Many people spend a lot of time at work and their workplaces use energy, water, raw materials and many other resources. In all these areas there is lots of scope for savings and reducing the environmental impact of work. Businesses, whether large or small, can make a huge difference. Not only could greening your office benefit the environment but it could save money into the bargain: trials show that companies which go green can reduce energy and waste costs by 10% without any capital investment, a saving of £2.6 billion a year for businesses in the UK alone.
The environmental impact of businesses depends upon the type of business and scale of operation. Clearly a major manufacturing industry will use more energy, water and other resources than a small office or shop. So the ways of greening them will differ but there is lots of advice available and lots that any business can do. See the following sections on being greener at work, recycling paper, using recycled paper and saving resources. If you still cannot find anything relevant, there’s a section called ‘more information’. Much of the information elsewhere on the Green Choices website, particularly the energy, recycling and transport sections, is also applicable at work.