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In the fight against climate change, every little helps. For businesses, little changes across the board can have a big overall impact. Below, Julie Hadley, CSR and Social Value Manager at Banner, discusses green products you could swap out to create a more sustainable office.
A wise person once said, “we are what we consistently do”. It’s easy to see how this is true for an individual, a bit of exercise every week or flossing on a daily basis, and over time, there’s no doubt you’ll reap the benefits.
When it comes to our business lives, however, the benefits of the small choices we make can feel a little distant and inconsequential. But when it comes to your environmental change, consistency and incremental improvement also brings benefits.
The products we use in our workplaces are a good example. Once you really do need to buy something new, do some research.
Something as simple as the type of paper you buy, the water bottles or laptop bags you provide staff, the cleaning and care products you use around the premises, and even the furniture you kit your office out with, can reduce the environmental impact of your business if you buy based on more than price and function.
Consideration of the environmental credentials of a product is important, and if you compare your normal purchase with others, you may just find that a product has a high recycled content (meaning less virgin material was required) or the product is made of a plastic alternative that can also be recycled at the end of its life. All of this reduces the end-to-end impact of the purchase you make, as does consolidating your orders to a single shipment a week or month.
Below are a few examples of green product-types you could swap your usual products out for right now:
Nature-based cleaning agents – out with the bleach, and in with hospital-grade cleaning agents made entirely from natural plant extracts and minerals. You can get products of this nature that kill 99.99% of all known bacteria and viruses, including Coronavirus, and can be used daily. Refills, concentrates, and high-percentage recycled content packaging are all considerations too.
Sugarcane bags – sugarcane bags are a sustainable alternative to the plastic disposables in your work life. Everything from bin bags, to disposable gloves and aprons, to pallet wraps, can be replaced with sugarcane derived alternatives, which are less impactful in their production than other raw materials, and completely compostable.
Biodegradable, chemical-free dish washing and laundry pods – laundry pods might not be common in your workplace but if they are, consider swapping them out for a biodegradable alternative. There are plenty of options out there which are also free from harmful chemicals.
Bamboo-based bulk-buy disposables – cleaning wipes, straws, tissues; all of your bulk-buy disposables can be swapped with alternatives that are made of bamboo and are 100% plastic-free.
Recycled plastic laptop bags, carryalls, backpacks and even furniture – There are recycled plastic alternatives to any and all of your non-disposable plastic office items. We’re not suggesting throwing out what you have, but when they get to the end of their life and it’s time for something new, recycled plastic, and plastic-free alternatives are worth considering!
The fight against environmental impacts and the journey toward Net Zero might seem like an overwhelming challenge, but there are many quick wins to be had. Purchasers and procurers have the opportunity to make a real difference – the power really is in our hands.
Simple changes are far more significant than they might first seem, so start swapping out the inconsequential items in your office for greener, more sustainable versions that are less harmful to the planet, and watch your environmental footprint shrink!
Banner are committed to sustainable solutions
Banner has environmental sustainability at the heart of our decision making. To achieve long lasting change, we are working collaboratively across operations, employees, supply chain and customers.
Our top themes:
🌎 Net Zero by 2030
🌎 Procured plastic free
🌎 Protecting the natural environment
Discover what we're doing to support and protect our environment, here.
View our NEW B Green catalogue - the quick and easy way to make sustainable product choices by bringing together products with sustainable credentials in one location.