagues involved, your reduce our ecological footprint and the Increase team spirit in the officeyou should regularly launch joint environmental projects and sustainable campaigns.
Here are some ideas:
- Form cooking communities and cook together (e.g. vegan burgers)
- Start a DIY furniture project together (e.g. dining table or control system)
- Planting vegetables together (e.g. on the terrace, balcony or in the office garden)
- Sustainable company outings organize (e.g. beach or forest cleanups)
- …
The choice of environmentally friendly and team-building measures is almost endless. The important thing is simply that they promote sustainable and environmentally friendly behavior in the office and bring employees closer together.
Sustainability in the office made easy!
Whether it's recycled furniture, organic food, shared printers, reusable alternatives to avoid waste or green meetings: you now have many tips for a more environmentally friendly office at your fingertips.
Of course, you shouldn't do them all at once, but prefer to implement little by little. I am also sure that you are not alone in your plan to make your office more sustainable, but that you will receive more and more support from your colleagues over time.
Do you have any questions, suggestions or other tips from your own experience that have made your workplace and office more sustainable? Then I look forward to your comment.
Stay sustainable,
PS: There is a great opportunity to make a difference to environmental protection within your own team. How you can Inspiring colleagues for a sustainable way of life in the next blog article. Have fun!
