Simple Ways to go Green this Earth Day

We think every day should be Earth Day. Today, we’re celebrating by sharing simple tips on how to live and work more sustainably. At Career Group Companies, we’re proud of our drive to go green and lead with a sustainability focus.

Here are a few ways we’ve gone eco-friendly:

• We gift every Career Group Companies employee with a reusable aluminum water bottle to reduce single-use plastic bottle and cup consumption. This simple step is helping our company reduce approximately 225,000 plastic bottles a year!
• We offer commuter incentives for our employees to reduce their vehicle emissions. For those who choose to commute by public transportation, they get a great discount!
• Cute, branded tote bags are a staple around the office. We love this eco-friendly swap for plastic bags. Tote bags also make a great gift and the impact of swapping these for single-use plastics is substantial!
• Four of our office buildings are LEED-certified and eco-friendly. This certification is given to buildings that have a sustainability focus & environmental conservation design.
• We transitioned to a paperless system for all employee pay stubs! This cuts down significantly on paper waste for our internal staff and the many external temporary employees we place on assignment with our clients.
• We stock our kitchen with bio-grade compostables wherever possible - including hot beverage cups & lids, plates, bowls, utensils, and more.
• Our copy paper is made of 100% recycled materials, but we encourage employees to go paperless when possible.

While we’re constantly thinking of other ways we can cut back to limit waste and consumption, here are some of our favorite tips you can use to go green at home, and at the office!

Eight simple swaps you can make to go green

#1 - Cut down on single-use plastics

Things like plastic utensils, straws, coffee cups, or anything designed to be tossed after one use are a huge waste. Challenge yourself to cut back on these non-essentials by bringing a reusable option with you when running errands or getting take-out!

#2 - Enjoy Meatless Mondays

Eating a plant-based diet is great for the globe and for your health! Did you know that it takes 10 bathtubs full of water to produce 1/4 of a beef burger? Mass animal agriculture is known to be a leading contributor to climate change. If you don’t want to cut animal products out altogether, Meatless Mondays are a great way to make an impact!

#3 - Shop local

Shopping locally means less fuel is used for shipping, and less packaging is required to box your purchases. Plus, you're supporting local businesses - a win-win! Shop locally when you can, and if you’re in charge of sourcing vendors for your business, try out local options first.

#4 - Leave a reusable water bottle at your desk

This is a really easy way to cut down on disposable cups! You can also leave a reusable hand towel, utensils, and other items at your workstation to limit the amount of waste you create in a day. If you do use plastic, make sure to rinse your items and recycle them appropriately.

#5 - Digitize your files

Going digital means less paper waste in the office! You can also set your printers to automatically print double-sided, cutting paper costs in half and saving trees along the way. Challenge your staff to go paperless whenever possible.

#6 - Join the office Green committee

If you’re passionate about making strides towards sustainability, join your office’s committee! If they don’t have one, you can get the ball rolling. Office Green Committees will brainstorm ways their workplace can be more efficient and help senior leaders to make those ideas a reality.

#7 - Volunteer and donate

There are so many nonprofits dedicated to environmental action. Find one that resonates with you and donate your time or money to support, this Earth Day and throughout the year! Every action makes a difference.

#8 - Reduce. Reuse. Recycle

If you really want to limit your consumption, first use up what you already have! Then think of clever ways to reuse things you might’ve thrown away, or donate them instead. And of course, recycle! Make sure your building is set up to recycle responsibly and compost your organic waste.We hope you enjoy the beauty our planet has to offer this Earth Day! At Career Group Companies, we will continue to think sustainably about our future and make eco-friendly business decisions wherever and whenever possible. Follow us on LinkedIn to see what we're up to for Earth Day and throughout the year.