Ways to be sustainable at work

With COP26 well underway in Glasgow, and all the world focused on the decisions and promises being made by world leaders, it’s apparent that the health of the planet is a serious issue that needs addressing by governments, businesses and citizens alike.

Knowing you can make a difference in your day to day life can relieve climate change anxiety, but there’s no need to stop making green decisions once you leave home and enter the workplace. No matter your position, we can all make many changes to create a more sustainable way of working.

Naturally, some choices are easier to make than others, but COP26 has shown that looking after our planet is a global responsibility; any change, no matter how small, is better, no change at all.

Reducing day to day waste

One easy way to reduce waste in the workplace is to cut down on paper usage. The typical modern office is theoretically capable of running paper free with the ubiquity of cloud base storage and connectivity. While the reality may mean we all use paper in some form or another, make paper usage a conscious choice, one that isn’t the go-to choice.

If paper is integral to your business, then it’s worth knowing that all waste at White Rose Park is recycled, meaning you can send those pieces of paper away to be used again and again.

It’s not just paper that’s recycled at the White Rose Office Park but all other types of waste too; plastics can be sorted and recycled. Plastics in the office come at a cost for the environment, specifically, plastics that often go unseen or unthought-of in day to day usage. Plastic isn’t inherently a bad thing; it can be beneficial, applicable and relatively low costing. However, one-use plastics can be damaging to the environment and take hundreds of years to break down. It’s worth considering looking for greener alternatives when using everyday plastics like sellotape, envelope windows or bubble wrap.

Encouraging day to day lifestyle changes

Why not start the day right with an environmentally friendly journey into the office? At White Rose Park, you can take advantage of our borrow-a-bike scheme. Combining your commute with some cardio, will definitely do good for both you and the environment! If the weather is a bit miserable (or bikes aren’t your thing), you can also participate in our lift-share scheme. A friendly and sociable way to get to work and meet other people in the White Rose Park community, you’re also reducing emissions and your carbon footprint in the process. Likewise, if you’re driving an electric vehicle, we have charging stations where you can charge your car’s battery as you work.

It’s also worth considering the types of food you eat. With food accounting for 70% of global biodiversity loss, and a third of global emissions, what we eat has a significant effect on the environment. As vegetarian and vegan options continue to rise, why not consider reducing the amount of meat? Speaking of food, buying and using a reusable cup can save the environment and your money, as our recently reopened Starbucks offers discounts on all drinks served in reusable cups!

Working at White Rose Park

Working at the White Rose Park is set to get a great deal greener too, as we work towards creating a fully sustainable, carbon positive campus. Our future plans take into account the health and well being of the planet and the people who use our space, which is why we’ve set a target to be carbon neutral by 2030.

We’re proud to say that all of our power is already sourced from renewable sources, and all of our waste is recycled. We plan to add to the pre-existing charging points, making it easier for those with electric cars and encouraging them to continue using their vehicles. While we already have solar panels providing some electricity, our roadmap for the future involves using even more UV and wind energy to power the office park, something we’re incredibly excited about.

With so many options when it comes to being sustainable, there are actions that everyone can undertake. As COP26 has shown, working together is the best way for us to secure a safer and greener planet.