4 WAYS TO MAKE YOUR SMALL BUSINESS MORE ECO-FRIENDLY IN 2019
Today, businesses are becoming increasingly aware of the impact of their actions on the environment, and consumer interest in environmental sustainability and ‘going green’ continues to grow. Corporate social responsibility and a commitment to green initiatives should be a core element of every business plan and strategy.
Company-wide efforts should be made to reduce waste and ensure that your business is environmentally friendly. This shows customers that you care about the environment and are willing to do your part to reduce your carbon footprint and make the world a better place to live in. Being eco-friendly is not only good for the environment – it is also good for your bottom line!
1.) Go Paperless Whenever Possible
Businesses can accumulate an unnecessarily large amount of paper and waste daily. Take advantage of small opportunities to go green and reduce the regular use of paper within your office. Cut down on paper handouts for meetings. Rather, documents can be emailed to staff ahead of time for review, and displayed via a projector at the meeting in order to reduce the number of printed documents.
In light of how much business is carried out online nowadays, consider investing in a quality website to provide customers with information about your business. This includes making electronic PDF versions of policies, brochures, leaflets etc. available online which helps to cut down on glossy paper use. If bills can be viewed and processed electronically, online banking is a great option.
Provide customers with a choice between paper and email receipts. Additionally, give customers the option to receive all other paperwork (such as contracts) digitally. Your customers will appreciate the option and your efforts to be more environmentally friendly.
2.) Be Energy Efficient with Lighting
To increase the energy efficiency of your small business, invest in programmable lighting that automatically switches off when the office is empty. Also encourage staff to turn off room lights that are not in use, and switch all unnecessary lights off after hours. Computers should also be turned off at the end of the work day. Consider switching to compact-fluorescent (CFL) or LED lighting which helps to reduce energy waste, and is estimated to save consumers up to $200 per bulb over a lifetime. LED lights are 80% more efficient than regular bulbs, don’t contain toxic elements and have a better quality of light distribution. Building an energy efficient business is not only good for the environment – it also helps your business to save tons of money!
3.) Start A Recycling Programme
Make recycling a priority within your workplace. Printers are a huge source of wasted paper. Place recycle bins beside your printer and encourage staff to print on both sides of an individual paper. Where possible, encourage staff to refrain from printing altogether. Make it simple for staff to recycle by providing easily accessible bins or containers. Office furniture and old electronics can also be recycled. Consider donating your old electronics to tech stores for parts or purchasing second hand office furniture.
4.) Invest in Eco-Friendly Supplies
A simple way to help your business to become more eco-friendly is to utilize recycled and reusable materials. Make an effort to use recycled materials as often as possible. This can include recycled folders, recycled paper towels and tissues, recycled copy paper, cardboard pens and reusable cups. Also, water should be provided for staff and they should be encouraged to bring reusable water bottles that can be filled up during the day. This helps to reduce the number of plastic, disposable bottles that end up in the landfill. Laptops are considered to be far more energy efficient than desktops. Consider swapping your office desktops for laptops which staff can also use when working from home. Eliminating staff’s daily commute to work also helps to reduce your business’s carbon footprint.
Written by Sherise Brooks
