TOP TEN TIPS
INTERFACEFLOR
InterfaceFLOR’s European division 7. Think green in procurement. Audit
recommends the following top ten actions suppliers’ environmental policy and
that businesses can take for a sustainable practices. Those suppliers who are
G
lobal modular flooring future: walking the talk are gaining significant
manufacturer 1. Talk to customers about why they business and market share; open new
InterfaceFLOR has should care about sustainability; and how relationships with suppliers who can and
become widely they can explain the same to their will deliver.
recognised as a customers. Challenge them to consider 8. Guide your employees in a
pioneer in sustainable the global environmental situation. respectful and inspired way.
manufacturing and business practices, 2. Source bio fuel to convert from 9. Eliminate waste – don’t just
having won many innovation and diesel oil to create 100% renewable reduce it.
environmental awards. Indeed, energy. 10. Undertake a Life Cycle Analysis to
Interface’s consistent investment in 3. Harness nature – look at wind reveal the environmental footprint of your
sustainability, driven by its Mission Zero turbines, swift turbines, PV, water heat product.
promise to leave zero footprint by the year exchangers and window/glass films.
2020, has resulted in a total of 4. Look into buying surplus electricity InterfaceFLOR uses it to evaluate
$336 million of costs avoided since 1995. from other companies. products, processes and new materials to
The company is currently outperforming 5. Train staff in sustainability. make sure we are making the right
market growth while consistently 6. Email rather than post; create decisions. Examples are the comparison
scrutinising and delivering better online files rather than printed paper ones of different recycling options and the
environmental performance throughout its and, where you have to use paper, print choice for recycled PU-foam above PE-
operations, demonstrating that good or photocopy on both sides of the paper. foam.
business and good sustainable practice Reuse envelopes and don’t use paper or
can be synonymous. plastic cups.
PLANET OFFICE
at home one day a week and opt for
public transport, car pooling, walking or
cycling. This would cut rush hour traffic by
20% each day.
T
he ongoing ‘green’ debate 6. Print-Wise: Print on both sides and
means office politics are about wastes enough energy to heat 1000 cups print conservatively.
to heat up, but workers can of tea and over-indulgent printing wastes 7. Bin The Bins: Reuse and recycle, as
avoid getting hot under the two-and-a-half trees per person each in total UK businesses waste more than
collar by taking some small year, on average. 4.6m tonnes of paper each year, which
steps to avoid being labelled “Implementing some small, realistic laid end-to-end would stretch 360,000km
the ‘in-house waster.’ and achievable changes into the office – almost the whole way to the moon.
Sustainable workplace specialist routine will help to significantly reduce 8. Turn Down the Heat: Turn the heat
Morgan Lovell has drawn up a ten-point carbon emissions and undoubtedly save down by 1ºC and your office can cut
plan to inspire office workers to cut down money - and ultimately improve the heating bill by 10%.
on waste in terms of resources and money environment of both the office and the 9. Champion the Cause: Each week
– and play their part in the UK’s growing planet.” allocate someone in the office to manage
corporate social responsibility culture. Morgan Lovell’s 10 steps to going office sustainability; essentially ensuring
The company - which develops carbon ‘green’ in the office. that lights are switched off and that all the
neutral office environments - has come up 1. Shutdown: When leaving the office equipment is properly shut down at the
with the findings after researching for lunch or a meeting, switch off the end of each working day. This will develop
people’s work patterns through its computer completely. a sense of responsibility within the office
sustainable fit out projects, carried out 2. Switch Off: Switch off the lights workers and make energy conservation
across the UK. whenever a room is empty. part of an everyday routine.
Morgan Lovell spokesman Paul Kelly, 3. Unplug: Unplug mobile phone 10. Set A Target: Outline a plan to
said: “The problem is that the daily office chargers, one of the worst culprits for help cut office CO
2
emissions. Once a
routine is made up of numerous carbon putting a drain on energy. target is achieved, continue to monitor
emitting activities. 4. Open up: Open up the blinds to CO
2
levels so that sustainability can be
“For example, switching the computer emit natural light and use the window to successfully maintained.
on at 9am and leaving it on until 5pm, provide natural ventilation.
only to have holiday photos flashing up as 5. Take A New Route: Leave the car
the screensaver 70% of the time, is
common office practice, but the amount of
energy wasted by using computers Submit your Top Ten Tips to:
inefficiently would be enough to laser print
800 sheets of A4 paper.
“Leaving the lights on overnight
mail@abbeypublishing.co.uk
SUSTAINABLE FM | OCTOBER 2007
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