Blogs

Sustainability In The Workplace

By Irena Kosturska

With 2020 rolling in and the recent climate tragedies that have swept Australia’s East, there’s more of an emphasis on sustainability and combatting climate change than ever. The urgency that these events have triggered is quite serious and a lot of people want to do their part. There are other ways to make a difference other than finding scrap metal to sell. We thought we’d use today’s blog as an opportunity to give you some tips on how you can be sustainable in your day-to-day activities in the workplace.

Utilise the appropriate bins

Rather than just having the one bin in your office, why not opt for three separate ones – waste, recycling and compost. Your waste bin will act as your standard bin for non-recyclable items and non-compostable scraps – essentially all the items that will end up in the landfill like plastic wrappers.

Your recycling bin is for items such as glass/plastic bottles and paper. Lastly, the compost bin is for particular scraps that can be used as mulch in gardens. Eggshells, some food scraps and torn up newspaper are all good examples of compost. Make sure to put up instructional signs by the bins with examples of commonly used items in the office and which bin is most appropriate for them.

This will not only encourage people to be conscious of where they put their rubbish within the workplace, but also at home. If they do it enough times during the day then it’ll be cemented in their heads and become something they’ll pass on to their family and friends.

Green the office

Improving the eco-system of your office is essential to a good work ethic and positive vibes. Literally turn your office green by placing pot plants around the office. There are several types you can choose from to suit your offices décor and aesthetic.

Plants will improve the oxygen in your office – since plants pump out fresh oxygen via photosynthesis – as well its overall wellbeing. Just remember to look after them so they can keep doing what they do best. The more plants you give life too, the bigger the impact you’ll have on the environment.

Choose sustainable utilities

If you can, try to use electricity that is green and sustainable – such as power produced by wind farms or solar panels. It may be a bit more expensive but overall, you’ll be helping by not contributing to the fossil fuel industry and instead be supporting the future of electricity.

Check if your electricity company provides green energy options. You can also look at installing solar panels on your building and operating using your own solar power – just be sure to have a battery installed as well.

Reduce paper usage

In now day and age, paper is almost pointless – especially with laptops and tablet devices essentially replacing them. The need for physical pieces of paper to be printed out is just a formality – not a requirement. Try reducing the amount of paper you use or print.

Ask yourself if it really needs to be used – or if you can just use a digital copy instead. With tablets becoming more advanced and sophisticated with their stylus and “pen” features, there’s no real need for even marking to be done on paper.

Don’t waste energy

Don’t use energy when you don’t need to. Turn computers off at the end of the day – or, at the very least put them in sleep mode and make sure the monitors are off and not on any screensavers. Use energy-saving and efficient lights around the office as they can save you a heap of energy whilst still shining just as bright.

Upcycle

Reuse and recycle – or in this case, upcycle. Upcycling is turning something you would generally throw away into a functional object. This could be something as simple as repurposing a broken mug into a stationery holder or something more advance like using an old desk drawer as a garden bed. If you use a bit of your imagination, you can literally upcycle anything around the office – that way you’re reducing waste and giving the item a second lease on life.

Are you looking to sell scrap metal?

There are several things you can do to be more sustainable in the office and each bit counts. If you have scrap metal, however, then why not look to sell your scrap metal here at Metal Men Recycling? We offer a variety of services to make your scrap metal selling experience as easy and streamlined as possible – including weight bridges and several different sized bins that we can drop off at a location for you to utilise.

If you’re looking to sell scrap metal, then please get in touch with us by calling 03 5941 6677. You may also contact us via the enquiry form found on our website.

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