How to reduce the carbon footprint of your office
Check the numbers
The first step in reducing the level of carbon emissions generated by your office or business is to establish the size of your current footprint. The more accurately you can do this, the easier it will be to ensure the changes you implement push your company in the right direction. If your business is relatively small, you can obtain a rough estimate by using an online calculator, but if you need to take multiple factors into consideration, you might want to appoint someone in your team to take charge of green initiatives or even bring in a professional consultant.
Energy efficiency is key
Energy use is likely to be the far biggest contributor to the carbon footprint of your company, often accounting for up to half of the total greenhouse gas emissions. Switching all your lighting systems to energy efficient ones is the first step, along with ensuring lights and office machines are switched off when not in use. Ideally, you should also invest in energy efficient heating technologies, but this may involve too great an outlay. If nothing else, ensure your boilers and cooling systems are properly maintained and serviced on a regular basis, so they are always working with optimum efficiency.
Consider specialist equipment
If your company is involved in an area of business that generates a lot of waste material, such as warehousing or distribution, it might be worth investing in a baler to make it easier to recycle large quantities of cardboard or plastic. If your business doesn’t generate enough waste to cover the cost of such an investment on its own, consider joining forces with other businesses in your local area and making a collective purchase.
The consumables associated with using a baler tend to have a long shelf life so, providing you have adequate storage space, you can save even more money by purchasing bulk orders of baling wire direct from the manufacturer and storing it safely until it is needed.
Cut down on commuting
Large-scale telecommuting has been proven to be beneficial to the environment, but even if your business is relatively small, you can still benefit. Depending on the nature of your business, some studies show that staff who are allowed to work from home end up being more productive and live healthier lives with lower levels of stress. If enough members of staff make the switch, you may be able to move into smaller premises, reducing your carbon footprint further still.
Don’t get complacent
Reducing your carbon footprint to a minimum is only the first step. Ensuring it does not start to creep back up again as your business develops is equally important. Ensure that the person appointed to take charge of green matters schedules in regular re-evaluations of the situation so that you can measure the impact of any potential change.