• Making your office more eco-friendly can be achieved through simple adjustments.
• For example, updating antiquated HVAC systems that don't allow for seasonal fluctuations can save energy.
• Using digital files in lieu of paper memos is also generally safer and more secure.

Can your team make more sustainable choices without giving up in-office necessities? Can sustainable habits actually save you time and money, or is it all a hassle no matter how you slice it? These tips can go beyond simple waste reduction and eco-friendly practices to actually save your company money on recycling costs, simplify waste management, mitigate HVAC costs and so much more.

Tip #1: Go the digital route

Switch from paper documents to electronic and cloud management systems whenever possible. These options can often be more secure, easier to search through and access for remote and off-site workers, and they help reduce the need for physical filing cabinets and archival storage. Additionally, digital file exchange puts less of a burden on recycling and waste disposal efforts, none of which are free in a commercial setting. You can also order 100% recycled paper that is FSC-certified for remaining print-media needs.

Tip #2: Curb plastic promotional items

Limit the amount of cheap plastic promotional items distributed at events. You can also switch to paper-based and biodegradable alternatives for branded swag items like pens, binders and lip balms.

Tip #3: Switch to non-toxic cleaning products

There are now many greener commercial alternatives that you can ask your cleaning company to use instead of traditional chemicals that have been proven to taint water systems and reduce air quality.

Tip #4: Increase your organization's recycling efforts

You can start by providing plenty of clearly labeled bins throughout office spaces. One vendor called TerraCycle offers Zero Waste collection boxes for many standard office items such as batteries, ink cartridges, and presentation materials.

Tip #5: Revamp your HVAC systems

Update heating, cooling, and ventilation systems to optimize energy efficiency. Install timers and motion sensors to limit unnecessary lighting and energy use during low occupancy periods, like the weekends or statutory holidays. Between installing advanced HVAC technology and using it as intended, you can reduce your office's power grid usage as well as its emissions, all while saving the company money in a very real way.

“From cigarette butts to dirty diapers,” Szaky said. The problem with items like gloves and masks is that they can’t be recycled with more traditional items like cans and glass bottles. “It’s not economically profitable for waste management to bother recycling PPE, so it all ends up as garbage. And then unfortunately in a consumer use setting much of it can also end up as litter,” Szaky said. TerraCycle has a process for it. “Suddenly locations that were not using our services before like bars and restaurants and supermarkets...and educational institutions and offices started using TerraCycle to recycle the PPE,” he said. First, it gets collected. Then, it’s sorted. “We then sort out any macro contaminants,” he explained. “Then we take it, amalgamate it into large volumes and in the case of PPE it gets shredded, the plastics get melted into new raw materials.” All of this is done through a high-temperature process that decontaminates, and then the raw materials are sold to manufacturers. Recycling companies all over have seen an increase in PPE. “I have been amazed at how many gloves and masks and PPE-related items you see along streets,” Cory White, the chief commercial officer of Stericycle, said. Stericycle is a waste collection and recycling company. “We have seen a modest increase in the amount of PPE coming from hospitals and doctors' offices,” he said. That’s where most PPE is being used. “Over the course of the first year, we issued out and consumed approximately a million masks,” Matt Putman, the director of supply chain at UCHealth, said. He said they capitalized on recycling guidelines to make sure items that needed to be thrown away were thrown away, while other items were recycled. “We were able to divert a lot of items from landfills and incinerators because of those very careful plans,” he said. While it’s hard to put a number on exactly how much waste we’re talking about, an analysis done by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology said if every healthcare worker in the U.S. used a new N95 mask for each patient they encountered in the first six months of the pandemic, 7.4 billion masks would be required. “PPE specifically does not render itself very well to recycling,” White said. As we continue to use masks, gloves, and other items, Szaky and Putman said there are ways to be more conscious of your waste. “Try to avoid things that are disposable and not recyclable in any way,” Szaky said. “You can go out and buy masks off of Amazon or other companies to be able to wear on your own and not always buy the consumable disposable product that's out there, so that's what we learned and we’re going to continue to learn,” Putman said.