More and more businesses, big and small, are taking responsibility for the environment in danger of being drained and despoiled. After all, for many manufacturing enterprises, sustainability depends on protecting and maintaining the natural resources from which raw materials and supplies come.
In implementing a “go green” program, one of the most logical places to start is the administrative office.
Here are some guidelines in putting in place an office recycling program from www.inc.com.
Survey your workplace
Study your office, find out what exactly goes into the waste can, and then figure out which products are recyclable.
Start with the obvious
Paper products – copying paper, fax paper, magazines, envelopes, folders, cartolina, manila paper, notebooks and note pads, etc. – is a typical starting point.
Another obvious recyclable material is soft drinks cans and plastic packages from food and beverage consumed by employees.
Segregate
You can separate each specific type which can make your recyclables more valuable if you’re disposing of them at a drop-off center. For example, you can collect all paper products in one bin, and plastics in another, in a method called commingled collection.
Start small
New programs like recycling can be more acceptable to employees if introduced gradually. So, it is best to start small. Work with paper first. Then, as employee participation and awareness increases, you can move onto other, larger recyclable objects, such as ink cartridges, computers, and other electronics.
Be creative
A government office in California, USA, enlisted its staffers in their office to become “worm wranglers” to recycle organic waste through vermi-composting. The employees have bins at their desk with more than a thousand worms who create a rich soil environment to compost buried items like coffee grounds and banana peels.
Assign a coordinator
Appoint a coordinator to oversee and organize the program. This person should ideally be someone who is enthusiastic about sustainability and willing to help plan and see the entire recycling initiative through.
Make it easy for people to recycle
Recycling can be made as simple as possible for employees to cooperate in the program by putting a recycling bin near their desk. make sure every worker in the office is aware of the program and its goals. Track progress in public by counting up recycled materials, and let them know what they’ve helped to accomplish so far. You might even try adding incentives or rewards.
Arrange for disposal
Many businesses are located in municipalities with recycling services, or are located in office complexes where the management is responsible for waste disposal. Contact whoever takes care of your waste to arrange for proper disposal and pickup of whatever materials you recycle, too.
You may have to hire an outside service. Consider partnering with other companies, hiring smaller companies, or arranging to drop off recycling at drop-off centers.
Another viable option is donating to charities. Some local organizations may offer to come pick up recycled materials, particularly electronics. It’s another way to encourage employees by creating a sense of good will.