Recycling at Work - It's Easier than you Think!

Have you had this happen to you? You need a cup of coffee...grab your mug that you bring in every week and step up to the coffee. Next to you is another employee, a colleague, maybe even a friend who has the same need (CAFFINE!). Rather than using a mug, they grab a paper or (cringe) a styrofoam cup. Five minutes later...it's in the trash.

What can you do? You can't stand to see all this trash. You make every effort to reduce your waste, you bring your own lunch, your own mug, your reusable water jug….but every time you pass by the trash, what do you see? Paper, plastic, glass, STYROFOAM CUPS!

Well, fear not. Your fellow cube mate may be having the same dilemma. Hey, there may be a whole group of treehugging, fellow greens in the cube next door just waiting to do something.

Like most people, I work in a largish company with protocols and processes set up by management or HR. For years I had the same problems trying to find a way to change a simple problem, getting rid of the styrofoam cups. Little did I know there were others trying to do the same thing.

If you are having the same problems, find some colleagues who have a love for the environment and form a committee. Develop a new process for recycling that you can propose to management…or just do it yourself.

Try it out! If you have any success stories or questions on how to change your company to a more sustainable model, please let us know.
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