Sustainable Living: Fun Challenges for the Whole Office

Together we can achieve more – this is especially true when it comes to promoting a sustainable lifestyle. Whether you’re working remotely or in the office, engage your team with these challenges to build a positive, sustainable culture in your workplace.

The Five-Day Eat Green Challenge

Challenge your team to eat green for five days. That doesn’t mean eating only veggies; it means adopting a responsible diet of organic vegetables and sustainably sourced meats and seafood, which are healthier for both you and the environment. Explore further by also supporting restaurants that prioritise eco-friendly practices, such as using energy efficient appliances, eliminating single-use plastic, and having a certified waste management system.

Make it easy: Create a list of all the green eateries in your neighbourhood and share it with the team. West Villa Restaurant at Cityplaza, for instance, was recognised in Swire Properties’ Green Kitchen Award programme for their sustainable performance. French bistro Le Monde d’Ulysse is another ideal option – they’re partnering with Tong Chong Street Market farmers again to bring you healthy, farm-to-fork lunchboxes starting mid-September (stay tuned on Taikoo Social!). If you’re working from home, plan a virtual team lunch by ordering from organic meal delivery services such as Eatology and Nosh, or prep your own lunch with wholesome produce from local farmers.

The Creative Upcycling Challenge

Challenge your team to transform trash into treasure by designing an upcycled item using old, unwanted materials. These materials can be anything from old office supplies to clothes and unwanted household items – bonus points for repurposing non-recyclables! Make it into a contest and ask everyone to upload a photo of their masterpiece to your internal social media group, then vote on the most innovative creation.

Make it easy: Share around some creative inspiration to kick-start the challenge. You can find many innovative ideas on Garbage Handmade – HK, founded by local designer Fong Yik-hang, who is known for his original upcycled designs using everyday materials and tools – think plastic bottle turned umbrella cover and cookie tin clock. Better yet, organise an upcycling workshop online and get crafting together!

========================================
Interested in the topic of sustainability?
Check out The Mag's TALKING POINTS category
========================================

The Five-Day Zero Waste Challenge

Challenge your team to go zero waste for a whole work week. We often don’t realise how much waste we’re producing mindlessly – over 2.1 billion tonnes per year globally – and this challenge will help put that into perspective. Give each team member a glass jar to fill with waste that can’t be recycled, reused or composted. This will show everyone visually how much is thrown out during the week and remind us to think twice before making a purchase or discarding anything.

Make it easy: Support your team with practical suggestions and reminders of how easy it can be: take advantage of the recycling facilities at The Loop, bring your own coffee cup and container, say no to unnecessary packaging, drop off your food scraps to a compost bin, shop at zero-waste stores…There are many ways to reduce waste, but it’s up to us to choose a mindful, minimalist lifestyle. The sooner we adopt this mindset, the sooner the effects of our small efforts can start to take shape into something bigger.

The Feel-Good Friday Challenge

Challenge your team to dedicate an hour every week to their personal wellbeing. Sustainability isn’t just about being kind to the planet, but also to ourselves. For a month, allow your team to stop working an hour earlier on Fridays. This isn’t the time to start running errands, though; instead, encourage each other to shift focus to wellness and work/life balance by doing things that make them feel good, whether it’s exercising, meditating or other hobbies.

Make it easy: The workaholics in your team may find it hard to put down their tasks. Guide them to shift gears by organising group activities, which can be as simple as going for a jog or joining an online meditation workshop, or even volunteering together. Get into groups with colleagues who have similar interests – and remind each other that happiness is doubled when shared.

What else can we do to live a more sustainable life? Find inspiration from Swire Properties’ “Sustainability We All Count” campaign.