How to Make Sustainability an Objective in Your Job

It seems like as time goes on more and more companies are jumping on the sustainability bandwagon and, man, am I happy! We have Net-a-Porter launching a new sustainability section, Rent the Runway making huge gains in reusable fashion, and my own company making strives to a greener tomorrow. With all this talk, you might question how you can bring sustainability to your own job. No matter if you’re an engineer, teacher, or business woman – you can do it!

Map out B-I-G Ideas

Want the company to be run on clean energy? Want to go waste free? Want to make sure everything is sourced ethically and environmentally friendly? The first thing you need to do is start bringing up your big ideas. Once you get the ideas out in the surface you can tackle what needs to be done next. Who knows, maybe your coworkers can help bring up these ideas and start a plan.

It All Starts with the First Conversations

After you brainstorm your grand ideas, it is time to start thinking about all of the little goals you can do in order to achieve those big, bad ideas. Have each team come up with smaller ideas to help get to that big goal. Each department can come up with ideas on how to create a more sustainable environment in their profession. You can then have the groups come together to bounce off ideas on how to make it better.

Re-evaluate and Add New Ideas

As time goes on, you make need to re-evaluate some of your ideas. We’re some easily achievable? Do some need to be taken off the board? Do you have new ideas? There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to sustainability (well, unless you’re trying to introduce more plastic into the world) so don’t be afraid to share your ideas.

A Few Ideas to Start With

Start recycling in the cafeteria and around the office
Give composting a try
Give employees challenges to go plastic free for “x” amount of days or to bring lunch to work every day for a month