There’s a lot of talks these days about steps companies can take to “go green”, but many are difficult to take. New technologies, alternative materials, carbon offset and reduction policies, etc. are ambitious initiatives that are beyond the control of the average employee. But the easiest ways to start greening your company don’t have to start with top management – they can start with anyone!

If you keep your eyes peeled for the rest of the day, you can probably find numerous opportunities for your company to reduce its environmental footprint. And if you ask around, there are probably others in your company who feel the same way and would like to help.  Please see some of our tips below:

Get management support
If your Green Team will be meeting during business hours, then it’s best to get the support and approval of management. Be prepared to give an overview of the types of projects the team might work on and how much time will be spent. Don’t forget to talk about the possible benefits to the company. Many of your activities (especially energy and waste reduction steps) have the potential to save substantial amounts of money!

Build the team
Schedule a kickoff meeting! Invite attendees by email, at staff meetings, or by posting notices in common areas. Alternately, you could ask each department to nominate a representative - the best teams are made up of diverse members who are from different departments and work at different levels in the company.
   


Establish objectives and goals
When it’s time to choose a first project for the Green Team, start off by looking for “low-hanging fruit” (the easiest tasks to accomplish.) A recycling program can be fairly simple to start, as can a campaign to reduce energy by turning off lights and computers when not in use. This will help the team achieve results quickly, and start to build momentum. There will be plenty of time for more ambitious activities once you get rolling!

The team should come up with clear goals and timelines for the project, and each member should have a specific role. This will allow you to measure success – and give you a reason to celebrate when goals have been met!

Launch your project
Ask each department for a coordinator or representative. This person can help explain goals to their staff and train the department on new guidelines or procedures. They can also help you measure the success of their department in meeting objectives.

Publish regular reports to let everyone know how the project is going. Offering incentives or prizes to groups who contributed the most towards reaching a goal is a good way to keep everyone involved and motivated.

Once your Green Team has reached its first goal, have another project ready! Capitalize on the momentum of your success to gain new members and take on bigger challenges.