It’s pretty much impossible to ignore the current state of the environment and as a business, you should be taking preventative measures to ensure that you’re doing your bit for the planet.
However, the idea that global warming is only the problem of large corporations is misinterpreted, because the responsibility of our planet is down to each and every one of us.
Environmentally Friendly Ways To Run Your Business
Small businesses may be worried that their efforts won’t make a difference when in fact, every small change can help a lot more than you may think.
So, even if you’re running a corner store in a small town, it’s your responsibility to put measures into place. Not sure where to start?
Check out these environmentally friendly ways to run your business so that you can begin doing your part to save our planet.
Start a carpool
We all hate the commute to work, especially if you’ve got to travel a fair distance and normally hit the rush hour traffic. Now think about how many of your employees are travelling to work and how much fuel they’re consuming.
Start a carpool and figure out who is able to travel to work together so that as a company, you can cut down the amount of fuel you’re wasting each week.
Not only will you be helping save the planet, but your employees will also save on their own fuel consumption too. Just remember to make sure that the people who are driving are receiving contributions towards their fuel costs.
More often than not, a carpool can help build relationships within the workplace too, meaning that your staff will communicate better.
Go paperless
The whole world is digitalised these days and it does beg the question as to why many of us are still using paper within our business.
Here are some easy ways to make that transition:
- Use electronic signatures on documents
- Implement digital receipts for your customers
- Communicate online rather than via letter
- Switch any business accounts to paperless mail
- Look into making tax digital to save on large amounts of paper documents each year
- Invest in energy efficient equipment
- Scan documents rather than filing them
Going paperless isn’t as difficult as you may think and as soon as you’ve made the transition, you’ll notice that you’re saving a tonne of money on paper bills too!
Use green cleaning products
Did you know that cleaning products are actually harmful to the environment?
The fumes that are released when most cleaning products are used damages the ozone layer (what’s left of it) and greatly contributes to global warming. Not only that, but they can be harmful to yours or your employee’s health.
Luckily, there are plenty of green cleaning products that you could use instead that will do the job exactly the same, and not pose a threat to your health or the environment.
Only source organic ingredients
If part of your business requires you to buy in produce, then you should be considering switching to organic-only ingredients. This is because many large farms us insecticides and pesticides on their produce which, in turn, harms the environment.
Did you know that organic produce is usually larger, more attractive, and tastes distinctively better than foods that are sprayed? Why not help out a local business and source organic ingredients from them?
Not only will you be helping the environment and supporting a local business, but you’ll be able to tell your customers that your food is locally sourced, giving you an edge to your competitors.
Sponsor a charity
There are a plethora of charities that are working around the clock to help save our planet, and if you’re unable to actively get out there are begin clearing the oceans and streets, then sponsor a charity instead.
You could host fundraisers and donate percentages of your sales to charities that are dedicated to helping save our planet.
Again, not only will you be supporting an amazing cause, but sponsoring a charity can be great for the business turnover.
Invest in other forms of power consumption
Most of the time, the most harmful thing we do to the planet, is using its natural resources to power our business. There are other ways of generating energy that won’t cost the planet its precious oils. Consider investing in these forms of power consumption?
- Solar panels are an incredible way of reusing the energy from the sun. While they might be a large investment, to begin with, solar panels pay for themselves within a year of purchasing them. Not only that, but consumers comment that during the summertime especially, they notice a dramatic drop in energy costs.
- If possible use wind turbines to generate your electricity. This might not be possible depending on your location, but it’s definitely worth looking into.
- Water power is another form of generating power to consider. Again, depending on your location and space, this is another wonderful way of generating power without damaging the environment.
Recycle, recycle, recycle
Most households are now actively recycling their waste, and that’s amazing!
However, as a business, you may find that even though you’re putting the right waste into bins, that you’re still wasting a lot of resources. Old electrical equipment, for example, could be donated to schools and churches instead of going to landfill.
A great way of recycling as much as possible is following these steps:
- Can it be used by someone else or for something else?
- Am I using the right form of disposal?
- Could I sell this on instead of throwing it away, even for spares and repairs?
If all of these questions lead to you still wanting to throw the item away, then it’s time to throw it out.
Use employee incentives to encourage them to do their bit too
You should be proud as a business to be environmentally friendly, but if your staff members aren’t doing their bit at home, then it can make your hard work look redundant.
Use employee incentives like an extra paid day of holiday each year for recycling at home, taking part in your carpool system, and actively being more conscious of the environment.
Another great way of rewarding your staff would be signing up to
Definitely worth considering to encourage your employees to be more conscious of the planet.
Conserve water
Finally, conserving water as a business is another fantastic way of becoming environmentally. Even if your business doesn’t use much water, conserving it to water shrubs and plants on your business premises will help save the environment. If your business uses large amounts of water, you should consider investing in industrial water tanks to collect rainwater in the safest and most environmentally friendly way possible.
As you can see, there are many ways in which you can turn your business into a environmentally friendly one! Most of which will save you money and help your business in the long run too! Which one will you do first?
