Push for Greener Vending Machines at Work

You might not have many snacking options at your place of work. You might be working late and find your stomach grumbling for some grub. You head on over to the break room and find two shimmering, low-humming vending machines near the back. One for food and one for drink. You will stand in front of these vending machines, coins jangling in pockets, ready to make a decision. As someone who is environmentally conscious, you may notice three inherent problems with vending machines and the food within.

The Problem of Energy Consumption

The first problem is the electricity that vending machines consume. Vending machines are often left on even when the lights are off and the majority of employees have gone home. Sometimes, the snack machine gets unplugged, but the drink machine almost never does. There are two solutions that you can propose to your boss. Both will save the company money and both are green solutions.

Solution 1: Talk to your boss about installing green vending machines. The University of Buffalo has installed these energy-efficient vending machines, and they now save $21,000 a year. Imagine saving your boss that much money.

Solution 2: Why do you need a machine to vend your food? The only reason for the whole mechanical-box-full-of-food ordeal is to protect the food from being stolen. According to the book Freakonomics, most employees are honest and will put money into an eco-friendly "honor" box. The payment rate is usually somewhere between 88-91 percent. Any loss can be recouped through the savings in electricity. This should be greater than the cost of 9 to 12 candy bars per 100. Also, the company can make the snack money themselves without having to go through a third-party vending company. Your boss can save all his vending electricity this way.

The Problem of Health

The second problem is health. The items in vending machines are not very healthy. They are usually candy, chips, jerky, non-biodegradable gum and mints. Sometimes, you can get fat-free fruit snacks that aren't made out of fruit or some other faux health food. Employees should be offered a variety of healthy things to eat.

Solution: They have started to crack down on these unhealthy snacks in schools. You can start the crackdown at your place of work. The best way to bring about change is to appeal to the bottom line. A healthy employee is a more productive employee. Also, if the company is giving its employees health insurance, your company can actually save money by keeping their workers healthier.

The Problem of Trash

The third problem is trash. The packaging that the food comes in is really bad for the environment. This all can be recycled, but recycling takes energy. Why bother wasting that energy if you can just avoid it?

Solution: Have fresh, healthy snack food delivered from a local eatery: granola, nuts, fruits. Install drink machines that pour the drink directly into your mug or cup. They still make those, and they make water machines that tap into the water lines and purify the local water. This eliminates shipping costs. Combine all the solutions and you can have eco-friendly snacks a'plenty at your office. You'll save your office money and maybe you can get that raise you've been hankering after.