7 tips for a sustainable workplace this world bee day

Bethan Foston Date published: May 19, 22

Given that the United Nations predicts we only have 12 years to limit a climate change catastrophe, if you haven’t already, now is the time to take the plunge and implement sustainability in the workplace.

Not only can going green enhance your business financially, but it could also help to reduce the number of endangered species. In this blog, we share our top tips on integrating environmentally friendly working practices into your business, while raising awareness of the critical role that bees play in our ecosystem. Firstly, what exactly is ‘World Bee Day’?

What is World Bee Day?

With there being a 2.96 million decline in US honeybee colonies in just a few short years, World Bee Day promotes the vitality of us working together to combat the crisis of their decreasing population.

It is now a truth universally acknowledged that humans would cease to exist without bees. Not only do these incredible pollinators help to maintain a healthy environment and greatly contribute to the mitigation of climate change, but, if they were driven to extinction, it would significantly reduce food supply in the form of crops. A study conducted by IUCN found that a staggering 84% of crops grown for human consumption in Europe required insect pollination to increase yields and support their growth.

How can you make a difference?

One of the leading causes of the decline in the bee population can be put down to climate change, with studies finding that the increase of air pollution has resulted in the death of more than 80% of bees.

It is apparent that something needs to be done, not only for the welfare of wildlife but to be able to raise future generations in a world where the effects of climate change are not catastrophic. Even the simplest eco-friendly changes can make a huge difference and, thankfully, there are many ways that business can embrace this new, eco-conscious way of operating.

Our top-tips for improving your sustainability in the workplace

1. Switch to green energy providers 

Not only will you avoid price fluctuations in energy costs, which is common for non-renewable energy sources, but you will also be exempt from certain taxes whilst reducing your businesses carbon footprint. Win-win, right?

2. Implement a training solution

As we have already discovered, humans are largely to blame for rapidly increasing global warming - so it is up to us to fix our mistakes and mitigate the effects that climate change has bought. To achieve this, we must educate ourselves; distributing an environmental awareness course, for instance, is a simple solution to spread awareness within an organisation.

3. Encourage staff to carpool, work from home or even walk to work!

This one is self-explanatory; encouraging your staff to reduce their carbon footprint and reduce their fuel consumption is a great way to help the environment.

4. Promote zero-waste and recycling schemes in your office

Implementing a recycling or zero-waste initiative in your workspace is one of the simpler, lower cost steps towards a greener office. This is a fantastic alternative to sending our rubbish to a polluting landfill site, while encouraging a long-term, sustainable approach to recycling.

5. Switch the energy-hogging devices for something a little more efficient

Monitors, printers, air conditioning units…these are just three of the many energy-hogging devices that businesses use on a day-to-day basis. It is an unrealistic suggestion to encourage businesses to discard existing machinery and, frankly, it would be wasteful. However, when it’s time to replace your equipment, ensure you have done research and opt for a more environmentally friendly replacement.

6. Motion sensors are your best friend

If your staff are particularly forgetful when it comes to turning off lights or the AC after leaving a room, it may be time to think about installing motion sensors. Not only will this investment help to reduce your business’ carbon footprint but, financially, saving electricity is very cost-effective.

7. Include green spaces and plants

Plants and trees are said to be our earth’s lungs so, when it comes to creating an environmentally friendly organisation, creating a greenspace, and placing plants around your office is guaranteed to improve air quality. In turn, studies have shown this can improve productivity by 15%! Once again, nature never fails to amaze.

Next steps

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