Green Spaces Blog How To Zero Waste Your Workspace

Going zero waste should be a consideration if you are striving to lead a greener lifestyle. Just as its name states, zero waste aims to send no garbage to landfills. However, keep in mind that this is the ultimate goal and you don't have to produce no garbage to embrace this eco-movement-every effort to reduce waste counts! And the good news is, it is easy to get started with zero waste right in your workspace. So if you want to be more eco-friendly and create a zero waste office, just use these easy tips to get started. USE LESS PAPER AND INK If part of your workflow involves printing out pages, look for ways to reduce the amount you print. A few ideas include:Proof-reading: Skip printing to give a document a final edit and instead proof-read directly on your laptop or tablet. Have an outdated tablet? Don't toss it. Instead, charge it up to make it your designated reading device. By using an old tablet solely for this purpose, you can make reading distraction free since you don't need other programs running on it. Plus, reusing an outdated device for reading extends its life and keeps it from becoming e-waste.Filing: If you are still printing documents to file away, you may want to rethink this practice. Not only is it using up a lot of paper and ink, but it may not be the most efficient option. Instead, try swapping your filing to a cloud-based storage system, such as Dropbox or Google Drive. A cloud-based system allows you to store all of your files digitally and access them from any device you login with. With this solution you can search files with ease, always have documents on hand to send to co-workers, and overall, increase your productivity.Printing: For those times where you truly need to print, make sure to print on both sides of the paper and consider using a font that uses less ink such as Eco Font or Courier. PACK YOUR LUNCH RIGHT Lunch is everyone's favorite part of the workday, but it can also be highly wasteful with excess packaging and food waste. Luckily, there are simple ways to fix these issues.Pack Only What You Need: Americans toss away 80 billion pounds of food yearly-which equates to 1000 Empire State Buildings-and one way to change this is by looking at our own food waste habits. So if you find yourself wasting a lot of food either because you get full quickly or are too busy to finish your lunch, cut down on what you pack. At the very least, eat any perishables first. That way, if you have dried goods leftover in your lunch, they will still be good later or even the next day.Go Reusable: Say goodbye to single-use and embrace sustainable lunchbox swaps. This may mean using a beeswax wrap or container for your sandwich instead of a plastic sandwich bag, packing a washable fabric napkin, bringing your own mug for your afternoon coffee, choosing a refillable water bottle over a plastic one, and investing in a lunch bag so you can skip the paper bag or grocery bag. MAKE CLIENT MEETINGS ECO-FRIENDLY Just because you want to impress clients doesn't mean that you can't be eco-friendly.Digital Files: Skip the print outs and display the information on a projection screen, email the info to clients right before the meeting, or do a combination of both.Sign Documents Online: Keep contracts online and get them signed digitally. If your client really wants a hard copy, they can simply print one off. Additionally, you may also want to consider billing clients by email to avoid paper statements and save a trip to the mail.Snacks and Drinks: Serve beverages in washable mugs or cups, instead of single-use vessels. Also, if you are offering food at the meeting, go for package free. For example, if you bring your own containers, many bakeries will be happy to fill them. You can set these fresh desserts out on a plate, so your clients get a tasty snack that has no packaging and also doesn't require any plates or utensils. Accidentally overbuy food? Offer it around the office after the meeting so it doesn't go to waste. GO ZERO WASTE WITH SUPPLIES Traditional pens only add to the plastic problem and many other office supplies aren't much better. So look to these ideas to make your supplies less wasteful.Look for Swaps: Pens are made from hard to recycle plastic, so instead look to refillable fountain pens-the ink for them comes in a glass bottle, which can easily be recycled. You can further skip the plastic by buying highlighting pencils, as opposed to markers. Need a stapler? Opt for a staple-less version to avoid metal staples.Embrace Recycled Options: Turning to recycled options when you need an item is a great way to promote a circular economy and save natural resources. In the office, look to recycled paper for notebooks and your printing needs. If you require a binder, try one made from recycled metal.Buy What You Need: While sustainable swaps are always great, use what you have on hand first and only buy a replacement if you truly need it. You may find you can skip notebook paper since you mainly use your computer or that highlighters are no longer required since you've started using an old device for proof-reading. If you can eliminate your need for an item, it is better than any swap-even one made out of 100% sustainable material. Creating a zero waste workplace is a great way to start producing less waste. And you certainly don't have to make zero garbage for it to be a success. Remember, zero waste is better done imperfectly than not tried at all for fear of failure-much like journeying into the business world, "Nothing ventured, nothing gained." Author BioShannon Bergstrom is a LEED-accredited, TRUE waste advisor. She currently works at RTS, a tech-driven waste and recycling management company, as a sustainability operations manager. Shannon consults with clients across industries on sustainable waste practices and writes for Zero Waste.