Welcome to part nine of our blog series on Going Green, dedicated to helping attorneys practice law in a more environmentally friendly way.  Last week we discussed the positive effects that recycling can have on your business and on the environment.  This week we will focus on drinking.

When you are at work, you are most likely drinking various beverages throughout the day.  The majority of us can’t make it through the day without our morning coffee, and maybe afternoon coffee as well.  And in between we may knock back countless glasses of water, or cans and bottles of any other drink that we can get our hands on.

But most offices, no matter where they may be, use plastic, paper and Styrofoam cups.  And most offices simply throw them out after use.  That creates a whole lot of waste that can be avoided in a few simple ways.

Obviously, whenever possible, we should recycle products like this.  And never, should we ever use Styrofoam.  But instead of using a lot of different containers to drink out of, discarding each after a drink or two, why not use some sort of renewable container that will last.

In the office, get everyone their own coffee mugs that they can use over and over.   Instead of wasting a cup every time, these mugs will allow everyone in the office the ability to enjoy their coffee in a more environmentally friendly way.

And it is the same with water.  A reusable water bottle can go a long way toward eliminating waste.  Nalgene bottles became the hit of the day when they emerged on the scene as the indestructible water bottle.  If everyone in the office had their own Nalgene bottle, it would eliminate the need for plastic cups at the watering hole.

More reusable items means less waste, and less waste means a healthier planet.

Past Installments in this Series
Part One – An Introduction to Going Green
Part Two – Cut Electricity Costs, Just Flip the Switch
Part Three – Forget Paper, Go Digital
Part Four – Travel Together, Travel Less
Part Five – We Recycle
Part Six – Natural Lighting
Part Seven – Know Your Gadgets
Part Eight – Setting Goals