How Can You Improve Your Office Sustainability and Productivity?

Julie Starr • September 25, 2021



A modern-day workplace is a busy place. With all the extra work and responsibilities that you must balance, it can be challenging to maintain a sustainable and productive office. 

It may not be a pressing issue because the business doesn’t produce any pollutants or create any waste. But many people in today’s world face this dilemma daily. So how do you find time for your sustainability efforts while still getting everything else done?

Power Savings

It refers to reducing your energy usage in the office. Not only will this save you money, but it’s also better for the environment. Some ways to achieve this goal is by turning off lights and equipment when they are not needed (such as at night or during lunch). Also, ensure that all computers go into sleep mode after a set amount of time without activity, and even try powering down devices like printers if you are not using them.

Reducing Pollutants

This act reduces emissions from products such as paper towels, printer ink cartridges, and batteries. You can start with replacing items like duster sprayers with more eco-friendly options; microfiber cloths work just as well. Other easy steps include using recycled paper trays instead of buying new ones and replacing disposable batteries with alkaline varieties.

Pollutants can be harmful to the environment, but they can also cause health problems for employees. You can use air purification devices from Design Mechanical, Inc to keep your environment clean and healthy for everyone. 

Cleanliness and Hygiene

It would help if you had a clean, healthy environment that doesn’t negatively affect the people working there and those around them. Some easy steps you can take include increasing your indoor air quality by using more eco-friendly cleaning supplies, taking out the trash regularly instead of overfilling it, and even reusing items like coffee mugs.

Good hygiene in the work area also helps achieve this goal. For example, using antibacterial spray to kill germs and microorganisms in the office can reduce illnesses like flu or colds that cause employees to miss work.

Cleanliness and hygiene are things that most people overlook in the office, but having a clean space can improve employee morale and productivity.

Use Eco-friendly Products

You need to use products that are more environmentally friendly . For example, buying recycled paper is a great way to reduce trees cut down to produce new office material. Other options include replacing traditional light bulbs with CFL ones and even switching out printers for models that use less ink or toner, so you don’t have to replace them as often.

Incorporate Natural Products and Supplies

Using more “green” alternatives that don’t rely on chemicals or unnatural ingredients to get the job done will positively impact your sustainability goals. It includes items like a bamboo pencil holder for your desk (instead of plastic), a plant-based soap dispenser instead of one with harsh chemicals inside it, and even something as simple as an all-natural hand sanitizer.

Conclusion

And lastly, there is one crucial thing that many business owners don’t think about when discussing sustainability: their employees. If you want an office environment where everyone feels comfortable with what they’re doing for an environmental cause, then make sure workers are involved in the process. It will make them feel more like they are contributing instead of just being told what to do, and they will put more effort into the activity.

5 Everyday Items That Can Quietly Boost Your Brand

By Julie Starr • July 17, 2025
The best branding doesn’t always come from big campaigns or expensive graphics. Sometimes it’s the smaller stuff that leaves the biggest impression. Things people actually use, touch, or carry with them. That’s where your brand can quietly make its mark without needing to shout about it. If you’re only focusing on social media and business cards, you’re leaving a lot on the table. Here are five overlooked ways to get your name out there that feel natural, useful, and more personal. Thank-you slips If you’re already sending out orders, there’s no reason not to include a short thank-you slip. You can easily get these made through any decent online print shop , and they’re usually pretty cheap to run off in small batches. Just a simple note that says thanks, maybe with a reminder to follow you online or a cheeky discount code for next time. It’s quick, thoughtful, and makes the whole order feel more finished. Customers notice that kind of detail, especially when everything else they buy online comes with zero personality. You don’t need a complicated design either. Just something clean with your logo, a message that sounds like you, and maybe a social handle. The point is to give them a reason to come back or remember your name without it feeling forced. Branded zip pouches If you sell physical products, offer services, or run events, small zip pouches are surprisingly effective. Think of the kind you’d use for stationery, receipts, or travel bits. You can get your brand printed on the side and hand them out with purchases or include them in welcome packs. People keep them because they’re actually useful. They get tossed in handbags, school bags, or glove boxes and your logo just keeps turning up. Cleaning cloths for glasses or screens This one works brilliantly if you’re in tech, health, beauty, or anything involving screens or eyewear. A simple microfibre cloth with your branding on it can go a long way. Everyone needs one. Whether they use it for glasses, a phone screen, or their laptop, it’s something they hang onto. It’s not the kind of thing people throw away, and that means your name sticks around too. Receipt envelopes You might already use little envelopes to hand over receipts or business cards. Branding those envelopes is a small change that makes a big difference. Instead of someone getting a scruffy bit of paper in a plain sleeve, they’re handed something that feels a bit more finished. You can even add a message inside. Doesn’t need to be anything dramatic. A simple “thanks for visiting” or “see you next time” is enough to add a personal touch. Wet wipes or mini hand gels If your business is in hospitality, food, or anything hands-on, branded wet wipes or pocket-sized hand gels are surprisingly popular. People actually use them, especially at festivals, food stalls, pop-ups, or kids’ events. They end up in handbags or cars and stick around longer than you think. They don’t scream “marketing” either. They’re practical, and when done right, they make your business feel thoughtful. That’s what good branding does, it shows you’ve thought ahead.

How Student-Led ‘Energy Audits’ Are Cutting School Costs (and Lighting the Way Forward)

By Julie Starr • July 14, 2025
What happens when students stop waiting for adults to fix things and start conducting their own energy audits? Money gets saved. The lights get switched off. Data gets analyzed. And a quiet revolution in sustainability begins—inside schools that once overlooked their own inefficiencies. Across the globe, student-led energy audits are proving that change doesn't always need to come from a policy shift or a major capital budget. Sometimes, it begins with a clipboard, a spreadsheet, and a group of curious minds asking: Why are the hallway lights on at noon when sunlight floods the building? The Energy Detectives These audits aren’t science fair projects. They’re rigorous investigations, often done in collaboration with facilities staff, local environmental nonprofits, or even engineering mentors. Students go from classroom to classroom measuring electricity usage, checking for phantom loads , and identifying where heat is escaping in winter or air conditioning is leaking in summer. One high school in Ontario saved over $12,000 a year after its Grade 11 physics students ran an energy audit and suggested simple changes—LED upgrades, motion sensors in bathrooms, and smarter heating schedules. They didn’t just propose ideas. They pitched them with spreadsheets, thermal images, and payback timelines. It worked. Learning That Pays Off—Literally Unlike textbook learning, these audits blend real-world math, environmental science, economics, and persuasive communication. Students aren’t just learning about sustainability. They’re doing it. And the savings add up. From dimming overlit hallways to reprogramming HVAC systems that run all weekend for empty buildings, students are surfacing blind spots that administrators often overlook. In some districts, their findings are influencing energy policy. Elsewhere, the audits have inspired school boards to hire sustainability coordinators—often alumni of the student programs themselves. There’s something poetic about a school funding new books or laptops from money saved by students who found out the vending machines didn’t need to be plugged in 24/7. Why This Matters More Than Ever With education budgets tightening and utility costs rising, every dollar saved is a dollar that can go back into classrooms. And here’s where it gets interesting from a family finance perspective, too. If you’re a parent setting aside money for post-secondary savings, every bit of school efficiency helps. Fewer energy costs might mean more programming, better STEM facilities, or even bursaries. That raises a broader point: when families save for their children’s future, they often look into RESPs (Registered Education Savings Plans). And many wonder—is a RESP deduction available on my taxes? While contributions themselves aren’t deductible, the gains grow tax-free, and students often pay little to no tax when they withdraw the funds during school. A Movement Worth Replicating These audits aren’t just an exercise in environmentalism. They’re leadership labs. Students learn how to spot inefficiencies, speak up in board meetings, and make a business case for change. They don’t just flip switches—they shift mindsets. And they carry these habits into adulthood. The result? A generation growing up not only with climate anxiety, but also with tools to tackle it.