“Future of Work” Green Tips - Health & Wellbeing / Paper

 Contributed by Dana Schroeder, UVA Sustainability

Some UVA employees may be adjusting back to working on Grounds. Many workplace sustainability practices may also happen to make us feel more happy and healthy in the office. Explore ways to incorporate some sustainable and healthy practices into your “Future of Work” routines.

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  Combo Commute - With new pay-by-day or pay-by-hour parking options available through ParkMobile, it could now be possible for nearby residents to commute some days via car and other days via biking, bussing, or walking. You could combine your exercise and travel one or two days per week, while still having more convenient access to your vehicle on other days.
• Natural Light - While working on Grounds, remember that using natural light could both save electricity and contribute to a positive mood. If there are windows near your desk, open up the blinds and try turning off your overhead light. If need be, find a comfortable common space where you can get some sun for an hour or two.
• Indoor Plants - If you haven’t already, try bringing in some plants from home to make your workplace feel more comfortable and personal. UVA faculty member Tim Beatley could tell you about the benefits of working in a “biophilic” space, from feeling more connected with nature to maintaining focus on the task at hand.

Some of us may have significantly reduced our paper usage over the past 18 months, as many things transitioned to virtual or electronic format. Consider having a conversation with your colleagues about making paper-saving norms part of your “Future of Work” as well.

• Paperless Processes - Talk to your team about which electronic processes adopted during COVID can continue indefinitely. For example: doing without handouts at meetings; circulating draft documents for edits in Box or Teams rather than on paper; using electronic signatures where possible, etc. Brainstorm other ideas unique to your workplace.
• Junk Mail - If unwanted mail in your office’s box piled up during COVID, make it a workplace initiative to unsubscribe and prevent future paper waste. Call companies during business hours and ask “Can someone help remove me from your mailing list?” To encourage the whole team, you might create an “unsubscribe” pile and designate one person who doesn’t mind unsubscribing everyone.
• Scrap Paper - Did you have any posters, handouts, or other pre-printed documents become obsolete over the course of the pandemic? When tidying up your workplace, create a scrap paper pile for anything that still has one free side. Encourage people to grab scraps for to-do lists and scribbles instead of using post-it notes or other fresh paper.