All marine businesses have some form of office, administrative or reception facility where ‘paperwork’ is dealt with. The operation of this office facility with the use of associated equipment and stationery, as well as other sectors of the business, has environmental implications. However, it is often easiest to make a significant difference to practices here, with relatively little effort and cost and may result in cost savings. You should select the advice that is applicable and practical for your particular business. As with many environmental improvements, there is an emphasis on increasing efficiency and minimising the resources, which your company uses, and the wastes which it produces. Increasing efficiency makes economic as well as environmental sense and provides an opportunity for you to improve the competitiveness of your company.
Some general issues to be considered as part of an Environmental Management System are listed below:
Implement a ‘switch off policy’ for equipment which is not in use e.g. computers, printers, lights, photocopiers etc. – put up posters in key locations to remind staff
Check for leaks in toilet cisterns; put a couple of drops of food colouring into the cistern to see if the seal at the bottom of the tank leaks
Separate recyclable items before disposal.
Use “green” energy suppliers for your electricity
Promote travel by public transport and car sharing schemes
Consider purchasing materials that have been manufactured to take account of environmental factors, for example, recycled paper and bio-degradable detergents as a commitment to your environmental policy and to demonstrate to suppliers and public. Ask your stationers and cleaning suppliers about their products and their company’s environmental credentials. Where possible, try to purchase from suppliers and manufacturers who have a formal environmental policy in order to encourage others to respond to consumer demand for more sustainable markets. The Office of Government Commerce in the Treasury contains information on environmentally friendly products.
