Earth Day celebrations will take many forms with local communities, cities and governments organizing eco-conscious events. Every manager and business owner can make a positive impact by encouraging employees to get involved.
Studies show that while individuals ‘go green’ at home they tend to not employ the same habits at work, as they might not reap the short term or long term benefits. Case in point: I rarely (if ever) turn off my computer monitors when I leave for the day. But at home, the only time my computer is switched ‘on’ is when I’m using it. The gas/electric bill is a huge incentive or rather disincentive here. Conflicting habits, like this are rampant in my office, which led us to organize a “Green Team,” of like minded individuals to hold each office accountable for their consumption and conservation.
Empowering - Rewarding Employees for Eliminating Waste
Employee surveys point to increased morale and employer confidence as business implement green initiatives. The operations side of the business can experience financial savings with energy efficiency and even reclaimed equipment.
Green values and methods are a massive selling point and carry much store with consumers, who often choose to do business with eco-conscious companies.
Our goal is to motivate employees to embrace simple changes, which collectively make a big impact. ‘Minimal effort, big impact,’ is the mantra we’ve adopted to encourage fellow employees to reduce, reuse and recycle.
Make it worth their while, make going green as easy as possible and above all, lead by example.
Few ideas to help you celebrate Earth Day at your office:
- Organize an office-wide carpool for those that live nearby.
- If weather permits, bicycle to work.
- Create a “bottles & cans” recycling bin.
- Adopt a double-sided printing policy.
- Commit to only purchasing recycled office paper vs. virgin stock.
- Install a water cooler to subvert the use of water bottles.
- Visit the CA Resources CalRecycle Free Resources to get started.
Create a "Green Team," of your own to raise awareness in your office.