Sustainability Where It Counts

With the environment consistently deteriorating, now is the perfect time to be more environmentally conscious, not just at home, but also in the office. Without us knowing, the workplace is one of the major contributors to the amount of trash and pollution in the world. Paper is the most common form of trash that is thrown from offices. At an average, the amount of paper and other stationery items being disposed from workplaces annually can span for 2,800 miles–that’s the distance from Manila, the Philippines to Jakarta, Indonesia. Besides the office supplies, offices also contribute a substantial amount of trash to the total e-waste (electronic waste) in the world. E-waste comprises 70% of the overall toxic waste in the world and only 12.5% of this is being recycled.

Although these facts about the environment can be a bit disheartening, it is not yet too late to make a difference. Last November 15, we held Eureka Series: In the Green Economy, where we were able to talk with two respected people who are advocates for green spaces and green businesses. Joel Luna, principal of Luna Planning and Design, and Joseph De la Torre, programs manager for Philippine Business for the Environment, gave a panel discussion on the importance of making the workplace more environment-friendly. According to De la Torre, it should be kept in mind that there is an inherent value in turning the office into a greener space, and each action, whether big or small, has their own consequence to the environment. In order to create a greener space in the workplace, Joel Luna advises that there must be a shift in the consciousness of everyone in the workplace in order for this green movement to be effective.

All of this advice seems great to hear, but it would be nothing without concrete action from everyone. A radical change in lifestyle, especially in the office, can be difficult, but De la Torre says that it all begins with one step. Begin by implementing short term changes in the workplace that will have long term effects on people and to the environment. There are different ways to make small changes in the workplace, for some it can be recycling, while for others it can be through eliminating single-use plastic. 

Acceler8 is joining the movement for a more sustainable workplace as we implement a few projects that advocate for a greener lifestyle. We are starting to create eco-bricks with the single-use plastic and other plastic waste that we receive every day. These bricks will be donated later on to an organization that uses these bricks to create houses. Apart from this, we are also launching our latest green project.  Segreg8 is one of our latest initiatives to properly discard office trash.

We will be giving more tips on how to turn your office into a green workspace in our newsletters for this month. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to learn more.