The week 18 to 21 April is national Green Office Week in South Africa. Offices nationwide are called to participate in adopting green behaviours and making eco-friendly choices
Start up a Green Team, or weekly awareness initiatives program, which encourages and motivates other staff members to start recycling around the office.
“What we need to do is simply focus on four things during the green office week which has the theme Care 2B Green,” said spokesperson for the week Ana-Maria Valente of Dictum Publishers:
Day 1: Start saving paper usage at the office
Day 2: Start looking out for green suppliers of office items
Day 3: Start a plan to save electricity
Day 4: Look into making intelligent use of technology when holding meetings now and in the future
For this reason, she said, each day has been given a focus title: "Make it happen Monday, Choosy Tuesday; Wattage Wednesday and Thoughtful Thursday."
A great amount of company created waste products can be recycled such as paper, plastics, bottles, cans, unwanted equipment and ink cartridges.
These may seem like small steps but they can make a big difference. The key point is that a Green Office is also healthier, more efficient and can cost less to run – but above all a Green Office is inhabited by workers who are more aware than others about the importance of eco-friendly behaviours and practices because they know how important this is for the earth’s survival and ours.
“There is no doubt that to reduce, reuse and replenish products in an office is very important and offices around the world are starting to realise this," said Prof Mervyn King, goodwill ambassador for the week. "One is able to work more efficiently and it costs less to work like that which improves the bottom line. It is good hard nosed business – and of course one is taking a step to make life on earth sustainable."
Every person in every office, he says, has to be mindful of the fact that we are living on a planet that is in crisis. "This is so because the population is increasing and yet the finite resources of the earth are decreasing; the natural assets of planet earth have been and are being used faster than nature can regenerate them. We have to learn to make more with less”, he said in an interview for Europcar, who is lead sponsor for Green Office Week.
Get a plant and place it on or near your desk and encourage colleagues to do the same. Not only will you be creating a more cosy work environment but you will be breathing in cleaner air!
For more information visit the facebook group: Go with green. Here you can download toolkits, watch videos and enter your office into the “Green Office” competition.
Or read up on the importance of going green at work here.
Readers' Comments Have a comment about this article? Email us now.