For most people, becoming eco-friendly starts by making lifestyle changes at home. But it doesn’t have to end there. With many of us preparing to return to the office, now is the perfect time to follow these top tips so you can go green at work too.

1. Hit the off switch

How many times have you been the first to walk into your office to find multiple appliances still turned on from the day before? Simply getting into the habit of switching things off before you leave is an easy way to make your office more eco-friendly.

Computers being left on standby; projectors and photocopiers are the main culprits and are also amongst the worst for energy consumption. Make sure you turn these off at the plug if you are the last to leave and remind your colleagues to do the same.

2. Go easy on the aircon

Air conditioning units are the biggest consumers of energy in regular offices. And whilst we’re not suggesting you suffer in the summer heat, there might be times when you don’t need to have the air-con blasting out.

Opening a window might be enough to keep you cool in spring or else use a timer to limit consumption. Even just turning the intensity down a few notches will save energy.

3. Review your stationery supply

An office needs a well-stocked stationery cupboard but doesn’t become complacent with your supplies. You could be missing out on eco-friendly alternatives if you’ve been placing the same order with the same company for years. Pens, notebooks, and even printer cartridges made from recycled materials are now available to replace your existing products.

4. Go paperless

Do your bit to reduce waste by thinking hard before you press print. Can that 500-word document be sent digitally instead? Can that meeting agenda be sent in an email? Every little helps when it comes to managing waste.

5. Have a conversation

Going green can be hard if you feel like your efforts are wasted if everyone else isn’t following suit.

Normalise being eco-friendly by having regular conversations with colleagues about environmental issues and you're more likely to see changes. And if you feel like your superiors could be doing more, advocate eco concerns in meetings and encourage those higher up to make bigger changes such as implementing green incentives and switching to renewable energy sources.

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