Recycling and Reusing in the Workplace Should Start with You

Why do we even need to recycle at work? Well, there are several reasons workplaces have to adopt effective methods for recycling. First of all, it is everyone’s responsibility to do something to help preserve the environment. Secondly, companies spend a lot of money on resources, like energy and materials from office suppliers. It makes a lot of sense that businesses can cut costs on such expenditures when they opt to recycle office supplies and even equipment. Thus, it is important for every individual to realize that even their small efforts to go green could go a long way.

If you’re not sure how to go about it, these tips are for you:

1. Start with yourself.

Before you could influence other people to recycle, you’ve got to start with yourself.  The more comfortable you get with reusing and recycling the things you use in your office, the easier it will be for you to share such tips to your colleagues. In fact, just seeing how you enjoy recycling things around you might inspire them to the same.

2. Know what you should and can recycle.

The idea of recycling seems easy, but what exactly are the things you can recycle? Well, there are different items around you that you may recycle, but it generally depends on the nature of your workplace. What you want to do first is identify which materials are used in huge quantities at work. In most workplaces, it is paper.

Here are some other items you can find in office stores that can be recycled:

a. used envelopes, unwanted notes, printed paper, waste paper

b. old newspapers and magazines

c. used cardboard boxes

d. old computers

e. printer ink cartridges

f. old mobile phones

Now let me share with you some tips for minimizing usage of resources and waste in the workplace:

- Print only what needs to be printed.

- If you are printing less important documents, use both sides of the paper.

- Go for paper products made of recycled paper (check out Mintprice.com for environment friendly paper suppliers)

- Instead of sending information or documents by printing them on paper, send them though emails instead.

- Go for electronic banners and posters rather than printing them on paper.

- Take notes using scrap paper.

- Cardboard boxes can be turned to storage boxes.

- Use metal or ceramic mugs and cups for coffee, instead of the Styrofoam and plastic ones.

Recycling and reusing requires effort from each and every one of us, because all of us rely heavily on the office materials found in all office stores. Thus, it is important that you share your recycling tips with your coworkers and encourage them to their part in helping save the environment.