Just how much are we doing to counteract climate change and lead greener lives? Not enough, apparently. With green issues at the centre of the world’s attention recently, most of us are keen to do our part and help the planet.
However, most of our environmental efforts tend to start at home – and often end there.
An EDF Energy survey found that more than 3 out of 4 professionals make an effort to reduce energy consumption at home. Impressive, right? But hold your applause for just a moment. Turns out, 55% admit they’re less environmentally conscious in the office, the vast majority saying they don’t bother with simple things like turning off lights, computers or the air conditioning.
This is certainly disconcerting as more and more small businesses make efforts to improve their energy efficiency and reduce utilities bills. And with the same survey finding that 32% of employees want more guidance from their employers on the office’s green initiatives, it seems many businesses should put more effort into communicating the green message to workers.
At home or at the office, small changes can make a big difference when it comes to energy efficiency. We should all make a conscious effort to turn off the lights in meeting rooms and offices that aren’t being used, shut down our computers and other office equipment every evening before we go home and layer on an extra jumper instead of cranking up the space heater.
How environmentally conscious are you around the office? What green initiatives does your office have in place?
