There are a plethora of ways for your business to become more environmentally friendly. It is an added advantage that embracing green business practices and initiatives makes you much more attractive to customers and business partners.
Some changes are small, while other changes can be implemented as CSR activities to justify the expenditure. Whether you choose to reduce with small steps or make sweeping changes, embracing green behavior will ensure your business sustainability. Environmentally conscious companies usually have happier employees and customers.
Work With Your Utility Company to Save Money
Depending on your business’s state, you can request to receive ‘green power’ from your current utility company. This is generated from renewable energy sources such as hydro, geothermal, and wind farms. This can cause a higher power bill but also qualifies you for federal benefits packages. You could also receive significant tax cuts from the state for embracing green power usage.
Save Power by Using Alternative Energy
Another option is to convert your business’s roof into generating solar energy and using this energy to power your company. A reputable solar energy company would provide you with an estimate of how much energy could be generated and offer maintenance services, so you never have to worry. This also means that you can significantly reduce your utility bills and perhaps even get rid of them altogether.
Make the Switch to Post Consumer Waste Products
This is an eco-friendly paper made by recycling paper products that have fulfilled their primary role and are now given a second life. Making post-consumer waste paper uses an appreciably less amount of energy and creates half the waste of producing new paper. PCW products are also made of cloth, which is repurposed as cleaning materials. These materials can be used as cleaning rags by your janitorial staff and provide the same quality at less than half the cost.
E-Waste Can Be Recycled Too
In this technologically advancing age, companies generate a lot of e-waste as well. This waste can be recycled and kept out of landfills. Destruction of these products can be toxic to human health as well as the environment. Provide your employees with e-waste recycling options and work with your local recycling center to learn how to dispose of them correctly. If you are upgrading your devices, then consider donating the older models to charity.
Extend More Telecommuting Opportunities
Technological innovations have made it easier to work remotely from anywhere as long as you have an internet connection. It is now entirely possible for employees to keep meeting deadlines, provide efficient work, and even improve productivity while telecommuting. Telecommuting will reduce the company’s carbon footprint by requiring less power usage in the office and make your workforce happier. Employees will also appreciate the reduction in transport costs, which will empower them to make more green choices.
Embrace E-Billing
Not only is this a great way to ensure that your books stay up-to-date, e-billing means that you never have to worry about missing a payment or losing an invoice. It also severely limits the amount of paper that you will have to print and store. Storing this type of sensitive information in the Cloud means that it is accessible at any time from any approved device. It is also much more secure as files cannot be mislaid, and access to the data can be very closely monitored. This added security will provide you with peace of mind and greatly reduce the company’s paper output.
Change Out Your Lights
Make the switch to LED lights for improved functionality and more efficient power usage safe. LED lights are sustainable, made from non-toxic materials, and do not lose efficiency. Lighting systems that utilize LED bulbs have been known to remain efficient for up to 15 or more years. They also provide savings on two fronts by not requiring much maintenance and not being replaced often. They also do not lose brilliance with continual usage, are not affected by temperature fluctuations, and unlike traditional bulbs, they do not require a power-up period.
A good way to get an idea of which area to get started is to get a green audit. Most states offer this service free of charge to businesses looking to embrace green initiatives. They will send inspectors who will determine if your business is sealed appropriately, identify where you are losing energy, and give you options to fix the issues. They may even be able to advise you on applying for total or partial funding to make these fixes. Start small and work towards being part of a big change.
Meta title: Environmentally Friendly Practices for Your Business
meta desc: More and more people and businesses are looking to work with green businesses these days, and this trend is only growing. Learn how to save money with green business practices.
