Earth Day is always a time to reflect on sustainability practices at work (and also at home). There’s no blanket solution for solving the world’s waste issue, but there are certainly things we can do on a daily basis to move toward a more sustainable future.
Compost instead of throwing food in the trash.
Some of us may be able to compost at home if we have gardens, opt to use tumbling composters, or drop off food scraps at Rust Belt Riders locations. But workplaces can be a bit trickier. Rust Belt Riders also has a commercial option, which includes a food waste audit so your whole team can get used to the idea of composting.
Hire companies who can conduct off-site fabrication.
When you’re working on a large museum exhibit or trade show environment with your building partner, see if they can fabricate the components off site. And if the installation is going to be outside, builders may face delays or wasted materials due to weather. Plus, any excess materials you would have when fabricating on site get thrown away. Off-site fabrication allows you to conserve those materials to be used in different parts of your display.
Try eco-friendly cleaners.
Upgrading your cleaning supplies to eco-friendly products and reusable bottles helps the environment and improves conditions for co-workers with allergies. Harsh chemical smells can be difficult for those team members, so lighter-smelling cleaners (with the same disinfecting power) are a nice option for them and for the environment.
Start an e-waste drive.
Electronics and appliances are one of the hardest items to deal with when you need to get rid of them since they’re not supposed to be thrown in the trash. By giving your team the ability to bring those items in on a specific day, you’ll cut down on the electronics and appliances heading to the landfill. Make sure you find a company to collect everything so you don’t have to commit to long-term storage as well.
Teach your team how to recycle.
Recycling correctly is difficult, and no one really teaches us how to do it. Start by educating your team on what is and isn’t recyclable, and have separate bins that explain what’s able to be recycled in each of them. Even if your recycling pickup is a single-stream recycling provider, initially separating your paper, plastics, and bags cuts down on the potential for contamination.
Upcycle your office furniture.
It helps that we have a shop at our office so we can repurpose old tables and bookshelves easily, but even if you don’t have access to all of that equipment, there are ways to reuse old furniture. A small file cabinet can be painted and used as a plant stand. Remove the shelves from a bookshelf, weather-proof it, and use it outside as a plant stand with gardening storage. You can also see if your local Goodwill or Habitat for Humanity is able to pick up any furniture you don’t want.
Create volunteer programs.
For some team-building, get out into your community to clean up. Encourage co-workers to bring their families, friends, or partners along so they don’t have to forfeit time with their loved ones. And you can even offer rewards for volunteer hours completed.
Keep learning.
Many companies out there are hosting events and webinars this week promoting Earth Day education and sustainability within office spaces and beyond. Check out Earth Day with NASA for speakers and games from 10:30 a.m. ET until 4 p.m.
There’s always more we can be doing: opting for virtual documents rather than printing; reducing plastic use; using public transportation or bikes to get to work; and upgrading to energy-efficient appliances and water-conserving bathroom fixtures. Implementing new sustainability programs takes time and a ton of education. So if you’ve put any effort into sustainability at your office, you’re ahead of the curve!