Most of life's greatest lessons have been learned in school, but now more than ever business can follow the trend that many school systems are setting, by going green. Schools have been incorporating many Earth friendly changes and are improving in this area yearly.
If school systems can conserve resources, so can any business. Here are some important lessons that can be incorporated
1) Catalogs. One of the most wasted uses of natural resources is receiving an abundance of catalogs. Sometimes each teacher receives three of the same catalog just with different versions of their names or titles. Step one is to call each catalog company and explain that you no longer want to be sent the catalogs. Ask instead to use the online catalog. This alone will reduce many garbage cans full of wasted paper. Apply this same rule to the workplace. Discontinue all catalog mailings from companies in which an online catalog can be used.
2) Newspapers. Newspapers do not need to be filling up land fills. Companies can subscribe to online versions of newspapers for employees. If printed newspapers are desired look for better ways to use the newspapers instead of dumping them in the garbage cans. In our school, the art teacher uses the excess paper to put under student art work. Some newspapers are used in the projects. Some schools have started compost projects and shredding newspapers is part of this process. It is also shredded and used for packing material too.
3) Food and Drink. One of the most wasteful behaviors in the teacher workroom can be take out containers and disposable coffee cups. Purchase a coffee maker for the office and a pumper pot. Instead of purchasing coffee in disposable cups, bring a reusable one. After a pot of coffee is made, pour it in the pumper pot instead of allowing the carafe to stay on the hot burner for hours at a time. Only turn on the pot to make the coffee itself.
Instead of bringing carryout containers to work, pack a lunch in reusable containers. Absolutely no disposable water bottles should be in the workplace. All bottles must be reusable. In school, students can use reusable water bottles only. Many school lunches are going back to ketchup bottles instead of packets for instance. Look for ways to reduce packaging at lunch time. Kids are increasingly becoming the "Green Police" at school raising awareness of wastefulness at lunch time.
4) Excess printing and copying. Most of the waste in a school setting is paper just as in the workplace. Just like a carpenter measures twice and cuts once, the same applies to printing and copying. Stop running off wasteful copies. Only print what is absolutely necessary. Reuse non-confidential printing by printing on the back side for internal use. Set up a recycling center for paper that can not be used again.
5) Purchase recycled products. Paper towels and many other papers used in the workplace can be purchased from recycled paper. Always look for these products. Schools are using recycled notebooks and other school supplies,
6) Start a compost container. From the banana peel to the newspaper read over lunch time, so much of the garbage can be composted. Make it a fun project for employees to add to the compost container. Custodial help can then assist with the composting and use it for landscape work. Employers can make it challenge and reward staff for participating. Schools are increasingly developing composting as a science lesson in the schools. Businesses should encourage this from employees.
7) Reuse manila and padded envelopes. So many envelopes that are received in the mail can easily be reused, .simply by putting an adhesive label over the top of the other addresses. This can be a real savings to schools as well as businesses. It will reduce the garbage and reduce the cost of purchasing these envelopes.
8) Unplug. Go from room to room, office to office to see how many appliances or gadgets can be unplugged. There was a trend where teachers had microwaves and small dorm refrigerators in the classrooms. This is no more. Remove unneeded appliances and gadgets. Unplug the ones that are only seldom used. Buy hand crank pencil sharpeners and stop using the electric sharpeners. Look for everything that wastes energy, and reduce usage. Turn off printers that aren't in use, and power down computers when possible.
9) Air conditioning. Most schools do not have air conditioning. Not because they wouldn't want it, but the school can't afford it. Students and teachers are just expected to tough it out on hot days. Consider not using the air conditioner as much or raising the temperature on the thermostat. Save the air conditioning for the worst days. So often people complain about the air conditioning in buildings being too cold. This is unnecessary and wasteful. If school age kids can tough it out warmer, so can adults.
10) Fuel usage. School districts are cutting back on activity trips, putting more kids on fewer buses, and sending teachers and administrators to fewer meetings. Apply this principle to the workplace. Reduce the number of out of town trips, have employees use public transit, and consolidate business trips. This only makes sense. Schools around the country are embracing the concept of four day weeks. Businesses should consider allowing some employees to work from home at least one day per week to reduce fuel usage and more.
Remember, if it good enough for our schools, it should be good enough for the business world too. Apply these tips that schools have been incorporating to make the workplace a greener place.