Americans are responsible for 1/5 of the world’s garbage. The average American produces over four pounds of trash per day, and 135 million tons of this trash ends up in dumpsters and landfills. This comes out to 250 million tons of trash annually. 75% of our waste is recyclable and Americans manage to recycle less than 35% of this waste.
Offices also produce a lot of garbage on a daily basis. These waste materials can be recycled into new products and save the earth’s environment.
As Americans, we spend most of our time at the office. If you are spending that much time at a place then you might start caring about it too. Work with your colleagues on recycling initiatives and spread awareness on the benefits of recycling. Reduce your carbon foot-print by engaging in the process of recycling office waste.
If your workplace already has a recycling program then work more efficiently to help the cause and if it doesn’t, then you need to convince your boss into developing such a program. Explain to him the benefits that recycling provides and that it saves a lot on waste management costs. This will put a smile on your bosses face because he will love the idea of saving money.
Some of the most common recyclable items in offices are:
- Waste paper, including printed paper, unwanted files and notes and used envelopes
- Newspapers and magazines
- Cardboard boxes
- Aluminum pop cans
- Glass and plastic bottles
- Printer toner cartridges
- Cell phones
- Old desktop and laptop computers
If your organization doesn’t have a recycling program, then you can start small. Some studies suggest that if we recycle one ton of paper, we’ll be able to save 17 mature trees, 7,000 gallons of water, three cubic yards of landfill space, two barrels of oil, and 4,000 kilowatt hours of electricity. This, in turn, would be enough to power the average New York home for five months. And yet, only 55% of all paper products are being recycled.
When your colleagues see you contribute towards the conservation of the environment, they’ll definitely join you in this act. Your individual effort will turn into a habit which everyone will develop with time. Start today and don’t let a single day at your office go without doing something green for your environment.
Sources: www.dirtyworkservices.wordpress.com – www.distractify.com – www.beforeitsnews.com
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