If you work in an office, chances are that you’ve seen an old or broken down printer (or god forbid – fax) sitting around at some point or another in some dusty unused corner of the office. You might have thought to yourself, “I wonder why we’ve still got that here? No one uses it, and I think it’s broken!” Then that thought probably passes, and before you know it yet another year goes by and whatever it is that’s broken down is still sitting there, or it might have been shuffled away, out of sight.
It seems that many Aussie businesses are falling prey to leaving old and broken down machines just sitting around, and are failing to safely and properly look after them by disposing of them in the right way. If you have an old printer sitting around in the office, then you are missing an opportunity to dispose of an old machine in the right way, and to clear a space for a newer, more environmentally friendly machine.
Your old printers, faxes, phones and other such equipment are called e-waste, and it’s not something you can just toss out into the local garbage collection. You need to ensure you have disposed of these kinds of things in the right way, otherwise they contaminate the landfill.
The reason you need to ensure you dispose of your e-waste in the correct way is because often, there are ways you can recycle e-waste so it can be reused in other office equipment. By giving up the opportunity to reuse or recycle your e-waste you’re missing out on an opportunity to reduce the environmental impact of your business.
Not only is it vital to ensure you are recycling your old electronic equipment in the correct way, but you need to ensure that any new devices you are buying for the business are environmentally friendly as well as suit your business’ needs and requirements.
There are plenty of different things you can do to ensure you choose the right equipment for your office:
- Buy recycled paper for your business. By buying recycled paper you are showing your staff you care about the environment, and this will prompt them to do the same. You should also implement a program to ensure they are using less paper and that recycle their used paper. This sort of initiative will really have an impact on the environment. You’ll part of the solution instead of the problem.
- Use recycled ink and toner cartridges. By buying reconditioned or re-manufactured cartridges you’re going to find a reduction in cost and also a reduction on the environmental impact.
- Buy indoor plants for the office. Encourage staff to use office space to grow plants including palms, fronds and other kinds of plants with foliage. They will do wonders for morale and your overall working environment. You can also find a rental company that can fit out and look after a jungle of indoor plants in your office that will be recycling the air in the office!
Make sure whatever you do involves employees every step of the way and in every possible area you need help with. Creating a feeling and a sense of community will allow you to grow the business as a whole, and will ensure your team moves as a single unit – giving you greater scope to achieve your environmental as well as corporate goals.