The damage humans have caused to the Earth has become starkly clear through the first 20 years of this millennium and climate scientists now suggest we only have a few years to change our ways if we’re to avoid hitting an irreversible tipping point.
While it’s universally accepted that we all have a part to play in reducing harmful global emissions and greenhouse gases, by far the greatest contributor to the impending climate catastrophe has come from business and manufacturing.
If like so many other firms, your company takes a slightly lax approach to its eco-friendliness, you should think about employing the recognized 5 Rs of waste management to start playing your part in mitigating the harm we’re doing to our planet. You can also read about a Simple Calculator to Calculate Your Carbon Footprint.
Refuse
The first step in reducing your firm’s waste is to refuse single-use or non-environmentally-friendly products. Instead of just buying blind from your suppliers, insist to see evidence of the efforts they’re making to reduce their waste. For example, every so often containers and packaging could be returned or reused to eliminate wasteful production.
Reduce
You should take the time to audit your company’s use of non-recyclable, wasteful, or damaging materials. Not only will you likely save considerable money by opting for greener options, but you’ll also perform a valuable service for the environment by reducing consumption.
Reuse
Learning to reuse products can seem difficult at first but, when you consider the damage caused by (in particular) single-use plastic products, you’ll soon see reusing materials is now more essential than ever. Unfortunately, products like plastic cups, packaging, straws, etc have fostered a throwaway culture that almost encourages waste and is now causing one of the greatest environmental challenges facing our planet. Start small and build up by working through departments in your firm to see where you could eliminate waste and instead reuse materials. Anything from food containers to packaging and even ink cartridges could find a second life by being reused. Reusing materials minimizes the harmful impact of single-use plastic and contributes to a more sustainable future. Even small changes, incorporating refurbished computers in the office can significantly reduce electronic waste while promoting an environmentally conscious workplace.
Repurpose
Repurposing (often referred to as upcycling) is one of the most effective ways to reduce waste if the above steps aren’t workable. If you look around your workplace, you’ll typically find multiple items that could be repurposed for another use. For example, old boxes can be used for storage, or plastic cups can find another user as pen and pencil holders, etc. When repurposing items, the more inventive and creative you are, the better.
Recycle
Once you’ve gone through the above steps, the last option is to recycle. Your firm should be recycling already as a matter of course but, if not, get into the practice soon. Depending on your level of waste, you might even consider investing in baling or compacting machines like those available from recyclingbalers.com to make your job easier and reduce the space taken up by your waste.
Final thoughts
If we’re to stand any chance of saving our planet, we’ll all have to get involved and play our part in reducing waste and mitigating the strain we place on the Earth’s resources.
Taking a sensible approach to your personal and business waste management might seem like a drop in the ocean at first but, if we all make a concerted effort together, the impact on the health of our world could be astounding.
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