5 Ways How Your Commercial Business Can Help The Planet

Julie Starr • Oct 15, 2021

Commercial businesses can make their property more eco-friendly by installing various types of green technologies. Whether it is renewable energy, metal roofing, lighting, rainwater collection systems, or electronic technology, green technologies are beneficial to the environment and helpful to potential customers.

Here Are 5 Ways How Commercial Businesses Can Help The Planet:

Metal Roofing

Metal roofing is an efficient way to reduce the carbon footprint of commercial businesses. Metal roofs are made up of recycled aluminum, steel, or copper materials that would otherwise be landfilled. U sing metal roofing for commercial buildings can reduce greenhouse emissions by as much as fourteen metric tons per 100 square meters of roofing. The reduction in emissions reduces the demand for fossil fuels and contributes to cleaner air and water. This has several benefits for business owners who want to make their properties more environmentally friendly:

These types of roofs also have excellent insulation, so buildings require less energy for heating.
The reflective metal panels collect less heat for the establishment, cooling it naturally during hot days.
Roofs are easier to maintain without requiring regular re-painting.

Renewable Energy

Another way commercial businesses can make their property more eco-friendly is by using renewable energy sources such as solar or wind power. In addition, with today’s easy access to information, anyone can research new green technology which has been made available to consumers.

For example, many people may not know that photovoltaic (PV) panels are available that allow homes and businesses to produce their own electricity, thus creating minimal dependency on traditional utility companies while also having lower electric bills.

These types of technologies will only become more popular in the near future because they help build a more sustainable world, which is beneficial to everyone.

Lighting

Businesses can protect the environment by using energy-efficient lighting. LED light bulbs are becoming popular because they use less electricity than traditional light bulbs and last much longer. They also heat up slowly, so they don’t burn out as fast . Rather than changing a bulb every year or two, an LED bulb could last between 10 – 20 years before it needs replacing. This reduces the number of materials needed for production, shipping, and disposal while saving the company money in long-term costs. In addition, green technology helps businesses create eco-friendly buildings that are beneficial to both employees and customers alike.

Electronic Technology

There are many electronic devices that are made without toxic components, which are harmful to our health and the environment. The best way to lessen your carbon footprint is by recycling cell phones, computers, TVs, and other electronic devices instead of throwing them away when you upgrade. Many people don’t know that it’s possible to sell old electronics for cash or trade-in.

Rainwater Collection

If businesses want to make their property more eco-friendly, they could invest in a rainwater collection system. These types of systems can collect up to 100 gallons of water per inch of rainfall; this means one inch of rain could fill up 1000 gallons of storage space!

If businesses rely on normal tap water for their needs, these stored waters could be used for landscaping purposes like irrigation or exterior cleaning windows (which would require less soap). Not only would this save money on tap water bills, but it would also decrease plastic water bottle usage, which is harmful to the environment.

In Conclusion

By taking the initiative and building green , businesses are making their property more eco-friendly which is beneficial for their business as well as the future of the planet!

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Simple Steps To Make Your Office Space More Eco-Friendly

By Julie Starr • 07 Oct, 2024

Becoming more eco-friendly and running a greener business is a responsibility that business owners really need to think more about. The good news is that if you spend a lot of time in your office, there are plenty of ways to make it more eco-friendly without having to overhaul everything and start again (which isn’t just disruptive, but expensive too). So, if you’re ready to get started, here are some simple steps to make your office space more eco-friendly; read on to find out more. Use Energy-Efficient Lighting This idea is a simple one that you can do no matter what else might be on your list of tasks - it’s quick, easy, and really makes a difference; change your light bulbs to something more energy efficient. If you’re still using traditional fluorescent bulbs, it’s time to upgrade to LED which doesn’t just last longer, but also uses a lot less energy. They’re easy to install and they’ll help you cut down on your office’s energy usage almost instantly. If possible, you should make the most of natural light too, so think about rearranging your workspace to let in more sunlight, which saves energy and can boost your mood - it’s a win-win that you can do right away. Prioritize Air Quality The air you breathe matters, and keeping it clean can do wonders for your health and the planet. One way to improve air quality is by adding plants to your workspace because plants are natural air purifiers, and as a bonus, they’ll make your office feel more inviting. Another great idea is to make sure your office’s HVAC system is working efficiently, and having air duct cleaning done by professionals is an easy step you can take to improve air quality and ensure your heating and cooling systems aren’t wasting energy. Clean air ducts mean cleaner air, less strain on your system, and even lower energy bills, so it’s a simple but really effective thing to do. Switch To Reusable Products If your office is still stocking up on single-use plastic items, it’s time for a change - swap your disposable cups, utensils, and plates for reusable ones and you’ll be surprised at how much waste to eliminate. And what about encouraging people to bring their own mugs and water bottles to work? Give them tea, coffee, and water to refill everything with, and you’ll be doing your bit to help the planet and have less waste to deal with as well. And don’t stop with these things either - there are loads of reusable products that could be useful in your office. You could have refillable pens and ink cartridges for your printer, for example. Go Paperless Speaking of your printer, is that an office machine you actually need? If you were to go digital and aim for a paperless office , you might be able to do away with the printer, which means less money spent on ink and paper, and less energy used altogether. You should be able to set up a system where documents can be shared online and stored electronically, and there are plenty of tools around to help you do exactly that (and much more). If you don’t need to print something and you don’t need a physical copy of a document, don’t make one - just use the digital version instead and you’ll be a lot more eco-friendly.

3 Most Unsustainable Industries & What They're Doing To Be More Eco-Conscious

By Julie Starr • 04 Oct, 2024

Sustainability often gets pushed on the common person. Joe Public is told to be more sustainable with their daily habits as the government pushes for more eco-friendly measures. This is all well and good - but does it really matter when 71% of greenhouse gas emissions come from just 100 companies around the world? Small business owners are desperate to prove their sustainability, but what are bigger companies in some of the most polluting industries doing to help? We’ve taken three of the least sustainable sectors on the planet and explored the unique ways they’re trying to cut down on emissions and be more eco-friendly. Mining Any industry revolving around drilling underground will not be very environmentally friendly! Mining causes a lot of pollution, but its unsustainability often comes from the way it damages local environments and ecosystems. So, what is this industry doing to change things? It’s largely focusing on more responsible mining practices to reduce waste and mitigate the impact on local environments. This is done through mining dust suppression systems to prevent airborne pollution, reforesting mining sites when they’re no longer in use, and recycling as many materials as possible. Is it perfect? No, but it’s a step in the right direction. Fossil Fuels Shock horror; the fossil fuels industry is the most damaging to our environment. Finding ways to change the scope of this sector is the key to ensuring a better future for all. Some companies in this industry are trying to do this through carbon capture and storage. This is a technique where CO2 emissions are captured before they’re released into the atmosphere and stored underground. Realistically, the main thing fossil fuel companies should be doing is pushing for more renewable energy sources. Many are doing this - though reports suggest they’re not investing as much as they should. If fossil fuel companies dumped more money into developing biofuels and other renewable sources, pollution from this industry would drop dramatically. Fashion The most unbelievable stat to take from this post is that the fashion industry is responsible for 10% of our global carbon footprint . That’s remarkable (and worrying), considering how most of us don’t view it as a “dangerous” industry. Fast fashion is the main problem; poorly-made goods are pumped out at a rapid rate, and consumers constantly buy new things. Fashion companies are trying their best to resolve this. Most big brands will now have sustainable lines using recyclable materials. Consumers also hold the key to solving this problem: stop buying new clothes all the time and wear yours for longer. Or buy pre-owned clothes to slow down the fashion production line. Companies can still do more as well: they are trying to adopt more eco-friendly production processes that use less water and energy. The moral of this post is that everyone can do their bit to fight for a more sustainable future. Keep this in mind for your small business . It doesn’t matter what industry you’re in; there will always be ways to promote eco-friendly practices.