Think Green
Think Green week at iQ 2023
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Take action with Think Green
Think Green is our mission to make iQ a greener place to live and work, and it goes to the heart of how we operate our buildings. For instance, all our electricity comes from renewable sources, and we’ve already saved millions of KWh by being smart about our energy use. And it doesn’t stop there, as we continue to save water, encourage recycling and use eco-friendly products.
Want to do your bit? Here are some simple actions you can make a part of your everyday life in six important areas.
Recycle more
Use our onsite facilities and give your rubbish a second life.
Read more- Get to know your onsite recycling facilities. Posters around your building will tell you what you need to know
- Be sure to clean what you recycle first, washing off food residue and rinsing your bottles and containers
- Invest in reusables like coffee mugs and water bottles
- Buy items made with recycled materials: tissues, plastic packaging, glass
- Say no to single-use plastics like disposable cutlery, and choose food with minimal packaging
- Donate your unwanted belongings to charity – you can use our onsite British Heart Foundation donation points
- Take even ruined clothes to charity shops - they will send them for reprocessing
- Fix it, don't throw it – upcycle, repurpose, reuse
- Opt for reusable boxes and tubs, not sandwich bags or cling film
- Eat less meat. The farming is far more energy intensive (and it's healthier)
Switch off lights
Please switch them off, it makes a bigger difference than you might think.
Read more- Switch off lights when you leave your room, even for short periods
- Report lights that never seem to go off to your site team
- Turn off unnecessary lights – lights in common areas may not be on sensors
- Maximise daylight when the days get longer, and turn off lights
- Choose a single LED lamp, rather than multiple ceiling lights
Save electricity
Don’t leave things on standby – turn them off and unplug.
Read more- Turn lights and electrical items off when you leave the room
- Choose the most efficient version of any technology
- Turn things off completely – remember standby uses energy
- Have a movie night with friends – it uses one TV rather than six
- Take the stairs instead of the lift
Turn down the heat
Be smart about heat. Keep it in and turn it down.
Read more- Turn the thermostat down by 1°
- Don't open windows when the heating is on
- Report heating faults and radiators that don't go off
- Keep radiators clear to allow the heat to circulate
- Keep curtains and blinds closed during the day to avoid heat gain
- Close curtains and blinds at dusk to keep heat in
Don't waste water
Don’t waste H2O… Shorter showers are the way to go.
Read more- Report dripping taps and constant filling of toilets
- Shower for a shorter time
- Don’t flush things you could bin – flushing single use wipes, cotton buds, and even spiders wastes water and blocks sewers
- Turn the tap off when you brush your teeth
- Don't run the tap to get a glass of water – keep a jug in the fridge
Shop smarter
Use a reusable shopping bag and don’t buy more than you need.
Read more- Use a bag for life
- Don't waste food: 2 for 1 is only a good deal if you don't bin half of it
- Choose eco-friendly cleaning and beauty products
- Choose refillable products and those with minimal packaging
- Look for sustainable materials in clothing
- Choose natural materials over plastic: bamboo toothbrush, soya wax candles, paper cotton buds…
- Choose locally grown foods for lower food miles
What we've been doing
Want the numbers on our actions so far? Here are a few of our Think Green stats...