Go Green with Lean Office Practices

Is your workplace a “green office”? Being green means being mindful of reducing waste, reusing materials, and recycling as much as possible to prevent having a negative impact on the earth’s natural resources. It also means finding ways to cut down on energy use in the office building by making a few simple changes. The above infographic gives some great ideas for going green at the office, including:

• Switching from incandescent lighting to compact florescent light bulks, which uses 66 percent less electricity.
• Activating sleep mode on computers when they are not in use to save 300 lbs. of carbon emissions.
• Recycling e-waste and paper to protect the environment and reduce millions of pounds of landfill trash.
• Cutting back on needless paper use and printing and using digital documents for communications (paperless office).
• Working from home as often as possible to reduce the use of gas and our dependence on oil and cars.
• Adding plants to the office environment to cut down on dust, pollen, and bacteria, and save on air conditioning costs.
• Using pesticide-free, fair trade products to stop the destruction of our rain forests and add income for sustainable living communities.

What are the benefits of going green at work? 

There are many benefits of going green in business, both from a practical standpoint and a financial one. In 2012, Office Depot conducted their annual Small Business Index to uncover many small business practices, like green office policies. The results of this index are illustrated in the above infographic, showing that “61 percent of small businesses are actively trying to go greener and 70 percent of small businesses anticipate becoming more environmentally conscious over the next two years.” In fact, most business were using recycling and reduced use of paper printing to do their part. However, over one-third were concerned that going green would cost the company more, when it actually helps to control costs for office supplies and utilities.

The benefits of going green at work include:

• Less use of office supplies like paper, ink, staples, and more.
• Reduction in electric and water bill costs for overhead savings.
• More awareness of being responsible stewards of the earth’s resources.
• Community initiative to restore and repurpose materials and space.
• Convenience and flexibility when company allows telecommuting.

How lean office management contributes to a green office policy.

A lean business is one that operates at maximum efficiency. Naturally, a green office policy fits well into this concept because it asks employees to think before using materials or conducting work in specific ways. In a recent Cogniview article on this topic, the history of lean manufacturing that originated in Asian factories and now extends into many different types of businesses was explained. Because of a commitment to lean business practices, also referred to as Lean Six Sigma, Toyota was able to beat out the strong US automotive competition to become a leading brand for many years. General Electric was able to rise to the top of the consumer electronics market. Motorola became a leading mobile device manufacturer.

It is this brand recognition that your business can achieve, by putting Lean 5S business practices into use alongside a green office policy. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends this lean method because it “encourages workers to improve their working conditions and helps them to learn to reduce waste.” The steps of a lean, green business include:

• Sort – Using only the necessary items for work productivity.
• Set in Order – Having a specific method and order to conducting work tasks.
• Shine – Maintaining a work space that is conducive to your best work style.  
• Standardize – Being consistent in all business practices, including reducing waste.
• Systemize – Having corporate standards place to encourage recycling, repurposing, and reduction of resources.

More tips and benefits for having a green office

Enjoy a recent video produced as part of the Green Office Project:

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