Energy in business

Buildings account for an estimated 40% of greenhouse gas emissions, yet between 20-50% of energy used in buildings is simply wasted through inefficiencies such as poor insulation and excess lighting.
Make it a priority. Using less energy saves money as well as being the right thing to do.
Conduct an energy audit to understand what, and how, energy is being used in your business.

Fit compact fluorescent light bulbs: they pay for themselves in a year, last up to 10 times longer than conventional bulbs and save more than 66% in lighting costs over their lifetime.
Fit draft excluders (or a door-snake works just fine too!) to exclude the draft from windows and doors.
Turn all office appliances off at the wall when you’re not using them or overnight.
Reduce greenhouse gas emissions from freight transport by buying local food and products.

Make sure all your computers have the save energy feature activated.
Replacing travelling with teleconferencing or videoconferencing whenever possible.
Review your supply chain with “green” in mind. When you need to purchase new goods and services seek value for money, which includes energy efficiency as a key factor.

Waste in business

Introduce a multiple bin system to encourage recycling – one bin for paper/cardboard, another for plastics/cans and one more for general waste. Check with your local council what recycling occurs in your area and what is the best system for your office.
Default set photocopiers to double-sided printing. If you can’t do this, place a box next to the photocopier for waste copies and then have staff use them for note taking paper (saving the cost of notebooks!).

Set up a central memo noticeboard or a dry erase board to eliminate large amounts of office paper notifications.
Use office products made from recycled materials.
Avoid using disposable products wherever possible. Consider investing in ceramic plates and mugs instead of paper or plastic for the office kitchen.
Order supplies in bulk to reduce packaging waste.

Reuse old binders, folders and general office equipment to reduce waste and save on money.
Instead of throwing away unwanted paper, shred and reuse them as packing material.
Reduce margins to cut down on printing.

Install low flow regulators to taps and showers.
Think about changing toilets over to dual flush systems.
Don’t run a dishwasher until it is full and use signage to encourage staff to save water.
A leaking tap can waste up to 200 litres of water a day – check your washers!

When you are washing your hands, don't let the water run while you lather.
Consider choosing water efficient options across all areas of your business.
Assess how your building uses water and keep track of how much is being used to easily identify problem areas.