Next Friday, April 22nd, marks Earth Day! Earth Day first began in the US in 1970 to bring environmental issues to the national stage. The day has since grown into a nationwide celebration and day of action. Earth Day is not just for school kids- it is a holiday that can, and should, be recognized at work. Here are five easy ways to celebrate with your coworkers and “go green” this Earth Day!
1. Use a Shared Workspace
Using a shared workspace is an easy sustainable switch to make for Earth Day! Shared resources equal less waste. AdvantEdge Workspaces locations are LEED-certified, close to outdoor spaces and public transit, and will encourage you to reduce your waste during the workday. Whether it is using the fully stocked lounge area at lunch to avoid single-use plastics or not needing to buy new furniture since all spaces come fully furnished, celebrating Earth Day is extra special in a shared workspace like AdvantEdge.
2. Commit to Making a Sustainable Swap
As a team, commit to making one sustainable swap in the office. Trade paper cups for reusable tumblers. Plastic lunch cutlery for metal sets. Post-It notes for a whiteboard. Brainstorm as a team what swap you want to commit to this year, and make a plan to put it into action.
3. Go Paperless
Trading in masses of printed documents for an all-digital solution will save lots of trees over the years. Turn to a cloud-based file sharing solution, like Google Drive or Sharepoint to store important documents. With collaboration tools and editing features, you’ll never feel the need to print something again! Plus, you will always have what you need on hand, produced at the stroke of a few keywords.
4. Get Out in Nature
Why not celebrate Earth Day by getting out of the office and spending some quality time with Mother Nature? Get the team together for a group walk, visit a local park, or go on an easy hike. Outdoor activities are great for team bonding, typically free, and make for simple Earth Day festivities. Take things a step further by leaving the car at home and biking to work, going on a group trash pick-up, or helping plant food in a community garden. There are endless ways to help the planet while getting in some vitamin C.
5. Education is Key
A step to being more eco-friendly is knowing what you can do to help the planet, and what habits you can change. Host an Earth Day teach-in by showing relevant Ted Talks during lunch. Create a communal company sustainability best-practices guide as a go-to for everyone to know how to be a more “green” employee. Offer stipends for those who want to take their learning further. Education is key to creating lasting, impactful changes in the workplace.
How are you celebrating Earth Day at work this year? Let us know in the comments!
