Workplace Sustainability

Operating a Greener Business

Your business – large or small – has a role to play in enhancing the community’s environmental quality of life. From recycling the tons of office paper your business generates annually to maintaining clean and tidy storefronts, a proactive response by the business community can help reduce office waste and the operating costs associated with managing that waste.

Cigarette Litter

Cigarette butts are litter. Lack of awareness, lack of outdoor ashtrays and receptacles, and smoking-ban ordinances that move smokers outdoors all increase cigarette litter. Cigarette litter is costly to your business. As a business owner, you will bear the expense of cigarette litter clean up around your establishment at entrances, exits, adjacent sidewalks, loading docks and parking lots. Instead, make a one-time investment in ash receptacles outside your establishment so customers and employees can properly dispose of their cigarette waste. This will help reduce cigarette litter around your business, reducing the costs associated with cleaning it up while also protecting the environment.

Investing in Recycled Goods

When you institute a business waste management plan, your business can minimize waste and reduce disposal costs by recycling and buying recycled goods. Recycle your computers and electronics. Buy remanufactured toner cartridges for all printers. Purchase other office supplies that are remanufactured from recycled goods. Use your community’s services to recycle office paper and aluminum cans.

A typical business office generates almost 2 pounds of waste per employee each day, much of it recyclable office paper. And in the next five years, more then 250 million computers will become obsolete, including the one you’re using to visit this website. All this office waste will need to be disposed of properly in a cost-effective, environmentally sound manner that meets EPA guidelines.

Eco-friendly business practices – such as buying recycled goods – can enhance your business’ image and reputation in the community and improve employee morale.

Resources

Arkansas Energy and Environment
Waste Wise
Smokers’ Outpost
Windsor Barrel Works

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