As the owner of a small firm with half a dozen employees, you probably will feel singled out if you are asked to make your office function in an environmentally-friendly manner. What changes can seven persons implement that will truly have a positive impact on the environment?
Well, for starters, a scenario where seven persons are helping protect the environment is definitely preferable to one where those seven persons are doing absolutely nothing for the fragile world around us.
Secondly, it is the thought that really matters; even a small group of committed persons can make a huge difference over the long run. If you want a tangible example where seven persons can make a difference, then just check out the option of buying reusable drinking cups for your office.
Presuming seven persons use five cups per day for drinking water and other beverages, your office probably consumes around 10,000 paper cups every year. These paper cups have a plastic coating on the inside, which prevents the hot or cold drink from making the paper soggy. You probably have tasted the plastic if you made the mistake of letting your coffee or tea sit in the cup for too long.
Use of plastic means that recycling this cup is not a simple task. Now, how may cups would you need if you opt for resuable drinking cups? For an office of seven, you will probably need a dozen cups if you include a few for your guests as well.
There you have it—10,000 paper cups or 10-12 reusable cups, which option do you think is better for the environment?
Since each employee has a personal, and probably personalized, cup, the switch from generic paper cups to the reusable cups will be a simple and happy affair. For your guests, you can always ask them whether they would be fine with properly-washed drinking cups or whether they would prefer plastic-coated paper cups instead.
Want to know more about how this decision is a truly green one? Presuming you buy new cups every year, you will end up using 100-120 drinking cups in ten years. Of course, some may prefer using the same cup for many years as long as there are no health risks involved. Presuming you still buy new cups, you will end up with buying around 100 cups as opposed to 100,000 paper cups.
The planet is likely to be around after ten years. You and your colleagues too aren’t likely to vanish in the next decade. Can you now see how combining common sense with a long-term view can help you do your bit for the environment?
