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Global Recycling Day 18.03.2021. Three simple ways to adopt a recycling ethos.

By March 17, 2021 No Comments

Three simple ways to help you, your home office or business adopt a recycling ethos.

Wombles

For those adults of a certain age & maybe younger watchers catching up on re-runs; The Wombles have a huge part to play in the recycling ethos.

These genteel stop motion 1970’s eco-warriors were sending out a very powerful message, while hundreds of thousands of children returned from school & sat & watched whilst eating their tea.

Below Wimbledon Common & in a network of tunnels; The Wombles would collect rubbish left behind by the humans above & find new & innovative ways to recycle or upcycle it. Their sing-song theme tune had a similar compelling environmental message, hidden beneath the very familiar tune “Making the most of everything, Even bottles and tins, Pick up the pieces and make them into something new, Is what we do”

Those same 1970’s children are now the business owners, home workers & office managers of today & could apply some of their childhood memories from The Wombles, to their environmental ethos.

Are you moving back to a physical office or continuing to work from home?

If you are considering moving your teams back to a more physical based office, rather than continuing to work remotely; now would be a good time to consider how you could make your office space more environmentally sensitive.

Despite trying to steer employees away from single use plastics in such things as drinks & food packaging; there are many more items in a traditional office which can be recycled.

Paper & Card – Whether it be printer paper, envelopes, or delivery packaging; offices can still produce a considerable amount of paper/carboard waste, despite being so reliant on an ‘online’ ethos.

Ensuring you have appropriate recycling bins inside the office & have a suitable collection account with either a local authority or private waste company; is a sure & simple way to meet environmental laws & add another tick to your Environmental Policies.

Kitchen waste (this can apply in your home office as well as a business office) – Do you have a staff kitchen or a place where staff can make a drink? Do you provide a coffee machine, you know, the one with the instant pods? Or have you gone all out & purchased a bean to cup machine? Either way, there are recycling opportunities here too.

Many coffee ‘pod’ machines have either turned away from non-recyclable products or are making their pods 100% recyclable. Check your packing before purchase to see which option is better for your environmental check list. Some pods are even bio-degradable now. Note: Please read the small print, as they may not degrade amongst everyday rubbish.

If you have decided to invest in a bean to cup set up, the coffee grounds can have many recyclable qualities.

If you or any member of your staff are keen gardeners, coffee grounds can be used as a soil improver & therefore make sure you either gather them up yourself or seek out some environmentally savvy gardeners & let them take the coffee grounds home.

Furthermore, if you have a considerable amount of coffee grounds left over, they do make excellent carbon free fuel briquettes for wood burners or fire pits.

Upcycle office furniture

Over the years, many offices update their furniture, change their premises, or simply close up shop & what is often left behind is perfectly good furniture. In recent years, rather than this furniture making its way to recycling centres & being destroyed; charitable organisations have found a way to upcycle & benefit their local communities at the same time.

Many Charities are now selling upcycled & repaired office furniture at a fraction of the price of new. In doing so, they are also employing people, often those who have been out of work for a while or people with learning difficulties & in doing so are giving them an opportunity to accrue skills, qualifications & earn all at the same time.

There are plenty of these upcycling centres across the UK & therefore, if you are looking to fit out a home office for continued home working, or are setting up a business office on a budget; consider purchasing upcycled furniture first & all of the benefits which go with it.

Ebay/online selling platform clothing – Yes, you are recycling!

How many times have you purchased an item of clothing or shoes off Ebay or another online selling platform? You find a great bargain & you cannot believe the price & when it arrives, it still has the original tag on or has only been worn once.

Despite the health concerns of purchasing something second hand during the Covid pandemic; millions of people have taken advantage of the extra time at home & have turned to selling online to clear out cupboards & make some extra money.

Whether you are buying or selling a pre-used item, you are still recycling! & as many people are considering returning to a physical office environment, now might be a good time to update your work wardrobe & participate in some clothing recycling at the same time.

These are just three of the many simple ways you can make your business & or home office more recycling conscious & with these easy steps in place, who knows what else your business could do.

Written by Katy-Jane Mason for & on behalf of Virtually Smart Ltd