Change of habit: Make your office more environmentally friendly with these easy ways

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Martin Sanders has been helping many organizations become more environmentally compliant, and often, people have attested to the kind of revolutionary impact his wisdom has brought to many organizations. However, Martin believes that even the little things can already make a difference. This blog shares some habits that can make the office more environmentally friendly.

Make your waste smaller

The simple act of making waste smaller before you chuck it in the bin maximizes space. Doing this ensures a more efficient collection of waste, thereby reducing the frequency that collection has to be made in your office. In addition, according to Martin Sanders, it saves a lot on garbage bags that are made of plastic, whose consumption rate badly needs to be reduced.

Use both sides of the paper

Many offices have gone paperless, but there is still a need to use paper sometimes. For example, if you are drafting a piece of communication or any official document that needs to be reviewed, it's best to use the clear backside of an older piece of paper. There are still those who print as they please, which is truly a result of a force of habit. However, changing it for the better can make a huge difference in an office's collective waste production.

Bring your own bottle

Water bottles available in the convenience store or the grocery are often made for single use. Considering that you might need to consume 4 or 5 of those in a day, that shows how much waste is produced. On the other hand, a reusable bottle or flask can serve as much for a long time, bringing down the volume of plastic bottle use at work.

Capt. Martin Sanders, Ph.D., was appointed by the Surgeon General as the Chief Scientist for the U.S. Public Health Service and had behind him more than a decade of service in the occupational safety and health sector. For more about his work, visit this page.

Disclaimer: This site was prepared by Martin Sanders in his personal capacity. The opinions expressed are the author's own and do not reflect the views of the USPHS, the Department of Health and Human Services, or the United States government.