8/ Ask your HR department to send your payslips by email
Using less paper is key. Printing should only happen when absolutely necessary. Of course paper is important in accounting but saving paper for printing and sending payslips by email will save money and save the planet. Go on, plant the seed in the mind of your superiors.
9/ Be conscious of what you eat at lunch
When you forget your lunchbox (the best solution for zero-waste) try and find a local supplier instead of heading straight to the big supermarkets. There are often food trucks near to industrial centres and if you have a tupperware box they will be happy fill it up instead of using their throwaway boxes. If you eat freshly prepared food it will be ten times better than something found at the super market that is full of industrially processed chemicals. If not for the planet, choose it for your health!
10/ Use less toilet paper
Women are easy targets: do you have a habit of lining the toilet seat with toilet paper before taking a seat to relieve yourself? Did you know that your phone screen contains more germs than the toilet. Squat to avoid touching the seat if you don’t fancy sitting down.
11/ Consume less and respect the planet
When it comes to air-con or heaters, don’t feel like you need to put them all on at once. One or two will be enough to head the whole space. You might not be paying the bill but think about the planet! Don’t leave lights on in a room when you are not there. A zero-waste policy starts by consuming less!
12/ Try and use public transport or your bike
If you can, traveling to work by bike is the best way to get some fresh air in the morning as well as being good for the planet. You will be on top form in the morning and at night as exercise is great for your mood! Public transport is better than taking your car as it not only saves money and fuel but you also gain time with your commute. You can’t read, do work or sleep while driving, can you?
13/ Get rid of unnecessary waste
If you have a shared kitchen suggest buying a bar of soap instead of a plastic soap dispenser. Paper towels are not necessary and are a waste of paper. Instead use a a dishcloth to wipe wet splashes and a towel to dry your hands. You could also use old sheets or pillow cases cut into squares. Why not recycle something that you don’t use any more?
14/ Keep the air fresh with plants
Instead of buying unnecessary decorations which are dust traps more than anything else, suggest getting plants or your office. These plants are great at keeping the air fresh and can create a more calm and zen environment for working!
Examples of how other companies follow a zero-waste policy : Encelade Media Group, Grenoble (Recycle paper & plastic, Refurbished computers, homemade washing up products), Palantir, Paris (Locally produced snacks, organic snacks, Ecological furniture), or even Norton Point, an almost zero-waste company that manufactures sunglasses made from recycled plastic found in the ocean.
What are you waiting for. Start making small steps to have a “green” workplace!
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