The Day of Climate Action by Youth ( Youth Climate Action Day) takes place on October 23, 2021. Youth from different countries show through their activities that they want climate protection and climate justice-now and for all.
With these 15 ideas for being more sustainable at work, here at Silla Industries we celebrate Youth Climate Action Day to empower and expand the environmental movement in our corporate environment as well.
- Energy Efficiency
- Buy energy-efficient items with the ENERGY STAR® logo or EPEAT-registered items for the office.
- Use automatic lights.
- Use a programmable thermostat.
- Put computers in sleep mode when not in use.
- Reduce the use of paper
- Try to have less need to print certain documents by saving to a hard drive or cloud service.
- Print double-sided and create a stack of recycling paper at each printer.
- Refillable ink
- Use a refillable ink that reduces discarded toner units.
- Promote charging employees’ electric cars in the office as well
Implement an electric car charging service for your employees while they are in the office. Here at Silla Industries, we have available the service HoReCa which can also be used for businesses.
- Reduce employee travel
- Arrange carpooling to your different offices.
- Offer the ability to smartwork and have multiple meetings via teleconference.
- Collect e-waste
- Start a collection of unwanted electronic items, including cell phones, computers, printers, batteries, ink cartridges, and cables.
- Find an e-waste transporter to sustainably manage the collected waste.
- Office supplies
- Centralize orders for office supplies to reduce shipping.
- Make office supplies last longer by using pens one at a time and storing all pens, markers and glue sticks in a cool, dry place so they are less likely to dry out and harden.
- Color-coded recycling bins
Place bins in strategic locations around your facility, clearly marked for the type of waste to be disposed of. Use color coding for the bins and put up informational signs.
- Establish recycling station for old office equipment and furniture
- Set up a room or space to house old equipment and furniture that you no longer need.
- Allow employees to take items home and reuse them.
- Add plants
Plants help remind people of the importance of the environment, and in general can make people happier. Plants can also help clean the air.
- Dry erase board
Replace the giant notebooks with a reusable dry erase board.
- Ship responsibly
Order multiple things from the same place at once with regular shipping. Quick deliveries mean more trucks clogging city streets, which creates more traffic and more pollution.
- Change your packaging
- Modify the packaging of your product so that it can be easily recycled.
- Make it easy for end users to identify how to recycle packaging.
- Eliminate “disposable” cups
Replace plastic cups at the coffee machine with company branded “branded” mugs that can be reused.
- Publicize your efforts
Enhance the results. Publish them on your website and social media. Sustainable companies want to do business with companies that share their values. And your results may encourage others to do the same!
Tips for making your sustainability efforts shine
Sustainability is a marathon, not a sprint. Here are some tips for success with your ongoing initiatives:
- Establish your baseline for conducting regular waste assessment/audits;
- consider using a third-party waste management group to assist you;
- Set realistic goals;
- Track and communicate your progress and successes often. You can use software tools to track your sustainability, or use simple spreadsheets;
- Make it fun. Use pictures. Offer incentives. Be creative!
- Promote your efforts to all interested parties. Use social media.
