Let’s talk trash. Waste management is not just about putting rubbish in the bin. Indeed, for businesses which create various kinds of waste through their operations (ourselves included), managing waste and minimizing environmental impact requires more thoughtful strategies.
Back in March we announced that we had achieved our goal of obtaining ISO certification for our Environmental Management System. Achieving this required us, first, to become aware of all the ways in which we produce waste, and second, to develop proactive and appropriate approaches to minimizing and managing our waste.
Waste Not, Want Not
Some of these approaches were quite simple, and by no means ingenious. For instance, reducing paper waste is as easy as going digital where it is practical, and printing double-sided where it is not. Furthermore, managing what paper waste you do produce is also straightforward. What could be easier than putting paper and cardboard waste into the recycling bin?
However, in our industry, electronic waste (or e-waste) is of particular concern. As electronic devices continue to progressively pervade the various areas of our lives, the amount of annual e-waste we produce will likewise increase. While Australian institutions, such as independent think tank Ewaste Watch, research new and more sustainable solutions to this issue, we can all do our bit by recycling what electronic devices we can through e-waste facilities across Australia. Some such facilities also include data cleansing and asset tracking in their recycling services, so that you or your business can safely recycle sensitive devices with peace of mind.
Thinking Beyond Waste
Although managing waste is important, environmental thinking in business goes beyond waste. Energy consumption is another key concern that requires careful consideration. Fortunately, there are other, easy to implement tactics which we employ at NTS to reduce our energy consumption, that other businesses could likewise employ. With changes as simple as fitting the warehouse lighting with motion detectors and auto shut-off timers on bathroom lights, one can easily reduce the amount of energy used in the day-to-day operations of a business.
Even travelling for business can become an environmentally conscious decision. For instance, when travelling to city-based customer meetings, NTS team members will often utilise public transport, rather than driving. This not only removes a vehicle from our roads and reduces the pressure on City parking, but it also affords our staff the time to be productive through the use of 4G enabled devices (which cannot be used whilst driving!)
There is no avoiding using energy or producing waste; our way of life necessitates these things. However, as technology and ways of dealing with waste advance, we can increasingly and actively make strides towards protecting and sustaining our beautiful country.
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