Sustainable Office: 22 Tips For A Greener Office

Looking for the best tips for a sustainable office? Then you are absolutely right here! Who preferably live sustainably should also continue to implement this project in their everyday working lives. Regardless of whether you are simply attentive and environmentally aware or even the sustainability officer of your company - every individual can contribute to promoting sustainability in the office with the simplest of means.

In this article I want to give you the most valuable tips to make your office more sustainable and green. From food and technology, to furniture, waste reduction, meetings, and office sharing with other businesses. Let's go.

In advance you can find here already a short overview of the advice and ideas:

22 tips: How can I promote sustainability in the office?

Especially in the workplace, there is a cornucopia of opportunities to improve one's 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 potentials are no longer perceived as well. 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 implement the following tips for a sustainable office one step at a time to make a tangible impact.

1. provide organic food

Offer organic fruit in sustainable office

It doesn't matter if you are a manager or an employee - everyone can do their part to ensure that organic food is available every day. Fresh, seasonal and regional fruits and vegetables, plant-based milk, teas and Fairtrade coffee for example. All of them increase the well-being at work and thus also the productivity of your team.

Also Herbs, with which you can not only dishes, but also the Making tap water more palatable can definitely belong in a sustainable office.

In addition, I can advise you to use long-lasting Order food directly cheaper in larger quantities, in order to reduce corporate costs.

Tip: In further blog articles, I will explain to you once again in detail how you can target seasonal shopping and buy regionally simply by following your heart.

2. go for recycled furniture

Whether it's a 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 they are made of domestic woods, tables, cabinets, shelving systems and chairs still come to the Deforestation - and to massive energy consumption.

It is therefore more environmentally friendly if even no more tree has to fall for your job. This works, for example, if you and your company on sustainable furniture from recycled wood sets. Upcycled furniture and second-hand goods are also environmentally friendly and create a unique office atmosphere.

3. eco-friendly printing

In the office, experience shows that there is a lot of printing and copying - especially, because you do not have to pay for toner and paper yourselfHowever, to promote environmental protection in your company, there are also many adjusting screws you can turn when it comes to 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)
Print black and white (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 devices

Green electricity is mandatory for a sustainable office. But also when choosing electrical appliances, such as the refrigerator, the phones or the laptops and computers, you should always look for the highest possible energy efficiency. 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.

Especially with laptops, it is also worthwhile to look at refurbished Refurbished-devices to protect the resources of our planet. In addition, you and your colleagues can also Power saving tips implement, such as reducing the monitor brightness.

Tip: It is normal that some technology in the office is sorted out at some point. One can indeed Avoiding electrical waste in a targeted mannerbut of course this does not always work. Old electronic devices you can then recycle or - if they still work - donate them.

5. reduce use of streaming services

In many offices, the following runs in the background via boxes and screens Music that makes for a relaxed working environment. Songs are often downloaded via video platforms such as YouTube or music streaming services like Spotify.

Unfortunately Streaming not sustainable, because it consumes large amounts of energy and emits CO2. Each time the content must be reloaded.

Therefore, it is much more environmentally friendly to use a download popular playlists offline and locally and then play it back 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 also in used form. The Second hand purchase has long since shed its dusty image. It reduces costs, gives things appreciation and spares natural resources.

Besides these Advantages of buying used you also create a unique, creative office interior with a special charm. Simply because many second-hand products are truly unique.

7. share technology

Whether it's a coffee machine, refrigerator or printer - you promote sustainability in the office if as many employees as possible use one or the same device. Network printerto which all colleagues have access, a large 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 eco-friendly office supplies

In addition to furniture, computers and recycled paper, you should also look at 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 - and 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

Waste-avoiding reusable alternatives for the green office

If you want to promote sustainability in the office, you have countless options, waste-avoiding options ready, which you have already received from the Zero Waste Lifestyle you 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 garbage during the lunch break, Coffee machine instead of disposable coffee capsules, Air dryer instead of disposable dry towels 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 the sense of togetherness in your team can also Glass drinking bottles with company engraving or self-selected design. Be sure to 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 when 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 completely switched off.

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:

Introduce digital folder structures (so that fewer files are printed)
Introduce cloth towels in the kitchen (instead of disposable kitchen paper)
Install cold air hand dryer on the toilet (and offer recycled toilet paper)
Point out paper saving in email signature (because many people print out their emails)
…

Can you think of 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 though you may not have to pay the costs yourself, it is also important in the office to sustainable with the heating to deal with. By the way, high energy consumption does not only result in additional costs for your company or your boss, but also for Externalized environmental costs.

Accordingly, the office heating should not be permanently turned up. Glass coatings, an automatic Heating and air conditioning control and regular, short Shock ventilationInstead of always having the tilt window open, these are just a few 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 whenever possible (to avoid travel distances)
Arrange only meetings that are important and necessary (not everything is essential)
Select arrival and departure-friendly event times (so that, for example, the arrival by train is possible).
…

Tips: These and other ideas for sustainable meetings I will explain this 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. In the end, they make sure that you and your colleagues Become more concentrated and work more productively - and not least happier on the job are.

Here, I'll introduce you to some office plants that are quite low-maintenance and are particularly well-suited 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 cleaning at home avoiding waste can of course also be implemented just as well in everyday office life.

Here are some ideas you can implement in a timely manner, to ban 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 wooden dish 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 both promotes productivity, but of course also affects the sustainability of everyday office life. To Save energyYou should install lamps and luminaires only where they are needed. Motion detectors also help. In addition, you should energy-saving LED lamps because they are much more energy-efficient and durable than fluorescent tubes, for example.

If you're making your office greener, it's also recommended that you basically make it as bright as possible. Because through bright, light-reflecting furniture, walls and ceilings less artificial and energy-consuming light sources are needed.

17. make green spaces edible and insect-friendly

Should you be one of the lucky people who find a large patio or usable green space at their office, you should obviously not let it go to waste. In a self built raised bed (cool idea for a joint team project, right?) can be used to grow tomatoes, cucumbers or salads, for example.

Also Fruit trees and berry bushes are a welcome snack for in between, while you take short breaks in the fresh air enjoys. Not only for you, but also for bees, birds and other garden animals. By the way, they are also happy about piles of leaves, wildflowers, 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 work routes

An office that is as sustainable as possible also supports an office that is as sustainable commute of all colleagues. Therefore, incentives should 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 Takeover of the monthly tickets for local transport operators, the installation of Bicycle racks and a Carpooling section on the company's intranet, for example, support this project.

19. make waste separation simple

Waste cannot be completely avoided - especially since there are many individual people in the office with different Environmental awareness draw their circles. But the garbage that accumulates should at least be properly recycled to be able to reuse it and to be conserve natural resources.

Therefore facilitate the correct waste separationby providing all the trash receptacles that are to be match the municipal waste garbage cans in the city or municipality where you live. You can also create a simple, self-explanatory overview that briefly explains which waste belongs in which garbage can.

Office Sharing: An Alternative for More Sustainability in the Office

As more and more people Work productively in a home office unused spaces have been created in many offices. If such open spaces can also be observed in your everyday office life, office sharing can be worthwhile. Here your company rents the free space permanently or temporarily to other companies, as a kind of co-working space, so to speak.

This not only makes use of existing, managed office space, which is often in short supply in many cities as environmentally friendly and optimally used as possible - new synergies can also be created.

21. plan joint actions

To get your colleagues involved, your reduce ecological footprint and the Increase team spirit in the officeYou should regularly start joint environmental projects and sustainable actions.

Here are some ideas for it:

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 terrace, balcony or 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 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 reduce waste, or green meetings, you now have many tips for a greener office at your fingertips.

Of course, you shouldn't do them all at once, but rather prefer to implement little by little. I'm also sure that you're not alone in your quest to make your office more sustainable, and that you'll get more and more support from your colleagues as time goes on.

Do you have any questions, suggestions or further tips from your own experience that have made your workplace and office more sustainable? Then I'm really looking forward to your comment.

Stay sustainable,

Christoph from CareElite - Plastic-free living

PS: Within your own college, there is a great opportunity to make a difference for the environment. How you can Inspire colleagues for a sustainable lifestyle I'll explain how you can do that in the next blog article. Have fun!

Sustainable Office – 22 Tips For An Eco-Friendly Office And Sustainability At Work