Moving to Greener Pastures
An office space is not the easiest of places to roll out environmental changes. Things can certainly be done to a building like switching to more water and energy efficient products, but changing the mindset of people from different backgrounds and opinions presents its challenges. On Thursday, 20th September, that’s exactly what a small group of employees, known as the Green Action Team, set out to do in TSA’s Perth office with their WA Green TSA Day.
Staff were encouraged to participate in the day by wearing green and walking or riding into the office. On arrival, discussions quickly began with emails sent highlighting the amount of waste created and the impact it’s having both globally and locally. Unwanted food scraps creating fires at landfill facilities and the havoc wreaked by plastic in our waterways; the content and images were attention grabbing and fuelled some healthy debate on what changes could be made by the business and its employees.
As the day continued the activities became lighter and people’s competitive streaks emerged. ‘Who can sort recyclables into the correct recycling stream the fastest?’ ‘Can you guess the weight of recyclable material amongst the rubbish and stop it going to landfill?’ These were just a few of the games held to get people thinking and talking about change and, hopefully, break some bad habits occurring in the office. Whilst TSA has an impressive recycling hub, there’s still the challenge of making sure it’s being used and being used correctly. Bringing people together, around the ‘hub’, was a clever way to reinitiate staff with the area, its importance and how to recycle effectively.
Pictured: TSA Recycling Hub, located in the Perth Head Office
A raffle was also held on the day, its prize and the beneficiary of the money raised showcasing the Green Action Team’s goals to ‘go green’ and support local initiatives. Prize winners won an array of eco-friendly and reusable products, curated by Australian owned company Go Green At Home. Whilst all money from the raffle was donated to Perth City Farm, a once toxic wasteland that has been restored by volunteers and now offers education on sustainability and a variety of opportunities for the local community. Prizes are always welcomed, but featuring these two entities, brought them to the limelight for many. Perth City Farm in particular, being a place that employees can visit in their free time, participate in, and contribute towards.
Though it may not be possible to change the world in a day, TSA’s Green Action Team certainly packed a lot in. Successfully engaging staff in environmental discussions and promoting that one person can make a change, and together they can make a difference built on TSA’s values of inclusivity. Their addition of bringing attention to local initiatives that allow staff to implement sustainability practices into their personal lives and further build on a sense of community was a commendable way to tie up the activities of a successful day.
TSA’s Green Action Team is an employee-run group that focuses on promoting and encouraging sustainability. With an emphasis on supporting local initiatives, the Team aim to bring about change within TSA’s diverse and energetic culture, whilst also aligning with the values of our innovative partners.