We are currently living a climate emergency, and more and more people are becoming aware of this and trying to do something about it. If you are one of those people worried about our planet, here are some tips you can take into account to reduce your carbon footprint:

  1. Illuminate the office with natural light. Sometimes you might still need to make use of electrical light, make sure that your bulbs are LED, they’re better for the planet and will also help you reduce your electric bill.
  2. Do NOT print unless strictly necessary (savings: paper, ink, electricity), if you need to sign a contract by hand, try printing only the page with the signature, you can use PDFsam to split and merge the pages. If you still need to print some documents, use recycled paper, and once the documents are no longer needed, shred them (if confidential) and recycle them.
  3. Drink loose tea. Are you working from home and drinking tea? Ditch bagged tea (most teabags contain plastics) and prepare loose tea, it’s not only eco-friendlier, but it tastes better, too.
    Do you prefer coffee rather than tea? No problem! You can still help the planet but not drinking coffee that comes in capsules 😉 Moreover, if you are one of those who likes soluble coffee (I know not everyone likes this one, and even some people will say that it’s not real coffee), it is said that this is the most eco-friendly coffee that exists.
  4. Stop using single-use cups and glasses. If working at a coffee shop, use regular mugs or bring your own re-usable cup, do not use their plastic/cardboard ones, as they are not usually recyclable.
    At conferences and events, try to use regular glasses and mugs, if available, instead of plastic ones – you’ll be helping reduce waste.
  5. Have a plant in your office. Not only produces new oxygen, but it’s also great decoration!
  6. Delete old e-mails. Emails are stored in data centres, therefore, producing carbon. By deleting old emails that you no longer need (especially if they contain attachments) you will reduce your carbon footprint. Alternatively, if you’ve noticed that you delete most of the e-mails you receive through subscriptions, why not unsubscribe?
          
  7. Bring the use of heating/air con to a minimum. If your workplace is too cold during winter, try to put another layer or cover yourself with a comfy blanket instead of turning the heating on. If, on the contrary, your office is too hot during summer, wear light clothing and open the windows, instead of using the air conditioner. You can also cool your office by closing the blinds.
  8. Switch appliances that aren’t in use. Make sure that you switch off or put to sleep your computer/laptop at the end of the day. If you are using a laptop, remember to unplug it as well, while not using it (e.g. at the end of the day, during weekends, while on your well-deserved holidays).
  9. Don’t drive. Are you working from home? Great! You are already helping the planet by not commuting. Do you work at a co-working space? Go walking or cycling, however, if your office is too far away for this, use public transport or carpool to the office, if possible.