It’s time for your business to go green! Here are nine ideas to help you get started
Thinking about going green at work but not sure where to start? Here are nine ideas to help you make your business more eco-friendly.
It’s never too soon to explore ways we can be more environmentally friendly. From recycling at home, choosing reusable products and supporting business who have less of an impact on our planet, the chances are you’re already making a conscious effort to be kind to the planet. But what about at work?
Whether you run your own business or work for someone else, there are plenty of overlooked ways we can reduce our negative impact on the planet in the workplace.
And to help you get started, we’ve put together nine suggestions. Whether you’re the decision-maker or have influence over buying decisions in the company you work for, there may be helpful ideas to inspire you here.
1) Cut down on your use of plastic
The first thing that you should think about is how much plastic you’re currently using in your business. If you can, you need to cut down on this as much as possible.
There are plenty of other alternative materials that you can use that are recyclable or biodegradable, which means that they won’t end up in the sea. And yes, some plastic can be recycled, but the bits that can’t end up littering the planet and causing environmental issues.
When looking into alternatives to plastic, the options that are right for you will depends on what you are using it for. Take a look online or consult an expert about what they think is the best material for you to use.
It might be the case that you need to use plastic for some things right now, but you can still significantly cut down on the amount that you are using. This is still an excellent start, so don’t be afraid to make this small change. Every little helps, and who knows what developments in future will make switching from plastic more viable?
2) Recycle and reuse
If you think about it, how often do you throw old papers or glass into the normal trash? For most of us the answer is probably a lot more than we think. So just doing something as simple as putting the right materials in the correct bin is a great start to being more eco-friendly.
We’re not expecting you to be green overnight, but small steps in the right direction still count as positive progress. You can look into the recycling initiatives in the community your business is in, and see if you can get involved with some of these.
If you can, try to order things like ink cartridges that are made from recycled products, too. Paper is another product that you can get recycled easily – no surprise there! But you may be more surprised at some of the larger and more usual items that can be made from more eco-friendly recycled materials.
3) Use green vendors
It’s not just your business that can help the world by going green – you can help support our planet by using green vendors where possible too.
When you are deciding which vendors to use, try to find out who is green and who is not. Just by purchasing your materials and anything else you need from a green vendor, you can help to make a huge difference.
Supporting other green businesses means that you are helping to do your part, even if you are not actively doing anything right now. These companies have put measures in place to make themselves greener, and you’re supporting their initiative by choosing them over others on the market.
4) Invest in solar panels
Another, slightly more costly (in the short term, say least), action you can take to boost your business’ green credentials is to upgrade the exterior of your business property with solar panels.
In the past, solar panels were an expensive addition. But upgrades and developments in technology have brought some very clear and exciting changes. Solar panels are now so cheap that even small businesses can afford them.
Indeed, you can get a full set and installation for under four thousand. When you invest in solar panels, you will need to consider what size you need as well as the numbers. This will ensure that you have the right set up to power your business.
The benefit should be obvious though. With the right solar panels, you can guarantee that your business is able to get the energy it needs even when it’s not fully operating on the grid. And as governments push towards greener sources of fuel, solar energy could be a wise long term investment.
5) Provide E-V charging stations
Another environmental solution if you have a business premises and staff working for you is to think about offering your team E-V charging stations.
A big benefit of stations like this is that it means employees, clients, and customers will be able to power up their electric cars. Electric cars are quickly becoming more popular and slowly taking a larger chunk of the market. With a Level 3 EV charger installation, you can send a clear message that your business is green and committed to the future.
It will certainly be an impressive upgrade for your company that will be appreciated by any employees or visitors who run an electric car. It’s also worth noting that installations like this are not as expensive as most companies assume. They could definitely fit into a modest business budget.
On the subject of electric vehicles, you might also want to consider the fleet that you currently offer and manage for your employees. Many businesses provide employees with a company car as an incentive to join the team, which is fantastic. But if you can offer green-friendly cars, then you’ll be in an even stronger position.
You can also help your team save on fuel costs, and reports suggest that EVs also tend to develop fewer faults over time. As such, they are cheaper to maintain.
6) Upgrade the tech
If you haven’t done so already, one quick green win is to think about upgrading the tech in your business.
When you buy new tech, you’ll benefit from products that use less energy on an hourly and daily basis. One of the issues with upgrading your tech is that it’s quite an expensive decision. You’re not alone if you’re worried about how this is going to impact the budget of your business model.
The good news is that there are ways around this. Bigger businesses tend to rent tech on a contract. A big advantage here is that when the contract runs out you can easily upgrade. It can definitely be a more cost-friendly choice buying the tech with the capital that you have.
If you do explore replacing your technology, make sure that you invest in products that have an A+++ rating, as the rating means that these products are the best option on the market right now. You’ll notice a sharp decrease in your energy bills once you start using tech like this.
7) Look into paperless billing
Have you ever looked into paperless billing? If not, now is the time to! Not only should you be considering using this for your business, but you should also make sure you’re signed up for your own paperless statements as well.
For example, when it comes to your business bank account, make sure that you are not wasting paper and instead sign up to get your bills online. You won’t believe the amount of paper one company can save simply by doing this!
When it comes to billing your customers, try to keep it paperless as well. Send them emails with a receipt, send them an invoice, or however you want to do it, but try to avoid paper bills at all costs. There is no need for them, it’s just a waste of resources and keeps your business back about ten years.
8) Consider remote working
Another thing that you should consider is remote working. There are a number of reasons why this is going to be beneficial to the environment. One big one being that there aren’t going to be as many people traveling to work.
Do you know the number of toxic fumes that are released into the air by a single car? Now, imagine all of your employees are coming in their own cars every day, that’s a lot of toxicity to release into the atmosphere.
By letting your employees work from home instead, if this is a possibility with the work that you do, you can considerably help cut down on commuter pollution. Obviously, there are some businesses where this won’t work, but if you can, it’s an excellent idea.
And not only will you help reduce the amount of toxic fumes in your area, but when your staff work from home, you’ll save on things like electricity, heating, paper, and other essentials that you need to run an office. The environment is going to thank you for this, as there won’t be so many materials wasted.
While working from home here are also additional ways to optimize energy usage. For example, companies like Dcbel put sustainable energy at the heart of your home, offering an AI-driven sustainable alternative to separate expensive backup power sources. It also has functions of EV supercharger, blackout power, and solar charger inverter – all in one. Check more information on their website.
9) Get Smart
When you think about upgrading your tech it’s important to consider smart technology. Why is smart technology such a powerful asset to your business? You’re probably already using it in your home and reaping the benefits of doing so.
With smart tech, you can keep track of your energy bills and guarantee that you are able to reduce them where possible. There’s no reason not to use similar tech in your business.
There are all sorts of different types of smart tech these days. For example, you can think about investing in smart lighting. Find out how to control your lights with the click of a button on your phone. Dim the lights when they are not needed at full power to save on energy and benefit from bulbs that will last for hundreds of thousands of hours.
We hope that you have found this article helpful, and now see some of the things that your business can do to go green!
