Have you ever thought about how you can reduce the amount of waste you produce in your life?

At home, it’s relatively easy to cut down on waste and make greener decisions. You can store used plastic in the recycling bin. Or bring your cloth grocery bags from home and opt out of using the plastic ones at the store.

But have you ever thought about ways you can make this shift at work? If so, continue reading to learn about some ways you can reduce waste while at the office.

Bring food from home for lunch

Eating out is not only costly, but it also produces more waste. Restaurants will hand you plastic cutlery, containers, and bags to conveniently carry and eat your meal while on the go. However, if you bring your own lunch from home, you will have more control over the amount of waste you produce. Bringing reusable items—like bamboo cutlery or your own lunch box—is one responsible way of creating less waste every day. You can also bring a refillable water bottle to prevent yourself from purchasing drinks from the vending machine.

Have separate containers in the break room for trash and recyclables

Make these two bins distinguishable from each other, so there’s no question about what goes where. Buy a blue bin for recyclables and a brown for food waste or other materials.

Having separate containers will ensure that you’re constantly working in a clutter-free office.

Go paperless

This suggestion may take some more work. Transitioning from paper to paperless can be a dramatic shift if you haven’t done so already.

However, it will save you from dealing with mounds of paper down the line. Implementing the use of paperless invoices and banking statements can have a positive impact on your officemates’ carbon footprint, so it’s worth looking into.

Look into trash removal services for your residential property

If your office manager does not have a regular plan in place for waste removal, bring up this suggestion at your next meeting. When going with an established company, also ask about trash removal services and recycling programs if you’re looking to become a more sustainable and eco friendly company.

A whole 87% of Americans have access to curbside recycling programs, so ask the waste management what they can do for your commercial property. Commercial trash service is a service most trash removal companies offer, so this would not be a foreign request.

Conclusion

Though you may have trash removal services for your residential property, consider looking into these tips to reduce and manage waste at the office. If your commercial property does not have a waste management system in place, speak with your manager about implementing a trash removal program. Not only will this make your office neater and cleaner, but this will also give you a relaxing place to work, free of garbage and debris.