How to Encourage Sustainability While Working Remotely

Help employees keep sustainability in mind, wherever they’re working.

Knowing how to encourage sustainability while working remotely means your team can help protect the environment in the office and while working from home.

Sustainability and following eco-friendly trends are a huge part of EZ Office Products’ mission; we’re thrilled to see these become a part of everyday life at home and at work for others, too. For many of us, home life and work life have merged in the last few years, with many companies shifting to a permanent hybrid or remote work model.

Just because you may not be in the office every day doesn’t mean your organization’s sustainability efforts have to be put on hold! Here are some ways to help your teams encourage sustainability while working remotely.

Adjust your thermostat

Before you turn up the heat in the cold winter months or blast the icy air conditioning in the sweltering summer months, try making other adjustments first, such as opening a window, turning on a fan, or throwing on a cozy sweater. These efforts can help cut back on your energy usage at home — and save money.

Utilize eco-friendly office supplies

About 70% of the total waste generated by offices consists of mixed paper products. While remote work may help curb paper use a bit, it’s never a bad idea to be more conscious about the products we use while working, regardless of whether we’re home or in the office!

You can easily swap a number of office supplies to make them more environmentally friendly. From recycled printer paper and refillable pens to paperless notebooks and even staple-free staplers, there are endless opportunities to curb daily office supply waste in large and small ways.

The EZ Office Products store is full of eco-friendly and recycled office products perfect for helping your team work more sustainably. Plus, we can deliver right to your office or employees’ homes, so they get what they need no matter where they’re working.

Unplugging devices 

Electronic devices use small amounts of energy when they’re plugged in, even if the device is turned off. Get into the habit of unplugging your devices at the end of the workday and when they’re fully charged.

Incentivize sustainability 

There’s no greater motivator to work more sustainably than an appealing incentive! Host a recycling drive, particularly for items — such as electronics — that are challenging to recycle properly. Only 13% of laptops are recycled globally; the vast majority end up gathering dust in closets and, ultimately, in landfills.

For employees who contribute items for recycling, you could offer an extra vacation or volunteering day or a gift card to a local eatery. You could also provide stipends or incentives for employees to invest in eco-friendly upgrades in their own home work spaces.

Demonstrate sustainability leadership

Make sure employees at every level are invested in implementing sustainability measures. When mid-level and junior employees see the senior managers and directors walking the walk on sustainability, they’re more likely to embrace it as well.

A few adjustments in your office supply purchasing can mean big savings for your company and big points for incorporating sustainability. Contact the EZ Office Products team to learn more about how we can help your organization shop more sustainably or request an account to browse our online store.