Zero waste office, towards a sustainable ecosystem

From the time when an office, organisation or a small firm starts. The amount of waste produced is impeccable, when sorted from the initial times still its following days. The total amount of waste created from paper, plastic, food and energy in whole terms, could support a entire village of 390 people with electricity for 4 years. “That doesn't mean you should endure towards non-recyclable”. A zero waste office can ultimately

World has an approximate of 10 million to 12 million organisations contributing towards office waste, overall adding up to the global waste. An office not just only produces paper or plastic waste; liquid waste, tin and metal waste, waste produced by food and beverages, organic waste produced in a cafeteria, electronic waste etc. Are just a few to name.

For a better zero waste office

Here are a few effective ways for better recycling process:

1. Prevention of waste

The use or an extensive use of a new or an unnecessary product will be the root cause for waste that might end up at a landfill. The rapid change in the pyramid of an organisation growth or the increase of the employees itself, makes it imperative for them to use secondhand products or the ones which are existing. To avoid such wastes, a conscious decision should be made at the professional or at the management level.

2. Segregation

The term segregation is very important as to the term recycling. Proper segregation of waste leads to proper recycling. Below is a method of waste segregation hierarchy

• Eliminate the use of unwanted materials at your workplace.
• Reduce the amount of materials used, turn over to double side printing.
• Recover-reuse-recycle for paper or food packaging.
• Converting waste into energy by sending it to waste plant.
• Last resort is to send the non-recyclable waste to a landfill.

Click here to learn more about office waste reduction, tips and ideas towards zero landfill

3. Finding the right incharge

Finding the right supervisor for better, knowledgeable and an effective segregation. The perfect zero waste office starts buy downsizing the unwanted purchases. To continue a steady, fool proof and an excellent zero waste office, a supervisor (the most important official for segregation at a workplace) should actually seem interested in the process of a perfect recycling at a workplace.

Focusing on food waste at a zero office waste organisation

Food waste is a serious global issue, contributors ranging from firms, institutions, public places, vendors and even the citizen bears actions and roles towards a better prevention of food waste. From the fruit peels to the leftovers at an organisation everything is a serious problem for the future idea food consumption.

Consumption of food by employees at a workplace through various sources like in house food systems, cafeteria and from different pin stove apps or food delivery systems. The waste of food caused by these sources are a huge problem at all levels of the supply chain.

How to cut food wastes at a workplace

Following these methods will not just help the overall nature or the well being of an organisation. This will contribute to your corporate social responsibility, encourage employee morale, employee engagement, encourage to have a higher and better standard of life.

• Raising awareness – Being a step forward towards waste is to be aware at the first place. Making some conscious decisions of buying food or choosing the right meal. Example, [ preferring a home cooked meal rather than purchasing precooked meal at a grocery store. Preferring to mass produced food instead of single signature dishes]
• Compost – All the wet food waste derived from the garbage cans and the food peels at the cafeteria should all be utilised for a in home compost. This method cuts down the major glitters of wastage, buying outgrown compost (cost cutting), the stench produced from mass food wastage.
• Reusables – Encouraging your employees to bring their own coffee mugs ( of course everyone does that at this modern day ), cups, plates etc, This small simple step can reduce the overall food waste but this technique can even reduce the utilisation of water.
• Food donation or animal feeding – The food waste assorted as bland, tasteless or contains too much of greasy or oil. This kind of unassorted food could be utilised for food donation or animal feeding at a centre or through an NGO for the start animals. Utilizing this option in India can prevent malnutrition at an extent and the unhealthy habit for the strays.