Climate change has gained traction recently and is an important topic of public interest. As the planet’s climate changes rapidly, many people worldwide are feeling the impact. The concern for environmental issues has also extended to people’s attitudes towards work. According to BBC, younger workers nowadays have higher eco-anxiety levels than previous generations. Many hope to do something about the climate problem through their hobbies or work. Doing such work helps them alleviate existential feelings of dread associated with the worsening state of the environment.

76% of the millennial workforce is concerned about climate change, according to Earth911. Among Gen Z, this number is equally high. A recent Deloitte survey revealed that climate change is the top concern for Gen Z. They were more concerned about climate change than any generation before them. 77% of Gen Z workers also wanted to be employed in a company that upheld similar values. 

As such, companies could do well to keep these concerns in mind. More young millennials and Gen Z workers are entering the corporate sector. They will want their concerns to be heard by their employers. Millennials would like to work with a great team of co-workers who share similar values.

Tackling climate change is a monumental task. It seems so even more because only a tiny number of people are fighting for the change. However, eco-conservation should not just be the purview of younger generations. Everyone who lives on the Earth will be affected by it, so it must be a collective effort from all over the world. 

When we conserve the environment, we also do it for the benefit of humanity. Get your organization to build stronger groups of eco-conservers; let them be your team members!

Educate Team Members 

Any adequate environmental movement always begins with robust environmental education. Your employees already know about climate change, but revising the idea is always a good idea. So try to refresh their understanding of what being an eco-conserver is all about. 

If you have a small group of employees who already know about eco-conservation, why not enlist their help? They would be more than happy to contribute to the cause. You could even formalize their position as the official conservation team in your company. It provides the group with a sense of purpose and recognition. You may implement conservation programmes at the workplace or plan eco-outreach events to educate your employees.

You may also want to establish a long-term company green vision before educating employees. It includes defining what goals you want them to achieve. It can be about making changes to company operations or changing personal habits. It may also be about regularly donating to green causes. So having a clear list of goals can help you better outline steps for your organization. 

Spreading the eco-conservation agenda will encourage green thinking in your company. Green thinking means being conscious of your impact on nature and appreciating environmentally-friendly initiatives. With green review, employees will be more attuned to caring for the natural world and their health. It creates a more informed and peaceful work environment which younger eco-conscious employees will surely appreciate.

Conserve Nature: Reduce Ecological Footprint

The best change comes when we empower people to improve their habits. Individuals can do their part for environmental conservation by reducing the ecological footprints. Ecological footprints measure how much natural resources individuals consume. 

Natural resources are resources extracted from the Earth. They include paper, metal and water, among other things. The more resources an individual consumes, the larger their ecological footprint they leave behind. A lesser carbon footprint is less harmful to the Earth. So to decrease your ecological footprint, you should aim to reduce consumption and waste generation.

Recycle And Reuse To Reduce

Recycling materials is an efficient and easy way to reduce material consumption. It ensures fewer resources are discarded as waste. You can set up a recycling programme in the workplace for plastics, paper and e-waste.

In the initial stages, it can be challenging to get employees to recycle. However, you can tackle it by rewarding employees for recycling. All you need is a recycling bin in a designated area and a points system. Employees can collect points whenever they recycle something, like a plastic bottle or printed paper. They can exchange these points for a drink or receive an award of recognition. Such incentives encourage employees to recycle. Over time, employees will start incorporating recycling into their daily work habits.

Ask employees to go paperless if possible. Alternatively, they could buy paper products which are made from recycled paper or paper from sustainable forests. Reduce the wastage of paper by using both sides of the sheet before recycling it. Paper used for test prints or incorrectly printed on can be reused for rough scribbling and note-taking. This reduces the need to keep buying and using more paper. If you still have a fax machine in your office, consider upgrading to a fax-to-email system to reduce paper usage.

Encourage your employees to reuse personal things too. They could invest in reusable plates, cups and utensils for their meals instead of using styrofoam and plastic packaging. They could bring along shopping bags made of eco-friendly or recycled materials for grocery shopping instead of using plastic bags. All these help reduce disposable plastics’ use, thus effectively decreasing their ecological footprint.

Support Local, Support Green

Your organization could do its part to support local businesses which implement green practices. It could include purchasing local produce for food or sourcing office stationery from sustainable packaging brands. By setting a good example with your organizational methods, you encourage your employees to follow.

Don’t Forget About Electricity 

Electricity often goes unseen by many of us because of its high accessibility. We take it for granted. As such, we often tend to leave electrical appliances switched on even when no one is using them. This wastes a lot of energy. Conserving energy is important. We must all do that for eco-conservation because natural resources like land and water are used to generate electricity. 

Share valuable tips with your employees to save electricity in the workplace. You can send automated reminder emails reminding employees to power their workstations down when leaving the office. Remind your employees to switch off lights and air-conditioning by pasting reminders near the exits. 

Your company could also consider switching to LED bulbs in the office. LED bulbs save up to 90% more energy than incandescent bulbs, cutting utility costs for your company. Leaving office window blinds up to allow natural light in can also reduce the need to depend on indoor lighting. Otherwise, you can install automated lighting in common areas where people pass through, such as corridors. These lights will get turned off when no one is around, saving electricity.

Employees should also consider sustainable transport options when commuting to and from work. They could carpool with colleagues who drive to work and live in the same area. Those who frequently go alone could be encouraged to take public transport on certain days or to switch to electric vehicles. 

Allowing employees to telecommute also helps reduce time and costs incurred by the daily commute. Not only do employees enjoy more free time and save money, but they also get to reduce their emissions.

The Great Outdoors

Spending time reconnecting with nature is a great way to get people to care about saving the environment. It also boosts their quality of life as interacting with nature calms the mind. Employees should get a chance to expose themselves to natural areas from time to time. This can be done during their free time or as part of company welfare sessions. 

Employees with a shared interest in hiking or climbing could form a sierra club. A sierra club is an interest group dedicated to outdoor hiking and climbing. Members can share information on types of suitable outdoor gear and sports attire or recommend good hiking spots. You can encourage interested colleagues to join them on trips to exercise and learn about hiking. While hiking, they will spend time in the wilderness and take their minds off work. Besides letting them spend more outdoor time, it also encourages team bonding. 

You can find ways to incorporate outdoor activities into company welfare outings. All you need is an open space on public land like a field or beach. You can take employees on a kite-flying trip, organize a freestyle soccer match or plant trees. There are plenty of options; the only limitation is our willingness to explore them. 

Employees may also appreciate excursions to bird sanctuaries, zoos or wildlife reserves. These allow them to encounter wildlife and their habitats; it’s fun and informative. By learning more about the wonders of the natural world, they will be more compelled to do their part to protect it.

Some local communities also run education programmes dedicated to environmental protections. Such groups of people may be stewards of a piece of protected land or natural resources, such as a lake or wildlife reserve. Those communities invest in initiatives to protect and enhance nature conservation in these areas. Your company could visit an organization dedicated to environmental causes to learn more about eco-conservation efforts in the local region. To show your support for these organizations, you can also consider company donations for them. That can be a good CSR activity! 

Finally, you may want to bring some of nature back into the office. Buy some indoor plants to decorate the workspace. These add a nice touch of greenery inside the premises and improve indoor air quality. 

Precious Natural Resources: Water

Remind your employees how precious and limited natural resources are and that they must preserve them. One of the most intensively consumed natural resources is water resources. Water is extensively used in offices as well. With efficient national water filtration and water transport systems in cities, we are used to high water quality levels. Water is used for coolants in computers, air-conditioners, washrooms, and cooking canteen foods. Raise awareness and ensure your employees use water responsibly. It is essential to preserve this precious natural resource.

Your company could invest in water-saving washroom technology, like half-flush toilet systems. How about installing a filtered water cooler in the office? It ensures that employees have access to clean drinking water. It may also reduce the need to buy water from outside. This decreases the consumption and disposal of plastic and styrofoam drink cups. 

If employees need that coffee break, encourage them to get a reusable tumbler or heat-proof mug. They can use it over and over again. That way, they can wash the cups instead of throwing them away.

Investing in eco-conservation education for your company doesn’t just benefit your staff. You protect the environment, motivate by example and establish your firm as a responsible entity. And your customer would love it; more and more people would like to get associated with you. Research shows that 80% of consumers support companies that have championed sustainable business practices. Eco-conservation will be good for your business as well. More businesses across the world are making sustainable efforts for green business practices. So, ensure that your company is part of that movement too. So focus to build stronger groups of eco-conservers. It is better for your company’s long-term interests, the Earth and humanity.