How to be more sustainable in the workplace............

Just one little sustainable change can make such a massive difference to the environment and with the devastating effects we are seeing first hand of climate change in the news, we should all try that little bit harder.........here at Freedom Works we have tried to introduced simple methods to create a more sustainable workspace.

All of our spaces are  ‘Refill Stations’ a simple initiative which helps to reduce the quantity of single-use plastic by encouraging members of the the public to refill their containers with fresh water from our taps.   We also have very simple yet effective recycling processes. This recycling process allows every member in the space to recycle glass, cardboard, paper, plastic bottles and cans in a quick and efficient way in individual bins.

In our Hove space we use Paper Round , commercial recyling experts who offer a collection service tailored to suit business needs whilst treating waste as a valuable resource to be transformed into quality produces.  We use their 'crate exchange' service to recycle our Free Beer Friday empty beer bottles and glass coffee jars.

Throughout all of our spaces we are particularly conscious this week of the amount of waste which could be produced as a result of Halloween celebrations. In particular we are focusing on pumpkin wastage and how we can make this novelty feature more sustainable. One Community Managers purchased a sustainable fabric pumpkin which means it is reusable every year and the proceeds of this purchase also went to charity. You could also be more sustainable with your pumpkins by either baking with the contents i.e pumpkin soups and pies and ensuring it is placed in the compost bin rather than the usual waste disposal. According to Climate Central, pumpkins and other types of organic waste emit methane gas which is actually more harmful to the environment than carbon dioxide.



Here are five key tips  to help you be more sustainable in your work space:

1. Change the way you commute.
Using public transport not only cuts back on harmful emissions but it also saves petrol costs which ultimately could save you a fair amount of  money in the long term. Sharing lifts to and from work is also beneficial so if you know someone close to your home who heads the same way why not ask if you could take it in turns to drive in. The ideal situation is of course if you don’t live far from your job, consider walking or cycling there.

2. Pack your lunch ahead of time with reusable containers. When you buy food during lunch, it’s likely that it will be packed in a bag you’ll have to throw away. If you have to do this, make sure you dispose of the recyclables in a recycle bin. If you do bring food from home, pack your food in reusable containers inside of a storage bag that can be reused as well.

3. Use reusable water bottles and mugs at work. Disposable water bottles are found all over landfills and their environmental impact is atrocious. Reusable water bottles save money and you can also enjoy the personal touch of drinking coffee from your own mug instead of disposable cups.

4. Be conscious of your printing practices. It’s best to print using the double-sided printing option that comes with the majority of printers today. There are now so many virtual options that don’t require you to print paper and e-signatures help you sign off on important documents without needing to do it by hand on paper.

5.Be conscious of turning lights off at night or use lights with motion sensors. When you use lights with motion sensors, you don’t have to remind everyone to turn the lights off in order to conserve energy. Motion lights are also extremely convenient since they intuitively know when they are needed, and they are quite appreciated by workers who are often on the move and carrying many items at once.  Our two newest spaces in Gatwick and Chichester are both fitted with motion sensors which help us to save money and the environment..

We found https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/ a very useful site for getting tips on how to live more sustainable both at home and in the work space so visit this site to discover more.

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