The end of the year is a time for celebration, marking milestones and accomplishments. But that doesn’t mean it’s not too late to cross off that last 2016 New Year resolution – creating a sustainability program. It’s never too late to explore better eco-friendly practices for your facility, and the holiday season provides many opportunities to go green. Check out these practices below for a truly greener celebration.

Carpets
Between the party punch and the litany of tinsel and glitter from decorations, it’s no wonder that a facility’s carpet suffers the most during the holidays. Your steam-cleaning must be strong enough to take on the season’s influx of staining potential. However, many solutions on the market include harsh chemicals that could prove far more harmful than a little stray glitter. Now is a good time as any to discuss greener cleaning solutions with your provider, as they often take advantage of the absence of personnel during the holiday break for thorough scouring and maintenance. Be sure they use hydrogen peroxide cleaners that emit low volatile organic compounds (or VOCs), which provide a great alternative to traditional cleaning chemicals.

Trash
There is nothing like an office party to generate an uptick in trash production. This creates a great opportunity to introduce recycling to your facility’s waste management, as there are now so many recyclable party supplies available. Discuss with your provider how many receptacles are needed, as well as ideal locations for installing recycling areas. This is also a fruitful opportunity to discuss what kind of trash you’d be likely to produce during the season. Will decorations also need to be disposed of after the holidays? And are there additional opportunities to recycle? Popular décor items such as Christmas trees and lights are potential recycling materials that may require special handling. 

Energy
A true holiday atmosphere demands some twinkling lights – which can also mean a whopping energy bill at the end of the season. Discuss with your maintenance provider about opportunities to install LED lighting options in well-traffic areas. If you already have LED lights installed, make sure all are checked and functioning optimally for the season, so your festivities will be well illuminated. If you’re installing decorative lights, consider the diverse range of LED options now on the market.