It’s no secret that offices create an incredible volume of waste. Or at least, they did historically. But as we wise up to the impact our existence has on the planet, and how important it is that we start making conscious choices to reduce the damage we’re causing to the environment, looking at how we can generate less waste at work becomes increasingly essential.
Fortunately, there are some really simple ways to bring about significant positive change in terms of waste management – from educating your teams to reducing single-use plastics. Read on to find out more.
Go paperless
Offices are notoriously reliant on paper – from making notes and printing documents to keeping records of projects. But, in today’s world, with the incredible technology we all have access to, there’s no need for this to still be the case.
Going paperless as a business has multiple benefits, from saving on space (paper records take up a lot of prime office space!) to saving costs on printing. On top of this, there’s the obvious benefit to the environment. A reduction in paper reliance means less trees going to the paper mill, as well as less waste being created – resulting in an overall reduction in an organisation’s carbon footprint. Did you know that the average office employee in the UK uses around 10,000 sheets of paper a year? 75% of which ends up in the waste paper bin!
While it may take a bit of time to set the habit, planning for your business to go paperless is really the only way forward when it comes to creating a sustainability-focused office environment, and a workforce committed to environmental preservation. At Myo, we have a strict ‘no paper policy’ – using digital screens or communications to help reduce the amount of waste that our flexible office spaces create.
Reduce single-use
Plastic consumption in the UK is a huge issue. According to Statista data, the UK consumes an enormous amount of plastics every year – and is considered to be the second-biggest producer of plastic waste per capita in the world. In 2021 alone, 2.5 million metric tons of plastic packaging waste were generated in the UK.
When we think about how many people spend a considerable amount of their time in an office environment, reducing plastic waste in this space is a significant way to help cut back on overall single-use plastic reliance as a country.
Some easy ways to do this are to discourage the use of plastic bottles and other single-use plastic containers. Instead, provide quality filtered water in your office spaces, with reusable water bottles, cutlery, plates and cups – to remove the need for throwaway options. All of these are excellent ways to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill and embrace a circular economy – as well as encouraging better habits amongst your teams.
At Myo’s office spaces, we’re proud that 100% of our waste is diverted from landfills – with our commitment to cutting out single-use materials being just one way we’re able to achieve this.
Recycling made simple
A solid recycling policy is essential when it comes to improving the volume of office waste, as well as reducing the impact we have on the environment each and every day. A natural extension of encouraging no single-use items, make sure that your office space features easily accessible recycling bins in all key locations – to make the process as easy as possible for your teams.
Once you have this system in place, with appropriate bins and policies detailed, make sure that everyone who enters your office knows about your recycling goals – and how they’re supposed to participate.
Questions like, “Can I recycle cartons?” and “Is the plastic film recyclable?” are unique to different recycling programs based on local capabilities, so make sure that you put up signage in communal areas and meeting rooms alike to detail what’s recyclable in your offices. Give people the information they need to make a better decision, and you’ll stop the temptation to throw stuff in the general waste bin due to confusion.
Myo Victoria Street has an 86% recycling rate, something we’re only able to achieve thanks to the enthusiastic participation of everyone who engages with our space, and making sure they have the information necessary to do so. In fact, all of our office locations have a minimum 80% recycling target to keep our green commitments high.
Remember that people have short attention spans, and they’re likely already super busy, so make it as easy as possible for them to work out which items go where – and you’ll find your recycling goals are much more successful.
Educate your teams
Sometimes, simply not knowing the importance of something can be the reason that a lot of unnecessary waste is created in an office environment – which is why it’s important to educate your teams about your waste reduction goals.
Bringing them on the journey with you, sharing why it’s important, the steps you’re taking, and how they can get involved, is a surefire way to improve recycling rates, reduce waste, and get employees feeling like part of the solution. From ‘lunch and learn ’-type sessions to digital collateral that you send round periodically, there are lots of ways to share information with your staff that won’t take lots of time, but will be incredibly impactful overall.
The time is now
Sustainability is becoming more and more important to employees and employers alike, meaning that if you haven’t yet considered sustainability and your office waste outputs, now is the time.
Find out more about tips for improving sustainability in the workplace on our insightful blog. Alternatively, reach out to get your free Myo brochure — with more information about the eco-friendly features of our Liverpool Street, Victoria Street, Bankside, New Street Square, and St Paul’s office spaces.
