by Brianna Crandall — January 20, 2016—Whether at a small, mid-sized, or large company, most leaders are experiencing pressure to address the sustainability of their organizations. One of the most effective and fastest changes they can make is to address waste and recycling.
Recycling preserves natural resources and can be good for the bottom line. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), recycling generates about 1 million manufacturing jobs nationwide and generates more than $100 billion in revenue. It can also save an organization money in waste disposal costs, and one of the most important pillars of sustainability is economic viability.
Following are five things leaders can do today to move sustainability forward in their organization. The information comes from Meg Morris, vice president, materials management, Covanta. Morris has been actively involved in environmental education, recycling, and solid-waste management for more than two decades. At Covanta, she focuses on mercury-reduction programs, recycling projects, and education and community relations.
- Do the research.
- Ask local community leaders about the state / county regulations for recycling where the office is located.
- Ask the property manager about recycling programs already in place as well as what else he or she is willing to assist with regarding recycling.
- Determine how much waste the company produces by conducting a waste audit.
- Shrink the environmental footprint.
- Use reusable coffee mugs and kitchen items, and eliminate the use of disposable, one-time use items.
- Reduce paper use. Some employees may find it hard to get away from printed hard copies of every document. A first step would be to set printers to default to printing double-sided. The next step is moving to more online reminders and collaboration with tools.
- Purchase recycled paper for printers and copiers.
- Reduce energy use:
- Change lighting from incandescent to compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). This simple change can reduce energy use by 75 percent and save up to $200 for every five bulbs replaced, according to the EPA.
- Set each computer in the office to “go to sleep” after 30 minutes.
- Smart Strip power cords can sense when a device is off and reduce the phantom power, and serve as surge protectors.
- Define a recycling program.
- Tell employees about efforts to “green” the business and reduce its impact on the environment.
- Make it easy for employees by placing clearly marked recycle bins at each workstation or in common areas.
- Stock the break room with reusable cups, plates and utensils, or encourage employees to bring their items from home.
- Communicate with employees.
- Appoint / empower a recycling leader.
- Create fun challenges to engage employees.
- Provide regular updates on the status of the programs.
- Measure the impact.
- When arranging the programs with the property manager, confirm a plan to account for whatever is being recycled or trashed.
For more information about recycling and waste management for a business or organization, visit the Covanta Web site.
