How to “Green” Your Office Move
Sustainable design is becoming such an important part of corporate culture today. Many companies these days are incorporating “green” principles when designing a new location. As part of this movement, as professional move coordinators, we sometimes get asked by our clients to make the move itself as green as possible so that a company can make an eco-friendly transition from their old office into their new “green” one.
Here are my top 3 tips for greening your office move:
1. Reduce Packing Material
Compared to traditional cardboard boxes, reusable plastic crates are more environmentally friendly for your office move.
Keeping in mind that cardboard packaging material accounts for one third of landfill waste, incorporating reusable plastic crates into your office move is an important part of making an eco-friendly transition to your new location. Also, compared to corrugated boxes, reusable plastic containers:
- Require less energy to produce
- Produce less solid waste
- Generate less greenhouse gas emissions
The durability of plastic crates allows moving trucks to be packed more efficiently which reduces the number of truckloads necessary for your move and the amount of fuel burned. This not only results in a greener move but less money spent on moving.
A big concern for many people is what happens to these crates when they are retired. Afterall, cardboard decomposes faster than plastic so, in some ways, it would be better for cardboard to end up in the landfill than plastic. To solve this problem, when renting crates for your move, be on the lookout for companies that make their crates from 100 percent recyclable plastic. We recommend companies like Rentacrate who not only make their crates entirely out of recyclable plastic but use that plastic in the production of new crates.
2. Purge, Purge, Purge!
Our mantra at the Golden Gate Company is “Purge, Purge, Purge”. We consider this to be one of the most important parts of a move, not only for organizational purposes, but for making an eco-friendly transition.
Through getting rid of items you no longer need, you’re reducing the number of truckloads necessary for your office move and the amount of fuel burned. You’re also reducing the size of your real estate footprint which means less energy spent on a larger office. And you have the added bonus of being more organized in your new office!
It’s important to consider recycling as a key component of your purging program. You’ll not only want to recycle paper, but any surplus equipment as well. You’ll want to thoroughly research any equipment recyclers as some unscrupulous vendors simply dump the equipment in a third-world country instead of recycling it as promised. In the San Francisco Bay Area, we work with Electrotech Recyclers – they recycle telephone, computer and server room equipment in a responsible and reliable manner.
3. Hire Green Vendors
Everybody is jumping on the green bandwagon these days which makes it easier to find a sustainable vendor for every part of your move.
In terms of furniture, purchasing used furniture is a great way to keep something out of the landfill and save money. At the same time, new furniture manufacturers are offering cradle-to-cradle design which means it was created using sustainable practices and can be retired using sustainable practices as well. Most used furniture wasn’t designed to be retired in a sustainable manner so you’ll have to consider this when making a decision on office furniture.
In terms of equipment, you’ll find that manufacturers are offering equipment with energy efficiency in mind. This means fewer machines needed in a server room because of greater storage space or virtualization. It also means machines process energy more efficiently because of improved design. Many companies use a move to upgrade their technology which could mean new servers, flat screen monitors or a new telephone system. Evaluating new technology based on energy efficiency not only means creating a more sustainable office but reducing ongoing operational costs.
Conclusion
Many companies think about sustainability when designing their office but often forget about greening the move itself. As you can see, it’s an important part of becoming an eco-friendly company. Keep in mind that a move is a great time to implement new sustainable processes in your office as well. Afterall, it makes no sense to have 3 different bins for sorting rubbish if nobody is trained on how to actually sort their trash into garbage, recycling and compost. Leveraging your move to implement sustainable practices is a huge step towards becoming a greener company.
Article written by Rachel Walls, principal and senior project manager for The Golden Gate Company www.goldengatecompany.com. We specialize in helping companies plan and coordinate an office move. Our clients include: McKinsey & Company, Grant Thornton, Hotwire, San Jose State University and San Francisco University.
