How To Reduce Your Carbon Footprint At Work

If you watch TV, read the news, or go through your social media feed on a regular basis, chances are that you must have stumbled upon the topic of global warming and the way that humans are slowly contributing towards asphyxiating the planet we live in.

This also makes those of us with a sense of responsibility to ensure that we are doing all we can to make Earth a greener, better place not just for ourselves, but for the future generations that will step into our shoes at some point.

While we can make a lot of modifications to our everyday life at home, doing something about our workplace that actually uses more energy resources than our residence should be right at the top of our list.

If you are one such person who is looking to make their workplace greener, then this short list of pressure-points and subsequent suggestions could help you make eco-friendly decisions.

The process of reducing your carbon footprint is not as daunting as you think, and reading these helpful tips below would cement that fact further.

Is Your Office Building Eco-Friendly?

If you run your own business or are in the process of starting one, then making decisions such as getting a greener building to work in would be the most logical step to take.

You can start by finding an investment property for sale, and start shortlisting those buildings that are built with an environment friendly perspective in mind.

On the other hand, if you work for an established employer, then you can suggest them to move their operations to an eco-friendly building as well. If that is not a request that they would entertain, then make recommendations for modifications to the existing building such as the installation of HVAC units, eco-friendly weather stripping on doors and windows, and conducting an energy audit for professional suggestions.

Do Electronics Keep Running All the Time?

This is one of the most common and unfortunately one of the topmost reasons of higher energy consumption by workplaces. It stings even more when you realize that this contributes to the carbon footprint through a computer that kept running on standby or a thermostat that was turned two degrees too low. In other words: energy that was wasted for nothing.

That is why, you should ensure that you keep an eye on lighting that is left turned on in a room that is not occupied by anyone; that you turn off any electronic devices that are not in use; and that you do not crank up the heating or air-conditioning when it is not required.

Is Water Conservation a Thing at Your Workplace?

While office spaces are notorious for having water cooler chats, when it comes to being environment-friendly, it is the act of wasting water that you should be paying attention towards.

We have all noticed that behavior in public restrooms: people sometimes turn on the water at the sink only to be distracted by their reflection in the mirror, where a crooked tie or an unsightly development to their hairstyle lures their attention, and they go on to fix their appearance while the water keeps running.

While this is just an example, many instances like this can be noticed every other day, and to stop that from happening, you can have automatic faucets installed in the restrooms that are not at the mercy of those with a short attention span.

Furthermore, when you are at it, give a close look to that noisy hand dryer as well and make sure that it is energy-efficient.

Does Your Workplace Use Renewable Energy?

A workplace consuming renewable energy could serve as a mighty effort towards the reduction of its carbon footprint. It is also better for the business itself since renewable energy is not just environment friendly, but in some cases is also cheaper to consume than its more conventional counterparts.

To make this case for you: Apple is one of the topmost businesses that is now completely powered with renewable energy. As one of the most successful businesses in the world, following their lead wouldn’t hurt a hopeful.

Do You Involve Your Workmates In the Discussion?

Whether you are an employee or an employer, involving those whom you work with into the eco-friendly discussion would only prove to be helpful in the long run.

Make it a point to tell your employees or coworkers about all the efforts that you plan to make in order to reduce the carbon footprint of your workplace, but do so in a polite manner and by explaining why exactly you are taking these measures.

By doing so, you can make sure that all of you can collectively contribute to this cause of maintaining the life of the world that we occupy –it’s the least that we can do for it.