Working from home has produced all kinds of positive behavioural changes that are good for the planet. Now comes the hard part - maintaining them when we return to our workplaces.
At the University of New England, Environmental Sustainability Manager Suzannah Mitchell is discovering all kinds of incredible savings in paper, printer toner, freight, travel and utilities usage.
Ponder these two facts, for starters:
- The transition to online exams has saved over 2 tonnes of paper, over 11,000 resealable clear despatch bags and plastic return mail satchels, and has eliminated an unquantifiable amount of freight to some 400 exam centres around the world; and
- Switching from printed application assessments and special request forms to electronic processes, the School of Psychology alone has saved more than 10,000 pieces of paper since March.
While the cost of utilities like electricity, gas, water and waste is down significantly across our Armidale campus, these savings are likely to have been offset by greater usage in our own homes. But moving conferences, training programs, meetings and intensive schools into the virtual realm has undoubtedly saved a considerable amount of greenhouse gases from air travel.
The COVID conditions have produced significant behavioural change in businesses around the world; the challenge now is to maintain them as workforces begin to return to their workplaces.
"Then we could contribute to some longer-lasting environmental change," Suzannah says.
We've all seen the global improvements to air quality - so profound they are visible from space - and wildlife reclaiming cities no longer clogged with vehicles and people. Many of us have rejoiced in the news that global greenhouse gas emissions in 2020 are expected to fall for the first time since the 2008-09 financial crisis. But what's next?
Some changes may be difficult to sustain, but rather than slip back into old habits, consider these easy ways to stay green.
- use your own recyclable cup;
- switch off your computer monitor when not in use, or set up a hibernation feature to conserve energy;
- go paperless;
- schedule virtual meetings instead of those that require travel;
- bring your own lunch (in a reusable container); and
- recycle: you do it at home, so why not at work?
Embedding a sustainable culture in your workplace, wherever it may be, can make a world of difference.
