Green office

Programme

1. The general environmental situation

Raising environmental culture began to be discussed most actively in our country in the 1990s. Environmental scientists have proved that raising environmental culture alone can reduce the negative impact on the environment by 30 %. An environmentally literate manager or specialist supporting the production process, aware of their responsibility for the consequences of their actions, will not allow technological and environmental norms and requirements to be violated.

2. Principles of the Green Office: goal, objectives, resources

The main priority tasks for the transition to a «green economy» facing Kazakhstan's economy are:

• Increasing the efficiency of using and managing natural resources (water, land, biological, etc.)
• Modernising existing infrastructure and building new infrastructure
• Improving the well-being of the population and the quality of the environment through cost-effective ways of easing pressure on the environment
• Strengthening national security, including water security

3. The implementation programme

Saving electricity through the introduction of energy-saving technologies

• Using energy-saving lamps instead of incandescent lamps, which consume four to five times less electricity. Despite their relatively high cost, thanks to lower electricity consumption and a longer service life they pay for themselves in full
• Using electronic ballasts in tubular fluorescent lamps, which reduce energy consumption by a further 30% while fully preserving lighting brightness. The cost of electronic ballasts exceeds that of common electromagnetic ballasts, but the initial expense is offset not only by high efficiency but also by a gentler operating mode for the lamps, extending their service life by 50%
• Using LEDs, which not only outperform even economical fluorescent lamps in energy efficiency but also have a significant advantage — no mercury, which makes them much easier to dispose of. LEDs also outperform energy-saving lamps in service life
• Using automatic lighting control systems: motion sensors, photo relays, timer relays, time-delay switches, etc. All these devices make it possible to regulate the lighting of various zones and automatically switch off electrical appliances and lighting in office areas where light is used intermittently (corridors, halls, toilets, stairs, facades). Introducing automatic control systems reduces electricity consumption and cuts lighting costs by 25%
• Using multi-tariff meters, which make it possible to pay for electricity at different rates depending on the time of day. Deliberately reorganising office work so that office equipment and other electrical appliances are «loaded» during lower-tariff hours benefits the organisation itself and evens out the load on power plants

4. Possible problems that may arise

• There is no methodology promoting the «Green Office» concept
• Not all companies are ready to introduce saving technologies that reduce consumption of electricity, water, heat, paper and plastic, reduce the volume of waste and send it for recycling and safe disposal
• Lack of a policy on using products made from recycled materials or free of harmful chemical compounds
• Not all companies are ready to create favourable working conditions for employees

5. Recording data and converting it into motivational units

In the sphere of material production, environmental interests should be primary in relation to economic interests, not incidental, i.e. secondary.

6. Internal programmes to support and develop enthusiasm

The «Green Office» is one of the mechanisms of the transition to a green economy, which in turn should ensure the sustainable development of the entire world community. Companies need to develop a comprehensive programme consisting of technical and motivational-educational measures designed to help them develop an internal environmental policy and learn to treat resources carefully. With fairly simple actions it is possible to reduce the use of natural resources and make one's own contribution to protecting the environment. The results of using the «green office» will help everyone who wishes to reduce the consumption of energy and resources needed to maintain their premises. And hence reduce emissions of harmful substances into the atmosphere, above all greenhouse gases, which are the main cause of the currently very pressing problem of global climate change.

Types of recycling in the country and the causes of instability

It is environmental requirements that determine the directions of innovative development and the modernisation of production in order to ensure the long-term prosperous development of the economy. The priority of economic policy on the wide use of natural resources and services should be supplemented by the priority of environmental policy on increasing the value of nature and its resources.