Canadians need to pull up their socks at work. Their green socks, that is.
But let’s start with a word of sincere commendation. Canadians are becoming leaders in the area of green living. At home or out shopping, their decisions reflect an eco-consciousness to be proud of. Now for some constructive criticism: we need to pick up the slack at work!
According to recent studies, ‘green’ goes through the paper shredder at our places of employment. In some cases, it may be that the ‘don’t know, don’t care’ attitude with which some view their employment influences their actions for the worse. Stuck at a job they like even less than the boss can hardly motivate them to do what they can for the planet. Others are overwhelmed by the stress and deadlines facing them that thinking green is the last thing on their minds. Still others are working for eco-negligent employers who take no initiative to be green. Whatever the case, there is good reason for reform.
We spend the majority of our waking time at our place of employment. Workplace environments account for a huge percentage of the waste and emissions plaguing our planet.
What can be done? A lot, and without too much effort. You could even set up a green committee with other eco-conscious colleagues to encourage and invent new ways to go green at work.
At the top of the list should be recycling. It may sound cliché, but it is important! Use each disposal bin for its intended purpose – don’t get lazy and throw all your waste into one. If there is no recycling in place, talk to your employer. Those in charge at work should realize that employees expect them to be ecologically responsible. In fact, according to a Monster.ca poll, 78% of 2854 participants said they would leave their current job in favor of a greener workplace. Some job candidates now demand to know a company’s ‘green level’ before accepting a position.
Second on the green workplace list should be powering down. Too often computers, lights and other equipment are left running for long periods of idle time, whether overnight, over weekends, or even during vacation time. The energy and monetary savings could be through the roof if everyone follows a shut-down policy.
A third guilty area is printing and copying. Always ask yourself if you really need a hard copy and if so, use both sides of the paper. Proof read to avoid unnecessary mistakes, and try to keep organized so you don’t have to repeat tasks involving supplies such as paper. Always use recycled products whenever possible.
There are many other ways to become a top green employee or company. Think of ideas you’ve implemented at home. Find out what others are companies are doing. Make a list, and then…get to work!
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In the context of today’s world, ‘consuming’ and ‘balance’ in the same sentence seems to be an oxymoron.
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