From my point of view – I have an understanding that all the companies are looking towards making a profit and there is nothing wrong with it. Population grows, so as consumption. Final products are used for some time then they go to trash. Billions of people around the world create so much waste. Energy consumption is very high. To do things here and there can help our environment but it should not be so much time consuming or expensive. Small changes can be done to the way how we operate our business and they can reduce the impact on the environment. It might sound impossible, but they can even increase productivity.
Working remotely is very relaxed and it does benefit employees. They can spend time at home, which means less stress, but also cuts the need to commute every single day to work and back. The good thing is that remote work is getting more popular these days. Employers finally understand that renting an office is not necessary. Productivity is even higher for people working remotely. Freelancing these days is highly encouraged. Practically, the time spent in traffic can be used for other things. Another great benefit is the car traffic reduction, especially in the largest cities.
I would also encourage others to use great energy-saving devices. These days, most of the printers, computers and other office equipment have an energy-saving mode. There are also small devices that turn the electricity off and on when needed. Furthermore, devices are built these days to reduce energy consumption. Some statistics say that an average office worker spends about 10k of paper sheets per year. Paperwork reduction, especially for material not needed for repetitive usage is a must. We often go on meetings where we use some printed material for a few minutes then we throw it away. Interactive displays or projectors are a much better solution instead of printing. They even can better keep someone’s attention due to things changing on the screen.
One of the great methods of reducing paper consumption is an electronic signature. In the past we use to spend a lot of time on printing, signing and scanning docs. The electronic signature will help us resolve this. Moving everything towards “digital” and “electronic” seems to be a solution for all the official docs in the near future. Even the fingerprint option is becoming more real these days. We are about to even open the door with a finger press, instead of carrying around office keys.
Meeting our business partners and colleagues in person is great. However, we should consider expenses and time consumption that comes with it. I use to always consider conference calls. They are fast and easy with a lot of benefits. When I set-up business lunches, I usually go with some local options. That does support my local economy and makes me feel good about it. Getting people together might not be so easy and always possible. This suggestion does expend the world beyond the borders.
I like to encourage people around me to stop using plastic water bottles. Water tank coolers are more useful and environmentally friendly. Same thing with plastic cups used for coffee. I have stopped using them years ago and I feel happy about it. I remember the time when my basket was full of them in a matter of days. Coffee addition sounds good to me, but collecting the trash does not. Nowadays, I own a reusable water bottle which I carry with me at all times. I chose the Kool8 water bottle due to its sleek design, but there are literally thousands of options out there on the internet.
Companies are looking into environmentally friendly vehicle options, such as electric vehicles. They are healthier for our environment and spend less money from our pocket. Electric cars run at least partially on this special source of power called electricity. There is a difference in the structure between the electronic vehicles. Some vehicles run on batteries that can be recharged via a plug-in. Some other type is converting hydrogen gas, which is the type of vehicle called “hydrogen fuel cell”. Electric cars and trucks are better. Plug-in type of hybrids increase environmental output performance and save money. They are great for short-distance trips. Most of these vehicles are passenger type of vehicles.
Getting some plants in the office will bring some fresh oxygen. Plants are often associated with carbon dioxide consumption, but they are more than that. They can also absorb formaldehyde and benzene. There is a variety of exotic plants available on the market, so your office should have one. Coffee grounds can be also used to feed the plant, but not so much. Right ph has to be determined, just in case that your plants can handle the specific quantity of coffee ground.
My colleague use to have the same pen for writing for several years. That was some sort of reusable pen, which he got as a birthday present. Not sure about going that far in environment saving, but it does look impressive.
All of that is more related to the office environment type of saving. What about other industries like construction or transportation? We agree that transportation does have a large impact on the environment. We don’t know how fast we are going to find all the solutions to stop global warming, but we have to work on it as the priority. The construction industry is growing these days. With that growth – we have to consider the environment as well. The mining industry has been one of the leading contributors to the Australian economy. Several mining booms happened in Australia and that industry became one of the leaders of Australian wealth. That sector attracted a lot of immigrants In Australia, we have to take a lot of things into consideration. If you’re in the construction or mining industry, SprayGrassAustralia suggests you should check and see if you’re required to get an environmental assessment. This will be a good step in the right direction.
So, we should all do what is possible on a small or large scale to make our job-site more environmentally friendly. Care about the environment is the responsibility of us all and it starts with an individual.
