Making your business green or environmentally friendly is a sound investment for several reasons. The EPA suggests that the environmental issues the world is facing will alter the regulatory and market landscape in the future, and eco-friendly companies will be able to navigate these changes better—staying on top.
Plus, more consumers are learning to make more conscious decisions about their purchases, leading many to opt for green products. In essence, it’s a lucrative change that any business can enjoy. ;
If you want to join in and make your business more environmentally sustainable, here are eight ‘green’ ideas you can explore.
Recycle and Use Recycled Materials
Recycling is one of the most impactful things you can do to make your business more environmentally sustainable. Whatever industry you may be in, there’s a good chance that you generate a lot of waste. You can lessen your impact by committing to recycling programs and training employees to follow. You can begin by paying close attention to the things your company throws away, as it’s likely that your office produces more recyclable waste than you may think. Papers, cardboard, and plastic bottles are the most obvious ones.
Additionally, using recycled items like shopping bags and other goods for your business can also lessen your environmental impact.
Invest in Reusable Office Supplies
A problem with office supplies is that most of them are one-time use, ranging from papers to pencils. In fact, over four million pens get thrown away every day in the United States alone. These can be detrimental to the environment’s health. That’s why making the switch to reusable office supplies can go a long way. For instance, you can provide reusable pens to employees to help your business prevent plastic from ending up in landfills or cut down on paper waster by replacing sticky note pads with small chalkboards or tablets.
Add Shrubs and Trees Around the Office
Planting shrubs and trees is one way to make your business more eco-friendly. Doing this makes your workplace more beautiful without worrying about its maintenance because occasional pruning and watering are enough. Trees and shrubs improve the quality of air, which is crucial for you and your employees. And these green views are relaxing, which can help maintain a healthy working environment.
Practice Green Procurement
Another way to make sure an eco-friendly business is to practice green procurement. Choose those suppliers that provide you with products that are produced or made sustainably. Avoid the ones that use too much plastic packaging. Ensure that your products are free from toxic chemicals that can harm the environment. Use recyclable or reusable materials. And find local suppliers in your area. Doing this will reduce carbon footprints from shipping the supplies from different locations and help support your local economy.
Reduce Water Usage
Reduce your usage of water as much as possible. By doing so, you can save more money and help conserve water, which is valuable and one of the leading environmental resources. You can reduce water use in your business by checking and fixing plumbing leaks, turning off water fixtures when not in use, and making sure the tap is not dripping. Consider reusing or recycling water and installing rain collectors if possible.
Reduce Energy Consumption
Reducing energy consumption is an effective way to make your business environmentally friendly. There are a lot of ways to conserve electrical energy in your workplace. You can use LED lights and fixtures instead of incandescent and fluorescent bulbs. Consider using alternative and renewable energy in powering your workplace, such as wind, geothermal, and solar power, if possible.
You can take advantage of the more accessible solar and wind energy with lesser to zero carbon footprints, which most successful businesses are using today. Using these green energy sources can significantly decrease your energy bill and minimize your business’s environmental impact.
Conserve Human Energy
You and your employees are also part of the environment, so you should consider keeping your employees more energetic and healthy. By doing so, they can be more productive and creative. You can help them stay healthy by providing a non-toxic and safe working environment. You can serve healthy brain foods during meetings or even on regular days, such as vegetable salads, nuts, fruits, and other organic foods that can help them maintain a healthy mind and body.
Remember, when going green, you can’t achieve sustainable development by a single individual or whole enterprise—everyone needs to participate. That’s why encourage everyone in your team, including yourself and other executives, to join and explore the green business ideas mentioned to help you achieve success responsibly.
