Greenprofs

Sometimes, people just keep saying that one person can’t change the way companies are treating the environment. Simply because, there’s a lot of co-workers that just don’t seem to care and we don’t want to upset the boss or make people think that you’re a revolutionary trouble maker… Pretty close?

Well, the truth is… You’re correct! On most cases this happens. But let’s think about it. This means that there’s no other way besides making a fuss or “disturb the waters”? I believe so. Here’s some of my experiences developing this mentality on my company and my co-workers.

First, make a dialog focused on cost reduction. It’s not an environmentalist maniac trying to make things change overnight, but a concerned and interested professional trying to help the company cut some expenses. Well, obviously you’re colleagues are going to make jokes that you’re trying to get a promotion. And maybe you will. But the main idea is to reach their minds with an approach that they are prepared to understand and not just an environmental issue that’s going to increase the company costs or drive the workers minds of the job or the company’s strategy.

Make some research. Check all of the company’s proceedings and consumption and then make a research study with alternative “green” friendly solutions. It’s very important to present a study based on facts and numbers instead of just talking on how it would be good to have a recycle bin in every office department. Remember, this example for instance, has an additional cost (cleaning and disposal, not mentioning the purchase of the recycle bins), and your superiors are just covered of more material and career direct issues than to have an additional distraction.

Talk to your colleagues during coffee breaks or elevator chit-chat. Make people think about it, and create a lobby of interested supporters of your suggestions. Then, it would not be one person, but a group of workers with a mutual interest. Just don’t become a syndicalist. Your bosses doesn’t need to think that your creating a revolution on the team demanding your rights.

Make people understand that environment and profit CAN work together. Remove the idea, that pro-environment habits are an additional cost. It can work the other way around if some research is made.

Most important… don’t be just another “one”. I mean don’t sit on your chair and think that you can do nothing so why bother? And if you get to a major position on the company with more privileges and responsibilities, then it’s even better.

Take me, for instance, and all I’ve been able to change at my company. I’m Country Manager of an international direct online marketing company in Portugal, so we have a lot of mutual strategies and proceedings that are common between offices. But some of them, we can make different. And those, we can suggest to other offices around the globe.

So, you can make a difference.