{"id":66437,"date":"2019-09-27T11:49:08","date_gmt":"2019-09-27T15:49:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wework.com\/ideas\/?p=66437"},"modified":"2020-09-03T05:53:13","modified_gmt":"2020-09-03T09:53:13","slug":"seven-ways-to-make-your-workplace-and-your-desk-more-sustainable","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wework.com\/ideas\/professional-development\/creativity-culture\/seven-ways-to-make-your-workplace-and-your-desk-more-sustainable","title":{"rendered":"Seven ways to make your workplace\u2014and your desk\u2014more sustainable"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Whether you\u2019re an individual contributor or the company CEO, you have the power to make a positive, environmental impact at the office. Considering Americans spend a third of their lives<\/a> at work, there is ample opportunity to adjust what and how much you consume<\/a>, what resources you use, and even what food you eat <\/a>during your working hours. Below, find some ways you can make a difference both at a company level and from behind your desk. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to make your workplace more sustainable<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Here are four company-level initiatives that can make a big impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Look for wasteful packaging in unexpected places <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When WeWork committed to eliminating single-use plastic<\/a>, the sustainability and well-being team found that reusable stainless steel would be the best option for cups to supply the kitchen. But an obstacle emerged once the team landed on a distributor: Every cup was originally meant to be wrapped in its own plastic bag. The irony of going green! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fortunately, Christine Nasi, a senior manager on the content and campaigns team who oversees all of WeWork\u2019s branded materials, worked with the steel cup distributor to talk them out of their plastic wrapping process. Instead of plastic bags, the company used small pieces of cardboard to maintain safe shipping. How did Nasi convince them to switch to eco-friendlier packaging? \u201cIf your numbers are big enough, they will change the way they do business because they want to do business with you,\u201d she says. Nasi believes that as consumers (and large corporations) continue to ask for more sustainable materials, distributors will have no choice but to deliver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because of Nasi\u2019s work, 820,000 plastic bags and bubble wrap on stainless-steel cups and mugs will be eliminated in Q1 of 2020. Next time your company orders supplies or swag (more on that below), ask your distributors about packaging and their plastic use. Nasi says it\u2019s also important to do your research: Could you get a similar product from a different distributor that doesn\u2019t use plastic materials in its packaging? It\u2019s worth investing your time to find out.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Invest in reusable products and improve office-wide recycling<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Swap plastic cutlery, cups, and plates for reusable dishware and office lunch<\/a> will be much more sustainable. If it\u2019s not realistic for your company to invest in these kinds of products, consider some other ways you might problem-solve: Could you gift every staff member a stainless-steel, reusable water bottle and do away with plastic cups? Instead of buying new dish soap every time the bottle runs low, could you find a refillable version that requires less plastic? Could you eliminate plastic coffee stirrers and use a reusable spoon? Even the smallest step forward is still a step forward<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your office consumes a lot of coffee, there are plenty of better ways to treat those used grounds than tossing them in the trash. In select WeWork buildings in New York City, Common Ground Compost<\/a> does good with caffeine\u2019s by-product. If composting services like this don\u2019t make sense for your company, perhaps an employee with a green thumb could volunteer to take the grounds home for their garden. You might find that getting creative around office waste\u2014and giving employees the option to pitch in to reduce it\u2014can really help make a difference.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

3. Examine your swag<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Everyone loves a T-shirt stamped with their company logo, but at what cost? Textiles are another area where research is really important, says Nasi; fashion is the second-most polluting industry<\/a> on the planet. \u201cWe researched really heavily, and I had each vendor send me [explanations as to] why they were sustainable,\u201d she adds, noting that just because a brand promotes itself as \u201cgreen\u201d doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s truly ethical in its practices<\/a>. Ultimately, Nasi and team settled on a brand that prioritizes zero-waste and resource-reducing practices. Like the mugs and metal cups, the T-shirts are free of plastic packaging. Since November 2018, WeWork has eliminated more than 80,000 plastic bags on apparel.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Be thoughtful about ingredients<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Would your office supply nondairy alternatives<\/a> for coffee if you explained their impact on the environment? Do you have any control over catering options, and could you sway your leaders to consider meat-free meals? Our food choices have an immense power to reduce climate change, so what gets eaten in the office matters.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to be greener at work<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Here are three easy ways to make a positive impact on the environment every day at work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Make your workspace a plastic-free zone<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Take a look around your desk and try to audit your plastic use over a week at work. What could be done differently?<\/p>\n\n\n\n