With the right trash and recycling service at home, like Brazos Valley Trash Valet, it’s easy to be environmentally conscious at home. Our monthly trash pickup service comes with complimentary recycling, and with our single stream system, you won’t have to worry about separating and sorting recycling yourself. However, it can be another story when you go into work for the day. Your work may have a different system of waste management, one you may have little to no control over. So how can you be more environmentally conscious at work? Here are a few of our tips.
If You Aren’t Using It, Turn It Off
This is a principle that holds whether you’re at home or at work. Of course when you’re using a room, you’ll need the lights on. On a hot day, you may have a fan running, or on a chilly day you may have a space heater. However, when you’re not using the room, make sure these things are turned off to conserve electricity. Similarly, before you leave your office for the day, turn off any computers, copiers, and printers. Even when you use them, you can set your computers to energy conserving settings, turning to sleep mode after fifteen minutes of inactivity. Do you have a desk lamp? Try using energy efficient light bulbs instead of standard ones.
Ask About Recycling
Most offices do have something in place when it comes to recycling. You may see blue or green bins throughout the office for recycling, often in the kitchen but individual offices may have at least one, as well. If you see recycling, make use of it. Make sure to discard any cans, cardboard, paper, and most plastics there instead of throwing it in the trash. If you don’t know of any recycling practices at work, ask your office manager whether the office recycles and, if not, suggest starting to recycle. Remember that the worst they can do is say no — and there’s a good chance they’ll want to take the initiative to be a greener office, anyway.
Go Paperless When Possible
We’re living in a digital age, and in this case, it’s good for the environment. Why print out hundreds of pages when you can simply read them — and directly edit them — online? Many offices have begun to move their paper files to a paperless system that can be accessed by the company server. Here again, if you’re not aware of a paperless initiative being enacted, you can ask your office manager about it. If your office does have a paperless filing system and you need to review a document, consider making suggestions on the digital document itself, rather than printing it out to mark up a physical copy. This will not only help reduce paper waste, but may save your office money on the cost of paper.
And of course, when you come home, it helps to have a service like Brazos Valley Trash Valet & Recycling to help you stay on track. Contact us today for more information or to sign up for a subscription.
