10 Tips for Zero Waste at Workplace

Although many of us have initiatives and things we can do in our personal lives, zero waste at the workplace is a difficult and detailed process. We may not have total control and authority as individuals in order to enable application of “zero waste” initiatives at our workplace.

Moreover, people do not always work in jobs and sectors that are 100% in line with their own values. When we want to transition into an environmentally friendly lifestyle, it is not always easy to find a job at a sustainable company which is in line with our desires.

Individuals who think about sustainability and the future of the planet need to change the sectors they work in from inside out. Whatever we do, it is possible to keep our personal waste at a minimum level! For example, waste can be reduced by taking simple steps such as reducing the garbage you put out, eliminating disposable plastics, recycling, or starting composting at the workplace. In this article, we have compiled what you can do for ‘zero waste’ at the workplace!

What is Zero Waste?

“Zero waste” promotes sustainable production and consumption habits, supports efficient usage of resources, and aims to reduce waste amount and prevent generated waste amount. This approach aims to maximize the economic life of products and materials, avoid waste, and reuse, recycle or compost everything that has been used. Zero waste targets to reduce environmental impact by minimizing the amount of wasted materials. This includes application of sustainability and resource conservation principles at every stage of waste generation, from production to consumption and waste management.

Zero waste practices optimize material usage, ensure energy saving and protect environment by reducing waste amount sent to landfills. Therefore, zero waste offers a comprehensive approach for environmental sustainability and helps us to reduce our ecologic footprint and take steps for a cleaner, more habitable world.

Why Is Zero Waste Movement Important?

Zero waste has great significance both for environmental and economic sustainability. This approach promotes more efficient usage of resources, decreases waste amount, and prevents over utilization of landfills. The zero-waste target helps with the protection of natural resources, because it supports material cycle by reusing, recycling, upcycling, and composting. This contributes to reducing environmental problems such as groundwater pollution, soil erosion and habitat loss.

In economic terms, zero waste practices can provide cost savings because waste management and garbage processing costs decrease. In addition, recyclable and reusable materials are brought back into the economy, and this creates new business opportunities and strengthens local economies. In social terms, zero waste approach supports consumers and businesses to take responsibility and promotes development of more conscious consumption habits. Therefore, zero waste comes forth as a holistic sustainability model with its environmental, economic, and social benefits.

Zero Waste is a resource and waste management approach based on circularity. Circular economy approach aims to provide for a more sustainable usage of the limited resources of our planet, thus minimizing negative impacts on the environment. Circular economy is an economy model focused on continuity and protection of the environment in the production process, from utilization of raw materials to waste generation and adopts the principles of “Reduce-Reuse-Recycle.”

As we progress towards a more sustainable future, the circular economy is promising with its potential of reducing waste and pollution, increasing resource efficiency, and promoting sustainable economic growth.

How Can Zero Waste at Workplace Be Practiced Individually?

1- Having a breakfast with zero waste:
People have breakfast using disposable plastics in general when going to the workplace, whether in automobiles or through delivery. This causes accumulation of more packaging waste in time. However, this habit can be planned in a smarter way. For example, many breakfast options can be prepared in glass jars. And coffee or tea can be carried to the workplace in a travel cup instead of plastic cups.

2- Having lunch without waste:
Ordering lunch to the workplace or buying food from nearby restaurants leads to much packaging waste. People who want to save money as well as to reduce packaging waste can prepare their lunches beforehand and bring these with them to the workplace using reusable materials such as glass containers, multilevel metal boxes, tucker boxes and heating/cooling bags.

If there is not an office kitchen at the workplace with real cups and cutlery, these can also be added to the lunch boxes. Moreover, home-made meals also add to the healthy diet in addition to saving and reducing waste if these are cooked with seasonal and local produce.

You can check our article to learn more about food waste.

3- Composting at the workplace:
On many occasions, not many workplaces provide an opportunity for composting. If you have one, it is great! This can be a beginning for leading a more sustainable and wasteless life at the workplace.
If not, you can bring an extra cup to the workplace from your home and place tea leaves, fruit peels and other food waste in that to bring it back to your home and to add these into composting equipment or the soil in the garden.

4- Having reusable materials ready in the office kitchen
It may be a clever idea to have reusable materials ready in the office such as cups, forks, plates, mugs, etc. if there is a kitchen at the office used by the employees. Encourage your colleagues to use these materials instead of plastics, make them prefer reusable products rather than disposable items.

5- Using environment-friendly office supplies:
The most environmentally friendly move that can be done at a workplace is to reuse office materials that you already have. You can encourage the management to replace all materials in the office with their environment-friendly replacements. For example, you can create a more sustainable office through the suggestion of using recycled paper. Using 100% recycled paper would also reduce waste.

6- Reducing paper usage:
If there is a habit of printing presentation files at the workplace, reduce paper usage by demanding digital versions of presentations via email rather than their printed versions. Use papers double-sided when you print something from the printer and encourage all employees to take notes. In this way, you can ensure saving tons of paper at the end of the year. Use digital data storage methods such as Dropbox, Google Docs etc. to store data.

7- Commuting via more environment-friendly ways:
It is well-known that commuting harms the environment. You can use a more environmentally friendly transportation method such as car sharing or public transport while commuting instead of driving your personal car. You can create a “ride sharing” program at the office and organize to see where your colleagues live and who can pick up who while commuting.

8- Owning your values:
Try and convince your colleagues and the management about the importance of “zero waste” project by carrying out waste inspections and encouraging the workplace to become environmentally friendly. The subject of saving especially can draw the attention of the management because businesses pay for collecting garbage while collecting recycling is free of charge.

9- Being a leader in sustainability at your workplace:
When you become an expert in reducing waste you generate at your workplace, the time comes to bring this to the next level. Although many companies have sustainability targets and greenhouse gas reduction targets for the long-term, they experience difficulties in putting these into practice. Create lists of ideas as an individual to help your company to reach those targets. Form a team that would voluntarily work for zero waste at your workplace.

10- Remembering that insignificant changes can create significant differences:
Ensure that lamps with sensors are used especially in the least used areas in the workplace. Ensure that recycling boxes are supplied to the office. Choose using energy-efficient laptops. Encourage commuting by bicycles, suggest using electric vehicles at the workplace and ensure that charging devices are installed for company vehicles. Always remember that insignificant changes can lead to significant results!

It is possible to ensure zero waste in the workplace when all these suggestions are applied. Moreover, others will be intrigued when you put the values you believe in into practice in an original manner and this sparks conversations about an environmentally friendly life. Communication between people makes up for half the battle, thus you can pioneer in creating an increasingly environmentally friendly workplace.

Why Should We Adopt Zero Waste to Workplace Philosophy?

Reaching zero waste target is an important way to contribute to a sustainable future by strengthening environmental awareness at workplaces. Ten tips explained in this article provide concrete steps to develop waste management practices at workplaces and to create an environment-friendly workplace. Each suggestion aims to increase awareness among employees and the management in terms of reducing environmental impacts and using resources in a more efficient manner.

Reaching zero waste target at the workplace not only decreases our impact on environment, but also provide cost saving for businesses and increase the level of commitment of employees to their workplace. Environment-friendly practices improve the image of the company and create a positive perception before customers, investors, and business partners. Zero waste initiatives make workplaces more habitable, not only for today but also for the next generations.

Start Your Own Zero Waste Journey at Workplace Today!

Zero waste journey starts with an individual act and spreads to the workplace. A collective impact is created with the effort of each employee towards reducing waste production and using resources in a more conscious manner. In this process, support and incentives provided by the management would accelerate the adoption rate of sustainable practices. Reaching zero waste target at the workplace requires an interdisciplinary effort; this requires engagement and cooperation of employees from all levels at the workplace.

Aiming at zero waste at the workplace not only decreases our environmental impact, but also positively affects the financial health of the business and employee satisfaction. Creating an environment-friendly workplace culture make the workplace a concrete expression of the commitment for a sustainable future. This journey progresses step by step while growing in time, thus each insignificant change becomes a part of a bigger transformation. Reaching zero waste target at the workplace shows the respect of a business for the environment and their commitment to leave a better world for the next generations. Therefore, adoption of zero waste practices by every business is not only an environmental requirement but should also be seen as a social and economic opportunity. You can start zero waste journey at your workplace today and contribute to the future of our planet!