Does your signature state something along the lines of “Think Green! Please consider the environment before printing this email?” Or have you seen this in another individual’s email signature before? Do you take this into consideration and truly “think green” while in the credit union workplace?
Many people do not know that making your office more sustainable can actually be an easy thing to do. So, let’s go over a couple of ways to make your credit union more eco-friendly.
Go paperless and reduce the use of single-use plastics
Start with the basics! The first thing you are probably thinking about is tackling the use of paper and plastics. But why does the use of these items affect the environment? The day-to-day use of paper in turn increases the demand for more.
Whether that be printer paper, paper cups, paper plates, paper advertising, handouts, or even business cards, the need for more paper aids in more trees being cut for production and leads to deforestation, ultimately affecting our environment.
The use of plastics is a bit different. The supply and demand aspect would be the same. However, the production of plastics has a bigger cost to the environment. Plastics take an exponentially long time or do not degrade at all. Plastic items you use in the office like utensils, bubble wrap, and envelope windows will still exist on our planet for many more years to come. Due to this, plastic has become one of the biggest pollutants on our earth.
Eliminating or significantly reducing the usage of these two items will promote less demand for the items. In turn, fewer plastic and paper products are produced, reducing pollution and deforestation.
Now, how are you going to get an alternative to these products you may currently use every day? Some alternative options may be, using all electronic communication via email or phone or reusing the mugs, cups, and utensils that you may have already in the breakroom.
Not only does this help your office be more eco-friendly, but it also helps you be more cost-effective. Saving you on costs for paper and plastic products and saving your credit union more money to use elsewhere.
Be energy efficient
Ever thought about conserving more energy you use day-to-day? Using less power? Being conscious of the energy you are using can come in a variety of different ways and is a simple way to go green in the credit union environment.
Being energy efficient means effectively being smart with how you are using energy. Overconsumption of energy is a big factor in climate change. This can range from constantly keeping our electronics plugged in, keeping lights on, screen brightness on the highest setting, and more. The constant use of energy can affect our Earth’s environment by causing more air, water, and thermal pollution due to the use of resources, leading to an uptick in greenhouse gas emissions affecting the Earth’s climate.
Some ways we can face this and save our energy in the credit union workplace is by creating more natural light. Implementing more windows in offices and using less energy to power lights. Alternatively, you can switch to more energy-efficient lights that use less energy to power them instead of normal lightbulbs. Or even, motion-sensor lights to only turn on when needed.
Other ways to save energy can be decreasing screen brightness, unplugging electronics when not in use, managing heating and cooling sources more effectively, and even solar power all assist with reducing our carbon footprint.
Start small
Being eco-friendly within the credit union doesn’t have to be difficult. Finding alternative, more sustainable ways to function within your workspace can benefit not only your budget but the planet as well. So next time you need to restock your paper, or you are leaving the office for the day with your electronics still plugged in, take a minute and think green.
