Driving Green Initiatives at DG
Our Sustainability Team has rounded up a few easy ways to be kind to our planet.
After all, it’s the only one we’ve got.
1. Use reusable kitchenware
Single-use plastics (like the plastic flatware found in the Springfield office) doesn’t biodegrade. It usually ends up clogging our oceans, slowly breaking down into smaller and smaller pieces that are ingested by fish and other marine life. Not great. And while the paper products we choose are usually made of recycled material, reusable plates and flatware are the most sustainable options for our coffee, tea, and lunches. And remember: don’t let the water run while you’re washing them!
2. Carpool or use public transit
If you live near a colleague, consider carpooling to work a few days a week to cut down on carbon emissions, or see if you can take advantage of your city’s public transportation. And if you’re close enough to the office to ride your bike or walk, well – the weather is getting pretty nice!
3. Reduce your paper usage
Our computers print to Adobe PDF by default, which has reduced our printing waste. Read onscreen when possible. Our copy paper is certified FSC or SFI for sustainable forestry practices, but it’s best to use as little as possible.
4. Create monthly green challenges for your office
Monthly competitions are a great way to kick off a green office initiative! Why not challenge your office to go a month with no plastic eating utensils or disposable cups, or aim for reduced energy or water use?
5. Turn off or unplug all electronics
Before leaving the office, be sure to turn off your desk lights, switch off your power strips, and turn off your computer or set it to sleep to save energy. In the US, devices that are “off” or in standby or sleep mode can use up to the equivalent of 50 large power plants’ worth of electricity and cost more than $19 billion in electricity bills every year -- and that's just the drain from residential devices [source: New York Times]. And since overall electricity production represents about 37 percent of all carbon dioxide emissions in the United States (one of the main contributors to climate change), switching off is an easy way to help the environment.
6. Join up and help out!
We’ll need your enthusiasm and support to help institute sustainability policies across our company. Contact Jacqueline Bruntjen to see how you can help DG go green!