Making The Office A Greener Place - 07/09/2007
It seems that the green message is finally filtering through as the Government encourages us to become more aware of, and take greater personal responsibility for, behaviours and actions which can have a negative impact on the environment.
But, when it comes to the workplace, more can still be done to encourage sustainable working practices.
Research by the officebroker.com company found that with a quarter of UK workers clocking up more than 48 hours per week, more than any other wealthy nation, many of us spend more time in the office than we do at home.
The company is in a unique position as it has access to thousands of office workers and businesses across the country and on the back of its findings has pledged to take a stand and encourage office workers to adopt a range of environmentally friendly working practices.
Managing director of officebroker.com Jim Venables said: "When it comes to going green in the office, there are plenty of small, straightforward ideas that all of us can adopt to improve our working environments.
"And we have found that businesses whose employees have embraced
environmentally friendly working practices have enjoyed considerable benefits including reduced costs and a closer, communicative workforce."
The following simple tips will help Peterborough businesses make their office a 'greener' space:
- Turn all computer equipment, machinery or other mechanical appliances off when not in use.
- Recycle, reduce and re-use waste. For example, print or photocopy on both sides of paper, recycle envelopes and labels and turn scrap paper into notepads.
- Switch off any unnecessary lighting during the day particularly near windows or in corridors which do not require bright lighting.
- Position desks and workstations to make best use of natural light.
- Ask the last person to leave the office to ensure that they turn everything off including printers, drinks machines, fans, computers and lights - perhaps have a checklist drawn up and posted by the door or alarm control panel.
- Consider turning the heating down and wearing warmer clothes in winter. Liaise with health and safety staff to tackle over heating caused by poorly maintained equipment or ventilation.
- Ask colleagues if they would be interested in organising a green travel plan. This could include walking in groups, cycling, or car sharing.
- Use e-mail or notice boards to share information instead of printed memos.
For more information on Peterborough City Council's car share scheme and travelplan, visit www.peterborough.gov.uk.
