Tips For Every Office This Season And Beyond

1.  Season’s “Greenings”

Go paperless!  It’s not too late to send your eco-friendly holiday greetings via email.

2.  Give the Gift that Gives Back

Instead of buying gifts, organize an activity for your employees to give back to the community.  This can be as simple as holding a food or toy drive, or as involved as volunteering to serve dinner at a local food shelter.  Make a company donation to charity or an environmental project.

3.  Unplug

Consider unplugging electronics in the office before you leave for your holiday break. You will save energy and help the equipment last longer. You might also want to unplug and unwind yourself to recharge for the new year.

4. Conserve

Conserve energy and resources by switching off lights when not in use, especially incandescent holiday lights. Consider purchasing energy efficient LED holiday lights for next year if you don’t already have them. They use up to 75% less energy and last ten times longer.

5.  Decorate Green

Keep it simple.  Buy decorations that you can use every year so they are one-time purchases rather than annual purchases.

6. Eat, Drink and Be Green

Buy products that are organic or have environmentally-conscious standards. Also consider the carbon footprint of your menu.  Go local or pick a restaurant close to your office to cut down on wasteful travel. Planning an office holiday party? Make it a zero waste event.

7. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Reduce waste by recycling wrapping paper, shipping boxes and using reusable dishes and flatware at your office party instead of buying single-use disposal paper or plastic items. Make it easy for employees to to recycle by providing labeled recycling bins.

8.  Waste Not, Want Not

Donate quality, edible food from your holiday party to the local food shelter or send employees back with leftovers they can share with their families.

9. Share the Giving

Encourage employees to regift useful items that they don’t need to others who can use them. Organize a recycling drive so that employees who receive gadgets as gifts can recycle or donate their old electronics.

10. Resolutions

Have everyone make a resolution for the new year to make the office less wasteful and more sustainable.  A few things to consider – carpool or bike to work, bring your own coffee mug to the office, or make the switch to eco-friendly soy-based inks.