12 Oct 2010 / 03:11
The first shoots of green are starting to show in Kosovo's offices. The UN, the American University in Kosovo and the International Civilian Office/ European Union Special Representative are all examples of organisations which have implemented a workplace recycling scheme.
Elizabeth Gowing
Paper, aluminium and plastic can all be recycled through these office schemes, and there are bins for separating and collecting recyclable waste in every office and corridor.
“In the end, though, it's all down to individuals - the individuals who lobbied for this scheme to start up, and the individuals who use it,” says Carl Freeland, head of logistics, transport and building management at ICO/EUSR. “If people throw a drinks can into the mixed bin instead of the recycling bin it will go to landfill.”
But he acknowledges that the scheme makes sense for the organisation as well as for the environment - the contractors who collect the separated paper, metal and plastic from ICO/EUSR headquarters and the four regional offices don't charge for collecting, because they can make money selling on the waste.
Beyond recycling, other organisations in Kosovo have taken a wider look at the impact they have.
The Kosovar Stability Initiative (IKS) last year produced a paper, Thinking Green, on the state of environment in Kosovo.Their study reports that when the KEK plants in Obilic produce at full capacity they emit approximately 25 tons of dust and ash per hour, 74 times what is allowed by European standards.
“Following that report we wanted to identify what we could do in our own office to reduce the amount of electricity used, the amount of pollution caused,” says Engjellushe Morina, executive director of IKS.
They published their report on recycled paper with recycled ink. And, since its publication, IKS has started a programme of small actions in their own workplace – changing to energy-efficient light bulbs, as well as recycling paper and plastic.
“We have now ordered Ecofont software to install on all computers in the office,” says Engjellushe, referring to software that uses less ink when you print.
“At the end of the working day we make sure that we switch off all computers, printers and lights.”
The organisation is also thinking about ways that it can influence others by its example. “We held our most recent away-day at the restored kulla in Dranoc, rather than travelling out of Kosovo. At our events we don’t serve bottled water, we only serve tap water in jugs, also at our events we don’t give out folders with notebooks and unnecessary printed documents – we only print our publication (if we have one for the event) and the agenda for the day.”However, these examples are notable as exceptions to the general lack of policy or practice to make working life in Prishtina more earth-friendly. Anyone would think that organisations in Kosovo have money to spare – since green initiatives are usually cost-free or cost-saving. Why is there no recycling at your workplace? Why no electricity-saving? No thinking through of transport, and its cost to the environment and to the budget line? Do you operate a carpooling or cycle-to-work scheme, use teleconferencing technology rather than face-to-face meetings? Have you, like IKS, installed ecofont on your office computers? Do you have a company policy about not printing out emails? Use recycled printer ink or paper?If you do, then tell us! And tell your friends. Tell the world – it's waiting to hear from Kosovo's workplaces.
Elizabeth Gowing is a founder member of The Ideas Partnership, a Kosovan NGO working on educational, cultural and environmental projects. Responses or suggestions for inclusion in future columns will find her at theideaspartnership@gmail.com
Paper, aluminium and plastic can all be recycled through these office schemes, and there are bins for separating and collecting recyclable waste in every office and corridor.
“In the end, though, it's all down to individuals - the individuals who lobbied for this scheme to start up, and the individuals who use it,” says Carl Freeland, head of logistics, transport and building management at ICO/EUSR. “If people throw a drinks can into the mixed bin instead of the recycling bin it will go to landfill.”
But he acknowledges that the scheme makes sense for the organisation as well as for the environment - the contractors who collect the separated paper, metal and plastic from ICO/EUSR headquarters and the four regional offices don't charge for collecting, because they can make money selling on the waste.
Beyond recycling, other organisations in Kosovo have taken a wider look at the impact they have.
The Kosovar Stability Initiative (IKS) last year produced a paper, Thinking Green, on the state of environment in Kosovo.Their study reports that when the KEK plants in Obilic produce at full capacity they emit approximately 25 tons of dust and ash per hour, 74 times what is allowed by European standards.
“Following that report we wanted to identify what we could do in our own office to reduce the amount of electricity used, the amount of pollution caused,” says Engjellushe Morina, executive director of IKS.
They published their report on recycled paper with recycled ink. And, since its publication, IKS has started a programme of small actions in their own workplace – changing to energy-efficient light bulbs, as well as recycling paper and plastic.
“We have now ordered Ecofont software to install on all computers in the office,” says Engjellushe, referring to software that uses less ink when you print.
“At the end of the working day we make sure that we switch off all computers, printers and lights.”
The organisation is also thinking about ways that it can influence others by its example. “We held our most recent away-day at the restored kulla in Dranoc, rather than travelling out of Kosovo. At our events we don’t serve bottled water, we only serve tap water in jugs, also at our events we don’t give out folders with notebooks and unnecessary printed documents – we only print our publication (if we have one for the event) and the agenda for the day.”However, these examples are notable as exceptions to the general lack of policy or practice to make working life in Prishtina more earth-friendly. Anyone would think that organisations in Kosovo have money to spare – since green initiatives are usually cost-free or cost-saving. Why is there no recycling at your workplace? Why no electricity-saving? No thinking through of transport, and its cost to the environment and to the budget line? Do you operate a carpooling or cycle-to-work scheme, use teleconferencing technology rather than face-to-face meetings? Have you, like IKS, installed ecofont on your office computers? Do you have a company policy about not printing out emails? Use recycled printer ink or paper?If you do, then tell us! And tell your friends. Tell the world – it's waiting to hear from Kosovo's workplaces.
Elizabeth Gowing is a founder member of The Ideas Partnership, a Kosovan NGO working on educational, cultural and environmental projects. Responses or suggestions for inclusion in future columns will find her at theideaspartnership@gmail.com
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