Green Products For A More Sustainable Office
In the fight against climate change, every little helps. For businesses, little changes across the board can have a big overall impact. Julie Hadley, CSR and Social Value Manager from Banner, talks us through green products you could swap out to create a more sustainable office…
A wise person once said, “we are what we consistently do”. It’s easy to see how this is true for an individual, a little bit of exercise every week, flossing on a daily basis etc. over the years, there’s no doubt you’ll reap the benefits.
When it comes to our business lives, however, the benefits of the small choices we make can feel a little distant and inconsequential. But when it comes to your environmental commitments, this couldn’t be further from reality.
Something as simple as the type of paper you buy, the water bottles your provide staff, the cleaning and care products you use in the office bathroom and kitchen, and even the furniture you kit your office out with, can have a significant cumulative impact on your environmental footprint.
At first, that might sound like bad news, but what it really means is you can significantly reduce your impact by making quite simple and easy changes in those areas. Here are a few examples of green product-types you could swap your usual bits and pieces out for right now:
Nature-based cleaning agents – swap out the bleach for hospital-grade cleaning agents made entirely from natural plant extracts and minerals, you can get products of this nature that kill 99.99% of all known bacteria and viruses, including Coronavirus, and can be used day-to-day.
Biodegradable cleaning cloths – traditional cleaning cloths contain plastic and wind up in landfill indefinitely. But there are 100% plastic-free biodegradable alternatives for use in the kitchen that are just as robust as the traditional washing up cloth. It’s well worth swapping them out.
Sugarcane bags – sugarcane bags are a sustainable alternative to the plastic disposables in your work life. Everything from bin bags and disposable gloves and aprons to pallet wraps can be replaced with sugarcane derived alternatives, which are less impactful in their production than other raw materials, and completely compostable.
Biodegradable, chemical-free dishwashing and laundry pods – laundry pods might not be common in your workplace but if they are, consider swapping them out for a biodegradable alternative. There are plenty of options out there which are also free from harmful chemicals.
Bamboo-based bulk-buy disposables – cleaning wipes, straws, tissues; all of your bulk-buy disposables can be swapped with alternatives that are made of bamboo and 100% plastic-free.
Recycled plastic laptop bags, carryalls, backpacks and even office chairs – There are recycled plastic alternatives to any and all of your non-disposable plastic office items. We’re not suggesting throwing out what you have, but when they get to the end of their life and it’s time for an update, consider it!
The fight against environmental impacts and the journey toward Net Zero might seem like an overwhelming challenge, but there are loads of quick wins to be had. Purchasers and procurers have the opportunity to make a real difference – the power really is in our hands. Simple changes are far more significant than they might first seem, so start swapping out the inconsequential items in your office for greener, more sustainable versions and watch your environmental footprint shrink!
