Winning in a toxic workplace by being eco-friendly

Why not?

If you are reading this, you probably hate your job, or you love your job but dislike the people, or…you’re recovering from a toxic work culture.

If this is your situation, it’s not a fun space to be in, and no, absolutely no one deserves this.

But for now, while you (or someone you know) might be stuck suffocating on nonsense, passive aggressive comments, blatant favouritism, inequitable distribution of work, weak leadership, meritless based hiring, unfulfilling work, unhealthy overtime, and all the—isms and—phobias…

Here’s how being eco-friendly could help you cope in a toxic workplace.

If you can bike or walk to work, go for it!

• If it makes sense, don’t spend money on gas, parking, or transit fees going to a place where you are not respected and valued.

• Eco fact: According to the World Health Organization, cycling and walking can help reduce physical inactivity and air pollution, save lives and mitigate climate change. To add to that, active commuting is associated with about a 10% decrease in risk for cardiovascular disease and a 30% decrease in type 2 diabetes risk.
  

Buy fewer clothes.

• That new outfit won’t make your troubles or ingrained work issues go away. So go ahead and wear the same outfits more than once. Werk it honey!

• Eco fact: According to Earth Day, the fashion industry produces 150 billion garments a year. Of that amount, 87% (40 million tons) is burned or end up in a landfill where they smoulder and pollute the air. Only 1% of all discarded clothing is actually recycled.
  

Bring your own warm beverage in a thermos.

• Useless “coffee chats” need to stop. But while we can’t avoid all of them, fill your thermos with a warm beverage. Don’t waste money sipping expensive coffees or teas only to chat with a colleague who’s an unreliable narrator, loves drama and twists everything you say so that they can stab you in the back and step on your dead body, just to get ahead.  

• Eco fact: Those “to-go coffee cups” also suck for the environment. According to an article in the Guardian, “The slow decomposition of disposable cups, especially those with plastic linings, can lead to the release of microplastics into the environment,” and on the off chance that your disposable cup winds up in waste bound for incineration, that process “can release pollutants into the air."
  

Shut down your laptop and disconnect the power.

• Resist the temptation to ‘pop-in’ to see what someone said on MS Teams, or to ‘sneak-in’ some time to finish up a task. You’re not being paid, and again, they don’t value and respect you. That energy can be put towards finding a new job.

• Eco fact: According to AWorld, a Sustainability App for Climate Action developed by the United Nations, the computer falls into the category of household appliances called energy vampires – that is, they consume energy even when they are not in use. By turning it off, you save energy and extend your battery life.
  

Avoid makeup.

• If your job isn’t paying you enough to afford high-quality, nontoxic makeup in the first place, don’t wear it or use less (if you can).

• Eco fact: According to a study by researchers in the U.S., Canada and Switzerland, “People who wear makeup such as lipstick or mascara may be absorbing or licking up potentially harmful ingredients that hang around for decades in the environment. Those ingredients, known as polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), are rarely disclosed on labels, making them hard to avoid...Very few PFAS have been studied in detail, but those that have been are linked to a variety of health effects in humans and animals, including increased risk of cancers, reduced immune response and fertility, and altered metabolism and increased risk of obesity.” (Yikes)
  

Bring a game or music to a potluck.

• Again, why spend money on food for people who are not brining you peace? Also, if the food isn't eaten, it might get wasted. Seriously, would you eat the remaining chips from a chip bag or bowl after everyone dipped their post-pandemic fingers in it?

• Eco fact: According to the Canadian government, "food that is produced [and purchased] but not eaten ends up in landfills and creates methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. When food is wasted, all the resources used to produce it are also wasted. By reducing food loss and waste..., we can also reduce our greenhouse gas emissions."
  

Take your breaks and take time off!

• Some people live and are energized by using and abusing other people with a smile. So rest and take good care of yourself.

• Eco fact: Rest and vacation time is essential for survival. According to an article in Forbes, time off from work is integral to well-being, sustained productivity and high performance. It also increases mindfulness, improves heart health, reduces stress, boosts brainpower, and improves sleep. So, what are you waiting for?

After trying or doing these eco-friendly actions, you might still hate your job…it is toxic after all. However, by helping the planet, you also helped yourself. You saved money, stayed active, and you didn’t give more time than you needed to that terrible place.

Now, if you see a friend or colleague taking these eco-friendly actions, don’t assume it’s a call for help (lol). They have established these amazing, nature positive habits overtime. Heck, they might even be doing this because they love their job and they take their role of being an environmental steward seriously. Good for them!

“Something has to happen for something to happen.”

I sincerely wish that you find a healthy and psychologically safe workplace very soon. In the meantime, take really good care and keep hustling to get out, things will get better.

If you or someone you know are surviving or have survived a toxic workplace, are there other eco-friendly actions that helped you during this time? Do spill!

References

1. World Health Organization (2022, June 7). Cycling and walking can help reduce physical inactivity and air pollution, save lives and mitigate climate change. WHO. Retrieved March 2, 2024, from https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/07-06-2022-cycling-and-walking-can-help-reduce-physical-inactivity-and-air-pollution--save-lives-and-mitigate-climate-change

2. Earth Day (n.d.). What is sustainable fashion? Retrieved March 2, 2024, from https://www.earthday.org/campaign/sustainable-fashion/?gclid=CjwKCAjwitShBhA6EiwAq3RqAyUq_j5h75A0opbYMqG6fcys9w0EsGgKYrDMTGaK5a1jZiKp__8zyhoCUQYQAvD_BwE

3. Nowel, C. (2024, January 22). The disposable cup crisis: What’s the environmental impact of a to-go coffee? The Guardian. Retrieved March 2, 2024, from https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/jan/22/disposable-coffee-cups-environmental-impact#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThe%20slow%20decomposition%20of%20disposable,release%20pollutants%20into%20the%20air%E2%80%9D.

4. AWorld (n.d.). Digital footprint. Your Guide for Living Sustainably. Retrieved March 2, 2024, from https://aworld.org/

5. Chung, E., Hopton, A., & Singh, I. (2021, June 16). How to make sense of the new findings on 'forever chemicals' in makeup. How to make sense of the new findings on 'forever chemicals' in makeup. Retrieved March 2, 2024, https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/cosmetics-pfas-faq-1.6066147

6. (2024, February 9). Food loss and waste. Government of Canada. Retrieved March 2, 2024, from https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/managing-reducing-waste/food-loss-waste.html

7. Castrillon, C. (2021, March 23). Why Taking Vacation Time Could Save Your Life. Forbes. Retrieved March 2, 2024, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/carolinecastrillon/2021/05/23/why-taking-vacation-time-could-save-your-life/?sh=3f55cba724de