Eco-friendly initiatives are important, but they can be difficult to get started in an office setting. It can be hard to change the way things have always been done, and it’s often easier to stick with the status quo. However, there are ways that you can influence your colleagues to become more eco-friendly. Here are some of the best ways to do so.
We all have a role to play in looking after our planet – whether that’s by recycling more, eating less meat, or taking steps to reduce our energy consumption. And while some people might be more passionate about environmentalism than others, we should all be doing our bit to make a difference. It has now been widely declared that we are in a climate emergency, as humans have made drastic changes to the planet and its climate, some of which are irreversible.
The scale of the problem seems so huge that many people don’t know how they can make a difference. Thinking too big can paralyze people into doing nothing at all. Many people find it more helpful to think on a smaller scale, finding easy changes they can make to reduce their carbon footprint. Once you get the hang of making some small but important changes, it can quickly become a way of life you’re happy with.
If you want to have a wider influence, your workplace might be a good place to begin. In general, companies are responsible for more carbon emissions than individuals, so influencing the people you work with could have a larger knock-on effect.
Here are some ways you could influence your colleagues to be more eco-friendly, without being too forceful about your opinions.
Lead By Example
One of the best ways to influence your colleagues is to lead by example. If you’re making an effort to be more eco-friendly, your colleagues will likely take notice. If you’re constantly bringing in reusable water bottles, taking public transportation, or recycling, others may begin to do the same.
Of course, you don’t need to be perfect – nobody is – but try to make eco-friendly choices whenever possible. Every little bit helps, and your colleagues will take notice of your efforts.
Ditch Plastic Bags
Everyone has bags they need to carry their stuff in, and if you look around, most of your colleagues will bring at least one or two bags with them into work each day. But how many of those bags are reusable?
If you want to reduce the amount of plastic your colleagues use, suggest ditching plastic bags in favor of reusable ones. You could buy a stack of reusable bags and keep them at work, so your colleagues always have one on hand when they need it. You can even get custom grocery bags with your own bespoke designs – made from recycled and recyclable materials. It may even catch on so your company starts producing these kinds of bags too!
Recycle More
One way to make your workplace more eco-friendly is to recycle more. This can be difficult if your office doesn’t have a good recycling system in place, but it’s worth trying to make it work.
You could start by speaking to your colleagues about recycling more, and see if there’s interest in starting a recycling program at work. Make a point of looking at product packaging to see if it has any recycling information in it. This can be a less obvious way to strike up a conversation with colleagues about which types of materials are recyclable. And if there are no recycling trash cans in your office, speak to your more senior colleagues to see if this can be introduced.
Run Meetings And Events With Sustainability In Mind
If you occasionally have to chair meetings or host events that your colleagues will attend, take this as an opportunity to bring sustainability to the forefront of people’s minds.
You could start by sending out invitations and agendas electronically, rather than printing them out on paper. And if you do need to print something, use recycled paper. You could also try to source sustainable and eco-friendly catering options for any food served at the event. This can be difficult, but it’s worth doing your research to find caterers that use local and seasonal produce, as well as sustainable meat and fish.
Most importantly, make sure everyone attending the meeting or event knows what sustainability measures you have incorporated. This is a great way to show others how anyone can think about being more eco-friendly in any given context. Hopefully you’ll influence the meetings and events they host in the future too.
Be Patient
Changing long-standing habits can be difficult, so it’s important to be patient when trying to influence your colleagues. If you push too hard, you might find that people are less likely to listen to you. Instead, try to have open and honest conversations about sustainability, and explain why you think it’s important.
You might not see an immediate change, but if you keep at it, eventually your colleagues will start to come around. And who knows, you might even end up enjoying working together to make your workplace more eco-friendly!
