hey tribe!

how is your day going?

it has been a while since we have talked about sustainable life hacks. so, let’s get right back to it. as you might know, we have been committed to making our surroundings as zero waste as possible. but when we say surroundings, its not only our home but also other spaces like your office or the park you visit regularly. now that most offices are opening or are in the process of fully opening, let's look at how we can make a difference there.

if you are already satisfied by your zero waste practices at home, then here are some tips to transfer these zero-waste practices to your office/workplace. often, we spend more time in our offices. long hours preparing presentations and having meetings. so, it is only fair that we try to reduce our waste in our workplace just like our home.

zero waste policy ideally focuses on generating less waste and reducing the carbon footprint of the office. as these are values that strongly resonate with aastey’s core values, here are a few things you can do to start shifting to a zero-waste lifestyle:

a big no to paper

do you know that an average office worker might use around 10,000 copy paper sheets each year? with the work-from-home becoming a norm, we did get used to using less paper. we just need to carry that practice to our offices now. paper is one of the biggest contributors to office waste. but with the digital age, here are a few things you can do to minimise paper use:

• avoid printing until absolutely necessary.
• if you must print, print both the sides to save paper.
• make sure you preview before printing so there are no mistakes.
• send documents electronically.

saving paper doesn’t only reduce waste but also saves a lot of money for the company so it’s a win-win situation for all.

welcome eco-friendly office supplies

any office needs supplies to sustain the day-to-day work, but the downside of these office supplies is that they might contribute to more waste due to the materials used to make them.

so here are a few ways you could use more eco-friendly office supplies:

• audit your office supplies and see which ones contribute to more waste.
• swap stapler pins with reusable paper clips.
• use recycled paper and paper tapes instead of plastic sellotapes.
•  if you are in a business that ships products, then ensure your packaging is as eco-friendly as possible. avoid plastic bubble wraps and tapes.

bid proper adieu to old electronics 

not many companies include e-waste in waste recycling programs, but e-waste is one of the biggest contributors to environmental pollution. every year, at least 50 million tonnes of electronics are thrown out. with technology improving rapidly, our electronic devices become obsolete or outdated pretty quickly. this often results in companies throwing out old electronics. here’s a few ways you can dispose and recycle electronics properly

• donate or sell electronics while they are in better working conditions.
• drop-off your electronic items for recycling.
• take proper care of the electronics to extend their lifespan.
• buy products that are more energy efficient.

reusable cutlery vs disposable items

stock your office with reusable items instead of anything that needs to be disposed of after using it just once. so, instead of having a pack of disposable cups, you can have designated mugs and glass bottles for the office. you can also ask your employees to get their favourite mugs to add a personal touch to the office.

so here are some of the tips that you can adopt to make your office space more sustainable and give you a calm zero-waste environment to thrive and grow.

until next time, live aastey.