Spring is the time of year when the world celebrates the planet: Earth Day, International Day of Forests, and, coming up, World Environment Day, World Oceans Day, and more. Joan recently wrapped up our International Day of Forests campaign, for which we planted no less than 2885 trees!
While you may have turned off your office lights for an hour on March 25th, there are more long-term ways to create an eco-friendly office. Here are a few:
1. Know where your coffee comes from
Millions of acres of forest in Central America have been cleared to support coffee farming. Only invest in Fair Trade-certified coffee, which supports environmental stability and fair compensation to the producers. Also, avoid coffee habits such as paper cups or coffee pods, which use an excess of natural resources and further impact the planet.
2. Contribute to sustainable programs or initiatives
Find a sustainable initiative that inspires you and your teammates. For example, Joan partnered with Treecelet to plant one tree for every device sold. The Joan team has been so inspired that some of our team members have joined Treecelet to plant these trees. For another example, our customer Welkin and Meraki told us that for every liter of water they consume, they’ve pledged to donate money to environmental causes.
3. Go paperless
As most offices have discovered, the best way to reduce paper use is to digitize everything, saving time, money, and the planet. The most power-efficient option for office signage that updates in real-time is e-paper technology. You can also digitize your visitor experience: all check-in documents, NDAs, and more can be completed online in a reliable, secure manner with Joan Visitor Management.
4. Plant away
Encourage plants and natural light around the office environment to help reduce stress and anxiety, plus clean the air. Consider options with dual purposes: live herb plants, such as basil or parsley, that help supply the kitchen, or tomato plants to supplement employees’ lunches and snacks.
5. Choose sustainable businesses
Buy from businesses that offer eco-friendly solutions with low energy consumption and are committed to minimizing their impact on the environment. For example, Joan’s e-paper displays are made primarily out of recyclable or reusable materials, such as aluminum and glass and require 99% less power to run than traditional LCDs.
6. Power down commuting
Encourage employees to participate in sustainable commute challenges, such as walking, biking, or carpooling to work to reduce the number of fuel emissions emitted into the atmosphere. Incentives for employees can range from friendly competition to small prizes.
7. Pick sustainable office supplies
While some office supplies are unavoidable, you can still choose sustainable suppliers. A sustainable supplier doesn’t only strive to manufacture sustainable products, but they aim to be sustainable with their own business habits. Opt for recycled paper, biodegradable plastics, plant-based inks, non-toxic cleaning products, etc. for sustainable practices.
8. Convert to energy-efficient tech
Set up your workspace with energy-efficient lighting, printers and other tech on timers or motion detectors so they use less energy when they’re not needed. Also, save energy and money by setting the thermostat lower during off hours or when no movement is detected in the office space.
9. Opt for nutritious snacks
If you treat employees once or twice a week with snacks — muffins, bagels, ice cream, etc. — change to sustainable snacks such as in-season fruits or other options. Also, invest in food companies that support sustainability initiatives such as organic, humane, and low-impact practices.
10. Encourage flexible work habits
Flexible work models aren’t only popular among employees, but the environment approves of them too. With employees working from home some days of the week, there’s less commuting and less carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted into the atmosphere, leading to a healthier planet.
In the past, commuters would waste about $1,700 per year in rush hour traffic. Flexible work hours allow employees to commute outside of rush hour, reducing their carbon footprint. With the Joan desk booking solution, employees can also know exactly where they’ll be working when they arrive on site, starting their day on a productive foot.
11. Schedule vegetarian days
The simplest way to reduce our environmental impact is to eat less meat. By encouraging vegetarian days, companies can not only help cut back on meat-industry-related carbon emissions but also raise awareness about the environmental impact.
12. Order sustainable swag
Promotional swag is a “necessary evil” of the corporate world that too often ends up in landfills. By gifting quality swag that’s certified sustainable, you can not only support company awareness, but generate a forward-thinking, caring company image.
Sustainable tech? Look no further
Joan has promoted ultra-low-energy sustainable office products from the start. As we grew, we pushed for more and more sustainable manufacturing and even pledged to plant one tree for every Joan device sold.
We live and breathe sustainability from our company practices to our products. We’d love to bring you on board with our environmentally-friendly office solutions.
Contact us for more information about our sustainable tech for your work environment.
