It's good to be green!

The environment, the climate, global warming, sustainability…

They’re words we hear often, and sometimes the information we’re given can get a bit confusing. But one thing's for sure, we can all do a little bit more to help the planet – it certainly needs it.

We spend 35% of our waking life at work, so it’s important that we continue to be mindful of the envrionment here, as well as at home.

Need some inspiration? Here are our top tips for being greener in the office...

1) Recycle

‘Well obviously’ I hear you say… But in 2018, 90% of businesses still didn’t have a recycling policy, so that means it’s often down to you to make better decisions at work. Whether it's remembering to put all paper in the recycling bin, or asking to swap plastic cups for paper and glass ones – it all helps!

2) Get some plants

Not only do desk plants look nice, they help oxygenate the room and absorb pollutants from the air, meaning they’re good for the environment and your health. Aloe Vera plants look great and are easy to maintain!

3) Turn tech off

When you take a break or go for a meeting, turn off your monitors and put laptops/computers on sleep mode. This may seem insignificant, but that hour a day is equivalent to 10 full days of energy saved per year. Similarly, when you leave the office, make sure everything is turned off.

4) Go paperless

Think carefully before you print off documents as to whether they actually need printing – can they be read on the computer or emailed instead? We recently implemented paperless invoicing here at Dutton and aside from the masses of paper it saved, our clients actually found it much easier!

5) Work from home

Save the commute, the driving, the pollution and work from home every so often. This is of course only if your job allows it, but if not take a look at how you could commute better – can you car-share, walk or get public transport?

6) Utilise natural lighting

It can become habit to turn on all the lights in a morning and leave them on throughout the day, even in summer. Where possible, turn lights off and open curtains or blinds instead. Also – double check that all lightbulbs are energy-saving ones as these are usually brighter and use much less electricity – double win!

Hopefully this has given you some ideas on how you can be a bit greener at work.

Afterall, lots of people making small changes is the easiest way to make a big difference!