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What are the real benefits of recycling

What are the real benefits of recycling?

You may have heard the phrase ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle’ and this is a key term associated with recycling that is used all over the globe. It refers to how we should be living more sustainably and how we can be more environmentally friendly in our everyday lives.

But that still leaves us with the question: Why should we recycle? There are so many benefits of recycling and in this blog, we are going to explore some of the most important benefits that recycling has on our environment.

 

Reduce the amount of waste going to landfill

Every day our population continues to grow and more and more waste is being produced and going to landfill which is causing a huge strain on our environment. This leads to an increased risk of pollution, poisoning and potential health problems. By continuing to recycle, little by little we can reduce the amount of waste going to landfill, as well as reduce the amount of space required for landfill sites.

 

Recycling creates more jobs

The recycling industry is huge and is much more labour intensive than solid waste management. In fact, Friends of the Earth said that if 70% of collected waste was recycled, it could create over 51,000 recycling jobs in the UK. Recycling is an integrated process that requires thousands of workers to sort and ship it to the right places.

 

Protecting wildlife

Sadly, it’s predicted that a truckload of plastic waste is poured into our oceans every minute which has detrimental effects. Not only can it take up to 200 years to decompose, it poses a huge threat to marine life and is also dangerous to birds who often mistake them as food.

Recycling reduces the need to extract new raw materials from the Earth which helps to reduce and prevent further damage being done to natural wildlife. For example, fewer forests being cut down which can harm wildlife in the process, fewer rivers being diverted and less air and water pollution.

 

Cheaper than waste collection

To put it simply, the more we recycle, the more money we save. In 2017, Lambeth council said that “it is six times cheaper to dispose of recycled waste than general refuse”. By recycling, we can put all the money that we save towards other vital elements within our economy such as households, business and public services. Recycling your food waste is also very beneficial as often it can be reused to generate compost for growing more food or crops.

 

Bring the community together

Whilst each and every one of us has a part to play in recycling, ultimately it should be a community effort. Whether you’re collecting materials for schools or picking up trash on the road, there are many ways that we, as a community, can work together to make recycling a much more enjoyable and easier process.

Most councils have now set up ‘recycling centres’ which make it easy as ever for the local community to recycle and most council websites also have free downloads to show you exactly what we can and can’t recycle and where it should go.

As we want recycling to become a part of our everyday life, this is also a great way to teach children about responsibility and taking a stance to help protect their environment.

 

As we’ve seen above, recycling is very important as waste has a huge negative impact on our natural environment. Not only does recycling help to reduce the pollution caused by waste, it reduces the need for raw materials so that our wildlife can be protected. As important as it is to recycle, we also need to focus on reducing the amount of plastic that we are using the first place.

At Quills, we are working hard to continue on our environmental journey and love to help our customers purchase more sustainably and reach their CSR targets. Why not be part of our journey and make a bigger impact? Get in touch today to see how we can help you become a greener business.

How to make your business more sustainable in 2020

How to make your business more sustainable in 2020

How to make your business more sustainable in 2020

 

I’m sure we’d all agree that we could be greener and small changes can have a huge impact on our environment especially for a business or manufacturer. As more and more of us understand the importance of corporate social responsibility and the environmental impact that operational and purchasing processes can have on a business, it’s important to consider how you can become more eco-friendly for your company’s reputation from its customers, employees and stakeholders.

Here are some of the ways you can make your business greener:

Set up a ‘Green Team’

Creating a ‘Green Team’ in the office, or even just allocating a ‘Green Champion’, is a great way to brainstorm new ideas and keep your business becoming more eco-friendly. Empower staff to make important decisions and introduce new initiatives that will encourage all staff and customers to improve their recycling processes. You can even introduce new ‘green policies’ that staff have to abide by such as no plastic bottles in the office or no desk bins. If possible, ensure your Green Team are made up of members from different departments within the business so that you can include different business perspectives. For example, include someone from the operations team to ensure you’re getting the best products as well as a member of the marketing team to discuss how to communicate your green ideas effectively.

Use green products

What do you do once you’ve finished with your used ink pen – throw it in the bin? Probably, because that’s all we’ve ever done. Every year, we fill up landfills with perfectly reusable pens and it’s time to consider stocking up on recycled or reusable stationery instead. Using green stationery will not only help the environment and reduce the amount of waste going to landfills but will save you money and improve your eco-credentials. It may also be worth keeping your office supplies cupboard under management by the designated ‘Green Champion’ who can be sure to see if there’s an eco-alternative or refillable option out there. There are many recycling schemes around which are free of charge and are designed to help make recycling your used batteries, ink and toner cartridges and other items a much easier process.

Clean green

Going green with your cleaning products is also recommended to help improve the health of your cleaning staff and other employees as well as remove harmful toxins from the workplace environment and less harsh chemicals going into our water systems.

Review your waste

Whilst we appreciate that this isn’t particularly the most appealing job to be done, reviewing your waste is an effective way to understand exactly what your business is using and what is being thrown away. Your waste provider will probably have a portal that you can log in to and see the split of recycling and waste to landfill.  This should give you a good indication of any changes that need to be made or new policies that should be introduced. For example, if there are a lot of plastic cups in the bin from the water cooler, replace the cups with eco-friendly and biodegradable versions. We also suggest doing this regularly, such as once a month to measure the success and impact you’re making.   Alternatively, why not consider mains filtered water?

Challenge suppliers or use sustainable suppliers

Getting access to more eco-friendly products can be as simple as asking your existing suppliers to provide a more environmental service or product range or even ask to see their CSR Policy. Just like you, there will be many other businesses asking suppliers the same questions so don’t be afraid! If your current suppliers don’t offer any green products or if they’re not looking to be more environmentally friendly, start looking for other sustainable providers instead.

In the meantime, it’s also important to review what you’re currently purchasing and if there are any internal or external changes that can be made which will quickly improve your eco-credentials. For example:

  1. What type of packaging are you using to send out to customers? Is it recyclable?
  2. Do your delivery vans comply with ULEZ standards?
  3. Are you using single-use plastic void in boxes?
  4. Do you have centralised waste bins in the office or warehouse?
  5. Do you recycle your office equipment?
  6. Are you using recycled stationery and office supplies products?
  7. Do you recycle your paper?
  8. Do you re-use packaging?

Introduce #GreenChallenges

Green challenges can be a fun way of encouraging your employees to be more environmentally friendly. For example, you could challenge your staff to go for a month without using any plastic eating utensils, and then reward those who complete the challenge by offering small (and perhaps even eco-friendly) prizes! Our eco-friendly promotional gifts catalogue is a great place to start looking at prize ideas.

Make the office greener (literally!) 

Bringing shrubs and plants in your building can massively help improve the air quality around your organisation which is essential for your employees. In addition, this will also help your business look a lot more attractive visually and there is only little maintenance required for looking after them. Bringing more nature into the office means more oxygen is produced and creates a happier space for your employees to work in.

Take a look at how Quills can help with your Eco Purchasing and CSR targets by getting in touch with our friendly team who are more than happy to help.