Saving the environment at work

So you run a small business with a medium-sized office and have local clients in Dubai, whom you deal with on a daily basis. How could you save the environment at work? Well, quite frankly, there is a lot that can be done and what is even better, is that these actions would help you save some money as well.

To make it easier we could split up the tasks needed to be accomplished, into the objects that we are going to deal with:

Paper: Tonnes of paper are wasted worldwide and in Dubai on a daily basis, and this is only to do with office documentation. From resumes to forms, it is not only smart, but also cost-effective to go paperless. What’s more is that it will save more storage space helping you reduce the number of files, records and documents. Always keep only what is necessary and shred the rest. Shredding is a safe and secure way to dispose office documents and most shredding companies will pass on the bales to paper mills—saving trees.

Water: Water usage especially in a city like Dubai is an important concern since it is a precious commodity. Check whether all the faucets and pipes of the toilets are secure and functional; reducing water wastage. One can always sell the old parts as brass scrap or copper scrap rather than just dumping them at a landfill.

Electricity: It is always smart to run an office without too many cabins, too many cabins mean too much wiring and that is only the beginning of your maintenance expenses. Moreover cabins add to power bills and will require split air-conditioning when compared to a studio space which is open and utilizes less lighting and cooling. Teach employees about the importance of switching equipment off when not in use—this will make a difference.

Office Equipment: Office equipment like old printers, computers that are not in use should be discarded at a recycling plant where most of them can be reused. Older equipment is not only more expensive to maintain, but will also decrease efficiency when it comes to electricity. Again, it’s wise to get them exchanged with the dealer who you are buying new equipment from rather than disposing them off in trash. At least they will end up in scrap yards in Dubai where scrap metal recyclers will make use of them.