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Going Green, Trading Fair
As a company you probably have a set of ethical practices such as treating employees fairly, a complaints and dismissal procedure, etc... But is your office ethical?
There are quite a few little daily things that any office team can do to contribute to a better world, go someway towards saving the environment and help others less fortunate than yourselves.
Be Fair - coffee, tea, sugar, bananas, cookies and other snacks are purchased daily by almost every office in the country. Why not go for the Fair Trade option? It's a few pence more but every little bit helps and it contributes to a general "feel good" factor in the office. So call it team building.
Buy Smart - think about recycling at the purchasing stage. Choose products that are easily recycled i.e.: envelopes with plastic windows have to be cut up as the plastic part can't be recycled.
Throw it Out - have a box for all the recyclable waste and once a week (or as needed) have someone do the recycling run. Put it on a rota if necessary. Every major supermarket, a lot of parks and sometimes even schools have recycling bins for glass, paper, magazines, card and even clothes and books. Some councils will now collect recyclable waste direct from office blocks. So don't waste it, recycle it.
Turn it Off - turn off computers and monitors at the end of the day, turn off the lights if everyone's out, turn off fans, the aircon or the heating when it's not needed.
Turn it Down - does the heating or aircon really need to be on full blast? If it's hot and stuff open a window for a bit. It's healthier than air conditioning, cheaper and better for the environment. In the winter make sure that all windows and doors are closed and check the double glazing. Don't add additional cost to yourself and the environment by letting the heat escape.
Bright Ideas - invest in energy saving light bulbs. Although more expensive at the outset, energy saving bulbs last up to 12 times longer than ordinary light bulbs and they don't waste energy by turning it into heat the way ttraditional bulbs do.
Adopt a Cause - let everyone vote to choose a charity to support. You can either just donate or let everyone get involved doing something special to raise support. Or have a policy that the department will match any empoloyee's fund raising efforts up to X amount.
Go Paperless - can you send that notice by email? Can you file it electronically? Will it just go for shredding? If it doesn't have to be printed, don't print it.
Order Online - don't ask for catalogues to be sent. The glossy paper and inks used in a lot of catalogues are hard or impossible to recycle. Almost all mail order companies have their full catalogue of products online so be ethical, use the internet.
Just remember, don't make being ethical a chore. Make it fun, a group effort and introduce things slowly until each one becomes a habit. Lead by example, nagging will just ruin it.