With the rising impact of the climate crisis, companies are doing all they can to become more environmentally friendly, starting with overhauling their office space.
But while switching off air conditioning units when they're not needed and adding some plants to the office can undoubtedly make it a more eco-friendly space, some of the biggest sustainability upgrades can be the ones you least expect.
Did you know, for example, that investing in standing desks can actually be one way of making your office space more sustainable? In fact, standing desks can contribute to your sustainability goals in multiple ways. Let's get into it.
1. Made From Sustainable Materials
If you've heard of a height adjustable desk or standing desk, you probably already know the health benefits that they offer. But if you buy your desk from the right manufacturer, you can enjoy a product that's as beneficial for the environment as it is for your body.
Look out for desks made from bamboo or wood, which are both sustainable materials that can be recycled or reused at the end of their lifespan.
Flexispot offers a variety of desks with wooden surfaces as well as bamboo worktops, so if you're looking to swap your existing office furniture out for something more sustainable, Flexispot should be your go-to brand.
Rubberwood is another material you'll find in plenty of Flexispot's desks. It's a natural material that isn't harvested in endangered areas, so you can rest assured that harvesting this material doesn't result in the illegal cutting down of trees.
Plus, harmful chemicals or non-organic pesticides and fertilisers aren't used to grow rubberwood.
2. Saves Electricity
Believe it or not, using a standing or height adjustable desk can actually help you to reduce your electricity consumption! There are a few reasons for this. One is that office workers tend to leave their laptops plugged in even when they're fully charged, using unnecessary amounts of electricity.
By investing in a height adjustable desk, you'll be forced to consider the placement of your laptop and plug when moving the desk, which can remind you to unplug your charger when it's not being used.
Standing desks can also help you to avoid unnecessary meetings. When you work in an office space, it's all too easy to be pulled into a meeting where your input probably isn't needed, or for the office to continue for longer than it needs to.
Standing meetings don't tend to last as long, which means you'll be less likely to use lights, a projector, or a screen in a meeting room for as long, saving valuable electricity.
3. Helps Create a Healthier Environment
While the health of our environment is important, the health of our bodies is an equally vital concern. Standing desks improve your health in multiple ways - making your lifestyle less sedentary, improving circulation, and allowing you to get moving while at your desk.
Many standing desk owners install a treadmill or walking mat beneath their desks, allowing them to get their steps in during the workday. If your desk is standing or height adjustable, you'll also be able to perform stretches at your desk, helping you to avoid aches and pains.
Other Ways to Make Your Office More Eco-friendly
As well as investing in a standing desk, here are some simple changes you can make to improve your office's sustainability. These tips can be applied whether you work from home or in a commercial office.
● Reduce your paper usage. Often, things don't actually need to be printed, and it's more convenient and eco-friendly to use a digital copy. Next time you find your mouse hovering over the 'print' button, think twice about whether it actually needs printing, or whether a digital copy would suffice.
● Use less single-use plastic. Single-use plastic is famously bad for the environment, so skip the plastic straw from your next iced coffee and stop picking up plastic cutlery with your lunch. Whether you tend to buy lunch to-go or bring it with you to the office, consider using metal or bamboo cutlery instead.
● Consider the environmental impact of your lunch. If your go-to sandwich contains red meat with a high carbon footprint, avocados imported from miles away, and unsustainably-caught fish, consider occasionally swapping it out for a sandwich made with veggies grown locally.
● Keep an eye on your energy consumption. Switch off lights when you're not using them and keep heating and cooling to a minimum unless you absolutely need them. As a general rule, a fan will use less electricity than an air conditioning unit, so turn to a fan to cool down whenever possible, and put on layers before resorting to switching the central heating on.
