How to foster a green culture in your company and manage waste effectively
Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash
No matter the size of your company, whether it is a big corporation or a small or medium-sized enterprise, recycling initiatives and sustainable practices should be intertwined across all your business departments and stay at the core of your company. To achieve this, it is recommended you train your employees in how to maintain the eco-friendly initiative and provide helpful information and guidance, as it might be easy to get overwhelmed on what can be recycled and what not. Only through a holistic approach can you foster a green culture within your company.
Waste management in a company can be quite challenging. However, if done correctly, it is possible to minimize it considerably. So, it is of the utmost importance to provide recycling bins at the office and any other facility your business might have, such as a warehouse. What’s more, apart from recycling, there are other ways in which you can promote a green culture. Here’s how:
Recycling – a priority
When it comes to sustainable practices, the first thing that comes to mind is recycling. The fact is that most businesses should have an established recycling policy and install recycling bins in all of their spaces. Among recyclable materials, plastic is probably used the most: you find it in packaging, bottles, wrapping, cutlery, and so on. Therefore, chances are you will gather a lot of plastic waste, and it is essential you recycle or try to reduce the consumption of plastic.
The fact is, this material is one of the most durable, as it can take years to decompose, from 30 to even 450 years for some plastic bottles made from a more rigid material. So, it can also be quite difficult to recycle. However, there are many solutions for recycling plastic that can be effective. Besides designated bins to gather all the recyclable materials and hire a company to collect them to recycle them properly, you might need larger compactors or machines if you produce or use a high amount of plastic.
A recycling scheme is a must for any organization and business. This approach not only decreases the amount of waste in landfills and helps the environment, but you can also increase awareness among your employees. This way, people who are not as used to it are more prone to adopt a greener lifestyle and practice recycling in their everyday lives.
Educate your employees
An effective way of creating a green culture within your organization is to educate your employees properly. You can do this by providing workshops and training programs on how to recycle adequately or replace particular objects with a more sustainable alternative. Apart from training, there are specific digital apps that teach you what materials are recyclable. What’s more, such apps can also show you how to recycle. For instance, it is vital you empty and clean any food or beverage containers to avoid contamination and allow for the recycling process to be completed. Besides, there are several plastic bags or packaging that are made from a mixture of materials, making it impossible to recycle. Such apps can provide valuable information.
When you make it part of your business culture to maintain an eco-friendly practice and living, it is also vital you recognize and reward sustainable activities. This way, you motivate your employees to adopt greener initiatives until it becomes a routine and a healthy habit. With a reward scheme in place, your employees will feel content and increase their loyalty to your company. What’s more, the accomplishment that they have also contributed to achieving a more sustainable world will support employee motivation, as they realize their actions can have a positive impact on the environment.
Include sustainability in your team-building experiences
Apart from constantly training your employees on sustainable initiatives and greener alternatives to increase awareness, you should consider including this approach within your team-building experiences. It is highly recommended for any organization to focus on strengthening the work relationships between employees to support and increase productivity and motivation. Such team-building experiences are an effective method of fostering this and a greener culture. So, you could organize activities or trips that promote sustainability. For example, such activities could be collecting trash, plant a small garden, or reuse items or old clothes to create DIY crafts. This way, you spend time outside of work with your team and get to know each other better, while you also take part in creating a more sustainable world.
Print only when necessary
In any organization, it is challenging to avoid printing paper altogether. Going digital can significantly decrease the amount of paper you use, as there are many documents that don’t need printing. By using file-sharing tools such as Google Drive, you can facilitate sending vital documents and even essential contracts. Not to mention you can use a digital archive to store files and avoid having a crowded office space.
Although this is an excellent method to minimize paper usage, there are times when it is necessary to print documents or invoices. So, whenever it is required to print, and you cannot use the digital version, there is the alternative of using recycled paper. The benefits of using it include reducing the number of trees used, decreasing landfill waster, and, therefore, contributing to a more eco-friendly living.
Green web hosting
When you have a business, chances are you have a digital presence and a website. This is a necessity nowadays in a world that has become entirely dependent on the online environment. Green web hosting means that the energy source needed for your website is using renewable power alternatives. This option is greener and more beneficial for the environment, and it is affordable for companies. The reliability of using green web hosting is also a great advantage, given that you do not want your website going offline all of a sudden. What’s more, such an approach will increase the awareness of your customers as well as their loyalty to your brand.