If you are planning a corporate move – whether relocating your entire office, or transferring a few employees to another location – you may be wondering how to do so in the most eco-friendly and sustainable way. As climate change has become a crucial issue for our global society, more and more businesses are committed to reducing their carbon footprints. Here are a few tips for green office relocations.
1) Plan ahead and talk to professionals about green office relocations
Before you begin any of the physical aspects of your move, you will benefit from speaking with a relocation professional, who can help you to estimate the costs involved with going for green moving options. Professionals will be able to acquire quotes for eco-friendly options, like reusable packing materials and sustainability-minded moving companies. With this information, you’ll be able to accurately create a relocation budget that reflects the costs of a green relocation.
2) Reduce the amount of trips
During the planning stages, you should also be thinking about ways to reduce the amount of office items to transport, as well as the amount of trips you’ll need to take during the move. Maybe those old desks or worn lobby couches can be recycled, instead of shipped. Recycle or donate anything your company doesn’t need.
If you are relocating employees, talk to them about alternative possibilities to an “exploration trip,” – while visiting their a new city before the big move is a good way for employees to get acquainted with their new environment, it isn’t the only way. Settle-in.com, for example, has an innovative online relocation tool that allows employees to explore neighborhoods, housing options, schools and more using interactive maps and guides.
3) Choose eco-friendly packing products
A typical move requires loads and loads of packing materials – boxes, packing peanuts, and heavy-duty tape. The good news is finding eco-friendly options for green office relocations isn’t too challenging. Instead of buying new cardboard boxes, approach companies (like grocery stores) that will let you reuse their boxes. Another option is to ask for recycled boxes from moving companies, or renting plastic storage bins and crates that can then be returned and used again. When you’re finished with boxes and packing materials, recycle them instead of throwing them away.
4) Seek out a green moving company
Dedicate yourself or your company to using the services of an eco-consious transportation options. Look for movers who use fuel-efficient vehicles, follow anti-iddling regulations, use reusable or recyclable packing materials, and can provide your company with eco-frienctly solutions to disposal of unwanted items. Some companies are even dedicated to community improvement projects like helping to build parks or plant trees.
5) Be responsible about e-waste
There’s a good chance your company will have some computers, printers, monitors, and other electronics that can be very harmful to the environment if simply thrown into the trash. When planning green office relocations, ensure that all e-waste is disposed of properly, based on regulations. Look for professional e-waste removal services, or even donate these products to be reused.
6) Go for green cleaning products
A small step, but an important one! Using green cleaning products made out of natural ingredients and recycled materials is a great way to enforce the health of your employees and the planet. With green cleaning products you are safer because you won’t be absorbing harmful, harsh chemicals into your skin or lungs. The risk of chemical burns is also reduced. What’s more, you will be helping to lower the amount of pollutive ingredients that empty into the water and earth, which will help minimize ozone depletion, climate change and smog. As an added bonus, many natural cleaning product ingredients, like vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice, olive oil and others are actually less expensive than traditional cleaning products!
At Settle-in.com, we hope these tips help you succeed in planning and implementing green office locations!
To provide a stress-free Canadian relocation and a smooth landing for transferees, take advantage of Settle-in.com’s expert relocation specialists and innovative online platform!
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(Photo: Nicolas Raymond)