Businesses are starting to catch on to the benefits of going green, and it’s leading to a pretty rapid revolution in the corporate world. In addition to the cost savings of certain green transitions, workplace morale can be boosted through employees that find more gratification in working for a company that makes an effort to care about the environment.
In the office, digital tools have made it much easier to cut down on paper consumption. But the bathroom has typically been viewed as a place where corners shouldn’t be cut. This doesn’t mean, though, that you can’t help your office bathrooms in going green. You simply need to take a different approach. Here are some ways to go green while still maintaining a clean and functional office restroom.
Upgrade faucets
Bathroom faucets can be the source of huge amounts of water waste. Swapping these out for conservation-minded faucets can make a big difference on the water bill. Choose between high-efficiency faucets that regulate the flow of water and motion-activated faucets that only run when they’re actively being used.
Outfit the restroom with recycled paper products
Even if your bathroom currently has hands-free air dryers, there’s no getting around the need for paper products inside the bathroom stall. To be as green as possible, purchase recycled paper products that are chemical-free and safe for the environment. There’s no way to completely eliminate the use of paper products in the restroom, so you might as well make sure the ones you’re using are as friendly to the environment as possible.
Save water at the sink
Proper hand washing requires hands to be vigorously scrubbed for 20-30 seconds. During that time, most people let the water continue to run, which is a needless waste. Just by turning off the water while it’s not being used, employees can help save their organization hundreds of gallons of water over the course of a year. Accomplish this across the board by investing in the afore-mentioned motion-sensitive faucets.
Install high-efficiency urinals and toilets
It may take some negotiating with management, but it would be worth the effort to find out if the business will spring to install high-efficiency urinals and toilets. These will restrict the use of water on each flush without worsening the performance of the flushing mechanism, allowing you to enjoy the same quality while cutting down on water waste.
Encourage use of the trash can
If there’s no trash can around, there’s a tendency in bathrooms to throw trash and other waste into the urinals and toilets. But there’s no need to do this when there are trash cans easily accessible in the bathroom. Make sure proper waste receptacles are available to employees and encourage them to use these bins properly instead of overusing toilet fixtures.
If you outline your initiative to make the office bathroom a more eco-friendly place and get the backing of management, you’re sure to see some progress. It’s always easiest to secure participation from others when green efforts don’t put them at an inconvenience. Be patient, and remember that supplies and fixture-related changes may be easier to implement than behavioral ones.
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