Plastic Free July is here, and there's a good reason to bring this awareness month to the office. Offices across the U.S. have a big opportunity to reduce single-use plastic waste, especially at events, break rooms, and meetings. While the push for carbon neutrality and green buildings is growing, small daily actions like encouraging refill culture could be a low-hanging fruit carbon and waste reduction initiative.Â
Refillable water bottles improve workplace hydration and health, reduce procurement and delivery costs, and support corporate sustainability goals. This Plastic Free July, companies have a chance to challenge their offices to go single-use plastic free all month long and adopt reuse as an office culture reset.
Why refill culture belongs in the workplace
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), containers and packaging account for close to 30% of total municipal solid waste. Offices contribute significantly to environmental issues through the use of single-use plastic water bottles, cups, and catering waste. A 2020 report by the Recycling Partnership found that 86% of disposable plastic bottles are not recycled and often end up in landfills or waterways.
Sustainability efforts are now internal brand signals. A 2022 survey by IBM and the National Retail Federation found that 67% of employees prefer to work for environmentally responsible companies, and internal sustainability initiatives often drive employee satisfaction and retention.
Hydration affects performance
A study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that even mild dehydration (a 1-2% loss of body weight) negatively impacts cognitive performance, short-term memory, and mood in young adults, particularly in sedentary office environments where employees often forget to drink water regularly.Â
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The refill toolkit: what HR and workplace managers can do
1. Launch a plastic free July refill challenge
Encourage departments to compete in a friendly month-long refill tally. Use signage, email updates, or even shared refill logs, and track how many bottles were refilled or how many single-use plastics were avoided. Offer rewards or recognition; this can boost employee engagement while modeling behavior change.
2. Offer company-branded reusable bottles
Provide reusable bottles as part of new hire welcome kits or Plastic Free July incentives. High-quality aluminum bottles like PATH combine durability with professional branding and show that the company is investing in long-term solutions. According to a 2021 ASI Global Ad Impressions study, 73% of U.S. consumers own promotional drinkware, making it one of the most effective ways to embed brand values.
3. Ditch the 5-gallon jugs
Most traditional water dispensers rely on single-use cups and non-recyclable plastic jugs. These systems also require storage space and delivery logistics. Many offices are switching to filtered water systems or installing bottle-filling stations since these systems cut plastic waste and reduce costs over time.
Financially, the shift is smart. A study from the Pacific Institute showed that bottled water is up to 2,000 times more energy intensive than tap water. By switching to tap-based refill systems, companies can dramatically lower annual hydration costs while improving their sustainability reporting metrics.
4. Educate and empower
Use break room posters, internal newsletters, or screensavers with refill tips, hydration facts, and plastic waste data. For example, Americans purchase about 50 billion plastic water bottles each year; switching to reusable bottles could save the average person 167 bottles annually.
5. Celebrate Plastic Free July
Host a hydration bar day with fruit-infused water, Flavored Sparkling PATH, promote a no-single-use-plastic week, or highlight employee sustainability stories in internal communications. It shows leadership participation and encourages shared responsibility.
Rethinking office hydration with refilling: the small change that adds upÂ
When workplaces support easy, sustainable access to hydration, they're supporting productivity, focus, and well-being. Creating a refill culture is  a business decision that supports employee wellness, reduces unnecessary costs, and builds stronger values. Plastic Free July is the perfect moment to start, but the real impact comes from building habits that last well beyond the month.
So this July, skip the case of water bottles and make the better choice easier to refill and lead by example all year.
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