Report finds lack of efficiency efforts in the office (Image: www.siliconvalleypower.com)

According to research by the United Kingdom (UK) sustainable business expert team Envirowise, individuals committed to cutting waste at home are not cognizant of conservation at work. The survey of more than 1,800 UK office workers found that a third took no action to reduce the amount of resources they use during the work day.

Envirowise is urging Britain’s bosses to disclose gas, electricity, water and recycling bills to employees in order to encourage them to take more responsibility for reducing company resource consumption and lessen their environmental impact.

Envirowise suggests several ways to minimize waste and reduce energy consumption in the workplace, including appointing a ‘champion’ to lead waste reduction initiatives, urging employees to switch off lights and computers at the end of the work day, installing self-closing taps to conserve water and reducing water usage through rainwater harvesting.

“With the credit crunch continuing to bite, cutting costs through better resource efficiency and minimizing waste have never been more important. Those businesses that make positive changes to reduce their environmental impact and reduce costs now will be better equipped to survive and thrive during the current downturn,” said Envirowise marketing director, Mary Leonard.

• Read background: “Sharing Utility Bills With Employees Encourages Waste Reduction,” (Environmental Leader, 11/7/08)
• Related: “Energy Efficiency on the Road: New Technology in Hotels Has Guests Aware of Energy Use, Changing Behavior” (Power Plug, 11/16/07)
• Find tips for saving energy around the office