We’re always looking for ways to make the Unity offices more eco-friendly and sustainable and we know our clients are too. With that in mind, we’ve put together a few tips to follow and make your workplace greener:
In our daily working lives, we have the potential to go through an embarrassing amount of single-use packaging. Picking up a coffee from the local coffee shop, buying bottled water, breakfast/lunch on-the-go, Deliveroo when it’s raining or we’re working through lunch… all of which comes in single-use packaging that is harmful to the environment. It’s time to get into the habit of carrying a reusable coffee cup and water bottle, as well as a lunchbox – the majority of coffee shops, plus many food outlets close to the Unity offices, such as Leon, M&S, KERB and Spitalfields street food markets, now offer a discount when you bring your own coffee cup or container. Winner winner, chicken dinner!
The Unity kitchens are fully stocked with clean cups and glasses, tea bags and seriously good coffee from our fantastic partners at The Office Coffee Company and Cool Earth coffee beans, plus our Brita Vivreau filtered taps provide both still and sparkling water at the touch of a button, reducing use of plastic, disposable cups and glasses.
Research suggests that the average office worker can use up to 10,000 sheets of paper in a year – sounds crazy but we’ve definitely been guilty of wastefully printing large documents for meetings, throwing sheets in the bin when they don’t print correctly, we could go on… what it comes down to is being mindful of what we’re sending to print.
We’re now following a few simple rules to cut back on paper wastage and save the trees:
1. Always print double-sided.
2. Re-use the plain backs of existing printouts.
3. Share copies in meetings.
4. Always question if the printing is absolutely necessary.
It’s scary when you think about how many plastic pens we use, half use, lose or throw in the bin. The same goes for the majority of office supplies… they’re disposable so we don’t take care of them and sad truth is, they usually end up in landfills or the ocean.
How about next time you’re making an office stationery order, check out some eco-friendly alternatives to plastic, such as bamboo or recycled paper/cardboard pens and pencils, recycled paper and print cartridges. At least this way when we lose a brand-new pen, there won’t be so much plastic being wasted and living in the earth for years and years. If this isn’t an option for you just yet, setting up a designated stationery recycling area and disposing of it correctly is a huge step in the right direction.
Technology and electronic equipment are such a huge part of many of our working lives. We rely heavily on computers and laptops to work from, lighting and air conditioning to maintain a pleasant office environment but how often do we forget to switch it all off when we leave the office? It’s an easy mistake when we’re in a rush but making a conscious effort every day will make a huge difference.
Luckily, the Unity offices are fitted with clever sensors that ensure energy usage is at a minimum when the office is empty.
We’re big fans of having a bit of deskside greenery to brighten up our office space, but did you know that plants in the office help to clean the air by absorbing pollutants created by your computer into their leaves… Another fun fact: tropical plants raise the humidity level of an office, helping to cool a room during the summer and warm it up in winter – reducing the need for powering the A/C or heating unit, saving on energy consumption and CO2 emissions. Time to surround yourself with plants, just don’t forget to water them!
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