Even when you're at work, you can make small green switches make. And no, for this you don't have to completely change course right away. Start making these small changes in your (home) office today to put less of a burden on the planet! To put you over the top: some of these savings are also good for your wallet. So not crazy to get started with this as a self-employed person or as an entrepreneur with your team. We feel a sustainable office challenge arrive. Are you in?
Good habits in your sustainable office
During an office job, you are often sitting at a computer or in meetings or work sessions. And although your personal footprint seems minimal on such a day, you can make more sustainable choices even with an office job or as an entrepreneur or self-employed person. We are happy to give you a few ideas - and of course we would also love to hear from you if you have another good savings tip. You know where to find us via the contact buttons at the bottom of this page. Come on!
- Plan regular digital clean-ups to keep your storage low. Before you make a sweep through your digital possessions, be sure to check out our tips for cleaning up your photo and video archive, tips to clear your WhatsApp history and tips for cleaning up your mailbox. Note: as an entrepreneur, you have to keep some emails for your records. So don't be too rigorous, because that won't make the tax authorities happy.
- Reduce digital files before saving them to the cloud or sending them by mail, or turn them into a zip file.
- Turn off all devices when you have finished working (a socket with on-off switch is useful here)
- At your workplace, don't set the heating too high in winter and the air conditioning too high in summer. Of course, you knew all along.
- Are you working at home during the day? Then turn on your big appliances! The energy grid is overloaded and it is quieter during the day. Moreover, when the sun shines during the day, more green power comes out of your sockets.
- Are you a tea drinker who turns on the kettle for every cup? Each session with that kettle consumes quite a bit of energy. Better to make a big pot or fill a thermos once.
- If you have an offsite appointment, plan it in a central location within walking distance of a train station so that everyone can get there by public transport. Even better: a sustainable hotspot near a central station.
- Print as little as possible, but you probably already did.
- Another no-brainer: Dispose of paper and cardboard separately. You have to take breaks anyway, you can nicely grab a moment to tear and stamp.
- Reuse the cardboard boxes you get in the mail as much as possible for your postal items.
- What do you spread on your sandwich? Make your lunch more sustainable by consciously choosing vegetarian, plant-based or sustainable options, both at home and at appointments.
- Compensate your business activities in good projects. Ideas for carbon offsetting can be found in this article.
- If you are going to buy electronics or gadgets for your business, then you can do very well second-hand or refurbished do. This is a big sustainable step - because electronic devices with all those small parts are very stressful and second-hand are also a lot cheaper. In this article, we will help you get started with tips for finding the best second-hand gadgets.
- Furnishing your new office with sustainable and second-hand items will make your workplace much cozier. Ideas for a cool, sustainable office design can be read here.
- Love flowers in your workplace. We get it. Then opt for artificial flowers and go for a subscription in the flower library by Reflower.
Sustainable tip for webshop owners
Many sustainable entrepreneurs with a webshop have stated on their website that, for the sake of the environment, they go to the post office a maximum of three times a week and therefore shipping is not always next-day, unless you indicate that your purchase is urgent.
Ideas for your sustainable office: artificial flowers from the flower library and second-hand furniture you can score at the thrift store, among other places.
Sustainable hosting of your website
If you are an entrepreneur, chances are you have your own website. You can also choose more sustainable hosting for your website. There are hosting parties in the Netherlands that generate their energy green and thus make a positive difference. Because all those data centres that are needed to keep our websites on the air, among other things, use a lot of energy. You can also do a few things yourself to keep your website lighter. Reduce the size of images before uploading them and install a plug in which ensures that the optimum size photo is always displayed to a visitor. Finally, on the website you can digitalbeacon.co see what the footprint of your website is and make improvements based on that.
Making your office day more sustainable
With these tips for your more sustainable office day, we have hopefully shown you that small sustainable switches are quite easy to make and that it can benefit you and the planet a lot. It also gives you a faster - because tidy - computer and a cosier workplace with all that second-hand and vintage stuff. Just say no to that.
Need more tips and help?
Maybe you have been doing business for a while, or maybe your initiative is still in its infancy. Either way, with the guide for starting entrepreneurs, we would like to help you on your way with the administrative side, so you can do what you do best: make your idea a success! Because say it yourself, it's a nice idea when the administrative basics are all in order. With the help of this guide, you will have everything you need to organise your company's bookkeeping properly, learn good habits and, as a bonus, we will also share with you how you can do business a little more consciously. We got you!
For 13.50 euros, you have this lifesaver directly to your inbox and so on your tablet or mobile phone! Order the guide for start-ups in our webshop!
Photo credits: main image: George Milton (Pexels), Other: Reflower & thegreenlist.nl, Ksenia Chernaya (Pexels).
