In Singapore, over the past forty years, the amount of waste disposed has increased seven-fold, with a staggering 6.94 million tonnes of solid waste generated in a recent year. As we return to the office, there’s no time to waste in implementing a zero waste plan for the workplace! 

After all, a less cluttered space promotes a less cluttered mind, which results in a more productive labour force. 

Fortunately, it doesn’t take a drastic overhaul or a ten-year initiative to go green. Small, conscious, intentional actions are what pave the way to a sustainable corporate environment. Plus, the benefits this can bring to your office are tremendous. Think higher productivity, greater efficiency, and reduced costs.

With that in mind, get ready to kick-start your eco-friendly journey with these zero waste office tips and tricks.

1. Reusable tableware and water bottles

Notice office bins overflowing with plastic cutlery, plates, and cups? Making the effort to stock up with reusable alternatives like reusable bamboo utensils, metal straw and food containers, is a conscious step towards creating a zero waste office. Carrying a reusable bag is also a great habit!

2.   Recycle consciously

Before throwing your plastic cup or food container into the recycling bin, rinse it first! Not everything that goes into a recycling bin gets recycled. To streamline recycling efforts and minimise mishaps, try and find out what can and cannot be recycled before tossing it into the bin. Something as simple as helping to divert materials to their appropriate places can go towards building an eco-conscious office culture.

3. Sustainable lighting

Utilise energy-efficient LED sustainable light bulbs to reduce energy consumption (and waste!) and get one step closer to the green office of your dreams. Compared to fluorescent bulbs, LED lights are up to 80% more efficient and last up to four times longer. 

4. Swap paper for e-resources

Reducing paper wastage is one of the first steps to significantly lowering an office’s waste. In this digital age, it’s easy to adopt a paperless approach. Send documents electronically, rely on the writing app built into your device, use cloud storage for your files… the options are endless!

As we move towards becoming a zero waste nation, with goals to achieve a 70 per cent overall recycling rate in seven years, we must mobilise to take our zero waste habits from home to office. Small changes, every day. 

The future is green. If we want to conserve our planet for the longevity of our future generations, we must make haste in minimising waste!